22 Jul 2017 08:00:53
It appears that part of the issue with our deals for Keita and VVD are the amount and the structure of the deal.
I understand what Coutinho is to us, and what he means to the club. If he still wants to be a Liverpool player then turn it down. If, as he has already told other Brazilians, his head has been turned then get the best deal for him and use that to get the Keita and VVD deals over the line.
Forcing a player to stay never seems to work anymore, they can affect the dressing room and may not be totally engaged on the pitch.
Klopp saying he is not for sale will just mean we get the best deal for him.
Coutinho is superb, and I am not underplaying his ability in our games, but we have a lot of high quality forward players now. Without Coutinho we would have Salah, Mane, Lallana, Firmino, Milner, Origi, Ings, Solanke, Sturridge and Kent, for 4 positions. The pace of that attack is still something to behold.

Not saying I want him to go, but if he isn't going to be as engaged for us because he wants the move then just get the best deal we can and move on with the signings we want.

1.) 22 Jul 2017
22 Jul 2017 11:31:13
None of those would lace the boots of Coutinho.
There is a reason 30 year old David Silva still plays for a star flooded City team!
Coutinho makes things happen for all the names you mentioned. He brings players into the game! In his absence all those names are useless!

2.) 22 Jul 2017
22 Jul 2017 11:38:29
In general I agree and think forcing a player to stay doesn't work, but there are exceptions, like Suarez's final season for us.

3.) 22 Jul 2017
22 Jul 2017 12:04:29
Ding Dong, yes Coutinho plays them in, but are you telling me that none of the other players are creative?
Lallana is creative, Hendo has a great pass. Mane and Salah don't rely on a great through ball, they rely on out pacing their man.
You need to be realistic and understand that Coutinho obviously wants this move. Will Keita be a big part of replacing him, even if that was not the initial plan?

4.) 22 Jul 2017
22 Jul 2017 12:21:18
He is our best player and anything under 100 million shouldn't even be considered. Perfect player to run Klopps system next year. I just want to see him win BPL player of the year before he goes.

5.) 22 Jul 2017
22 Jul 2017 12:43:43
Anfield, Ding Dong is absolutely correct. None of the players you mentioned can do the things Couts can do and that is a fact, backed up by what we are seeing with our own eyes. It is not a case of whether player X is creative or not. The fact of the matter is that Couts creativity and hence his influence, brings out the best in all the players you mentioned and without him, they will not be as good as they are with him. You can watch some of our games last season to see how massive he was alongside Mane, Lallana and Firmino, terrorizing defences at will. He literally bossed games almost on his own like vs WH and Arsenal away and pulled a rabit out of a hat at Stoke while being ill. That is talent and raw ability, my friend and nothing more. I don't want him to go either like you and I want him to stay for atleast one more season cos we may be on threshold of doing big things in the PL and CL but to say we will be just as creative without him is wide off the mark.

6.) 22 Jul 2017
22 Jul 2017 12:44:19
You mean like keeping suarez that extra season and almost winning the league? That kind of "never seems to work". No, couthiho stays and you add players of similar ability, that's how titles are won. But he will go and the keita's of the world will come in for three seasons or so and then be moved on at a profit because that's the blueprint of these owners. Yet none of you can see it, your brainwashed by them for some reason and it beggars belief.

7.) 22 Jul 2017
22 Jul 2017 14:09:46
Andy,

Go and watch the game against Crystal palace. Compare the first half and second half. And come come to the same thread! We will talk!

8.) 22 Jul 2017
22 Jul 2017 14:39:34
Barcelona had not made their bid or declared their interest before the Palace game. The main point here is that if a player really wants the move then it tends to happen, or the player ends up a bit of a mess, like VVD or Keita who are both unsettled and trying to force a move.
If we can manage to keep him then I'm all for it, even if only for a year.
Also the difference with Suarez was that the season before it was Arsenal for £40,000,001, he was told to work his sicks off for a season for a dream move to Barcelona, and it worked. Barcelona are already in, Coutinho doesn't need an extra season to get a bigger club interested.