Philippe Coutinho

[Assassin]

Each square on the turf is 6 yards, Phil strikes it from the edge of the 5th square - 30 yards.

Eat my goal.

The refs free kick placement jizz (still visable) is half a yard back from there, meaning it was 30.5 yards

[RedReet]

Think that’s 13 goals now in 31 starts under Klopp. That’s despite last year being such an inconsistent season and him ‘going missing’ for the second half of the season.

Starting to regret going for Firmino ahead of him in my FF team now.

[kubrickscube]

He's a creative midfielder. Surely "going missing" is the nature of the beast. There aren't many who don't.

[danperkins]

Inconsistent, amazing or absolute dog ****. No in between with our Phil.

[BigChief]

Inconsistent, amazing or absolute dog ****. No in between with our Phil.

Nothing wrong with that, every team needs a player that can turn it on in the big games. Bad management is when you think he's going to turn it on every single game which if you have eyes and a coaching badge (though badge is meaningless if fecking Roy Hodgdon has one) then the last two years would be a big giveaway.

Horses for courses. Not horses for all courses and pray hard because you only have a plan A.

[danperkins]

Yeah true, supremely talented guy but can't rely on a Coutinho worldie to get us out of trouble every time.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Yeah true, supremely talented guy but can't rely on a Coutinho worldie to get us out of trouble every time.

True but that is when his teammates should be picking up the slack.

Our problem, or at least one of our problems, is that when one of our talents is not doing something amazing to change a game, then the rest often go back into their shells as well.

[danperkins]

True but that is when his teammates should be picking up the slack.

Our problem, or at least one of our problems, is that when one of our talents is not doing something amazing to change a game, then the rest often go back into their shells as well.

no real leaders. It just hasn't been addressed in this window, like several others things.

[Phoenix07]

Anyone notice his positions on the pitch were more in the No.8 role, and being on the left were occasional moments, rather than his primary area?

My criticisms of Firmino and Coutinho last year, were that they were isolationist players i.e. they had moments of brilliance, hence all of the goals and assists, but they weren't regularly involved in the game through build-up play.

Coutinho was brilliant yesterday in terms of getting involved, moving the ball, creating space, and not merely just waiting for the ball, cutting inside, and blasting it over the bar. He was clever with his passes, and also, his timing of runs into the box.

We're playing so much better now, because everyone has to be involved. Otherwise, it falls flat. Pressing at the right moments, creating space, timing your runs, awareness of others on the pitch so that you can make the right pass. Henderson, Lallana, Wijnaldum, Coutinho, Firmino, Mane, were all doing it, and it's resulting in some quality team performances.

Interesting to see Wijnaldum take the left flank early in the second half too.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Anyone notice his positions on the pitch were more in the No.8 role, and being on the left were occasional moments, rather than his primary area?

My criticisms of Firmino and Coutinho last year, were that they were isolationist players i.e. they had moments of brilliance, hence all of the goals and assists, but they weren't regularly involved in the game through build-up play.

Coutinho was brilliant yesterday in terms of getting involved, moving the ball, creating space, and not merely just waiting for the ball, cutting inside, and blasting it over the bar. He was clever with his passes, and also, his timing of runs into the box.

We're playing so much better now, because everyone has to be involved. Otherwise, it falls flat. Pressing at the right moments, creating space, timing your runs, awareness of others on the pitch so that you can make the right pass. Henderson, Lallana, Wijnaldum, Coutinho, Firmino, Mane, were all doing it, and it's resulting in some quality team performances.

Interesting to see Wijnaldum take the left flank early in the second half too.

It was, and also to see ij the first half how often Wijnaldum seemed to back up Coutinho on the ball. He seemed to be making himself available to receive the ball from Phil every time Coutinho needed an option. And at times him making himself available for a pass drew a marker away from Coutinho, which in turn gave Coutinho that little bit of extra time and space to work with.

[labourRed]

Yes. In fact I wondered if Lallana and Coutinho had swapped positions but it was only with the ball that Coutinho dropped deep and he had space and time. That allows Lallana to push on at times.

So tough to defend when there are four players (at least) dragging defences into places they don't want to go. Hull had no idea how to cope with it.

[Corndog]

Yes. In fact I wondered if Lallana and Coutinho had swapped positions but it was only with the ball that Coutinho dropped deep and he had space and time. That allows Lallana to push on at times.

So tough to defend when there are four players (at least) dragging defences into places they don't want to go. Hull had no idea how to cope with it.

So true, at times there was almost a flat front four with Firming dropping a bit deeper and lallana & mane coming forward centrally, clyne then overlapping wide right.

[baitman]

its the first time in a while i have seen players moving around into other positions and others interchanging with them. much more fluid and it shows more intelligence [training] from the team.

it was only hull but we have often [post suarez] struggled against teams like this.

[baitman]

delete.

[RedReet]

We play United after the next International break which means Coutinho could be late back again as they have a midweek game in Venezuela.

Luckily we don't play until Monday night, so he should have enough time to recover.

Mane will have 9 days to prepare.

Hope Firmino doesn't get called up though.