09 Aug 2017 09:50:43
I have no problems in selling coutinho the player ( he's very hit and miss to me )
I have a problem selling the name coutinho.
He's arguably our biggest star, so I worry about the message it sends out to other players and the fans.
09 Aug 2017 10:00:45
Maybe we can retain the "name" as part of the deal Benny. Would that work for you? :-)
His new Barcelona shirt could say "Philipe the artist formerly known as Coutinho" (in very small font. ) .
09 Aug 2017 10:07:02
In a slightly more serious response, I take your second point, but disagree on the first point.
I think he has become our Steve G replacement (not in terms of style of play), but if we are having a bad day at the office he is the one likely to provide that spark and do something brilliant from nowhere (freekick against Arsenal last season) . I also think he has been far more consistent in the last year or so, so I do think he will be a big miss!
I share your concern with how it looks that we let our biggest name go when we have finally got back in CL. I think I have posted on this before, but in the last 10 years or so we always seem to struggle to get quality players to stay long enough to enable us to get two or three of them at the club at one time. Torres left as Suarez arrived (would have been great watching those two with Stevie G behind them), then Suarez left, now if Coutinho goes before we can see what can be achieved with a couple of new signings it is just disappointing that we are not really ever getting a firm base to kick on from.
09 Aug 2017 10:07:49
You say that he's very hit and miss, but he was at least as effective as Eden Hazard last season.
09 Aug 2017 10:19:20
next season coutinho will be all hit benny. because he is . supposed to play in a position where everything passes through him.
Anyway one Brazilians loss would become another's gain so not to worried either.
i more look towards keeping studger fit and hitting them 30 goals.
09 Aug 2017 10:28:53
I'll be honest akshit, after seeing Sturridge pull up in pre season, I am worried that he will break down quite a lot this season as well.
09 Aug 2017 10:23:15
Benny, I agree with most of your post except the message to other players. We will always be able to attract young players with potential, the problem is that they see us as a stepping stone club. Although this will probably suit the business side as there could be huge profits to be made, as in Coutinho.
09 Aug 2017 10:26:40
He will always be hit and miss whilst being stuck out on the left wing. Put him in the middle with runners ahead of him and then you'll see him at his best. The last time he played in his natural position for a full season; with runners ahead of him was the season we finished second - 4 seasons ago when he was just 21 years of age. He's been wasted ever since.
Red Rum.
09 Aug 2017 10:42:32
I think he's more hit than miss these days but still not quite in that top echelon on world class players for me. Not to say he can't make that next step.
09 Aug 2017 10:43:29
Stars come and go and new ones are made to replace them.
Everybody was saying the same when Torres left, when Suarez left, when Gerrard retired, but people step up, new players are signed.
though I'll be gutted if Coutinho leaves I agree with akshit in that I think it will massively benefit Firmino. Bobby is not a striker he is a trequarista and dropping a little deeper to support a striker would allow him to play his more natural game and it would allow us to play an actual striker who will get 20+ goals a season.
09 Aug 2017 11:07:06
Torres, Suarez and Gerrard are really poor examples as we have never adequately replaced them and that is the problem.
09 Aug 2017 11:13:35
Studger will fire this season.
09 Aug 2017 12:36:53
surely suarez replaced torres?
09 Aug 2017 13:50:47
I think I'd rather sell the name and keep the player ðŸ¤.