Philippe Coutinho
- Thread starter xXKonan
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Xaviniesta
Senior Member
Congrats to coutinho 
Maybe he'll return to his old self after this triumph 
Maybe he'll return to his old self after this triumph 
Mitchell1978
Senior Member
From what i've seen he didn't stand out whatsoever.
He looks as though he’s got his confidence back in my opinion, flashes of brilliance , always available in midfield, linked up well with Arthur who also had a good game . Coutinho looked so lively as wel . Had a few good shots , one fabulous effort and made a stunning long dribbling run late on .
Valverde won’t give him that freedom though sooo
BBZ8800
Senior Member
He had moments of brilliance followed by his usual moments of horrible decisions, selfishness and trying to shoot from every position (when Messi is not in a team).
Also, in the past I thought that it was a bad luck how majority of his shots end a few inches from the post.
But now, on larger samples, it seems that those are his usual shots: they will always look dangerous, but in majority of cases they will end a few inches from the post again and again.
Poor_Sunyol
In Lucho we trust!
The fact is that we bought him to play in the Iniesta role and it turns out that he can't play there. Ergo, he is surplus to requirements and needs to be moved on before his market value plummets even further.
Leo_Messi
New member
Could we actually end up keeping him in case of the board not being able to land Neymar? I am not entirely convinced of PSG or any other club for that matter being willing to offer silly money for him.
Could he somehow make it work alongside FDJ and Arthur? More mobile, younger, faster, better technically etc. midfielders than the current versions of Rakitic and Busquets?
Could he somehow interchange positions with Griezmann if the Frenchman was paired with Suárez and Messi as expected under Valverde?
Despite my open dislike and warning of this transfer (May 2017) it is a shame that he has been a misfit and that Valverde has been unable to use him more frequently as the most offensive-minded midfielder in a 4-3-3. On paper a midfield of FDJ, Arthur and Coutinho looks quite impressive to put it mildly.
Could he somehow make it work alongside FDJ and Arthur? More mobile, younger, faster, better technically etc. midfielders than the current versions of Rakitic and Busquets?
Could he somehow interchange positions with Griezmann if the Frenchman was paired with Suárez and Messi as expected under Valverde?
Despite my open dislike and warning of this transfer (May 2017) it is a shame that he has been a misfit and that Valverde has been unable to use him more frequently as the most offensive-minded midfielder in a 4-3-3. On paper a midfield of FDJ, Arthur and Coutinho looks quite impressive to put it mildly.
Respekt_III
Anti-everything
No not with Valverde. Secondly, he's not good enough for the MF, he'd have to develop quite a bit to play there. He'd definitely work as a 10 but we have Messi so...
Leo_Messi
New member
Well, you probably know my opinion as we discussed Coutinho's role at the club and his failure to succeed a few times. Me being one of his harshest critics and warning of his signing beforehand if the idea was to replace Iniesta.
My post was more intended to open some sort of debate and to get inputs from other users who might think that it could work with FDJ and Arthur and him interchanging positions with Griezmann if the latter ends up playing on the "left" as expected in a 4-3-3 if we end up actually implementing that formation. Resigned to Valverde continuing to mess up tactically and likewise resigned to Suárez playing most of the time when ready.
However it would be interesting to see if it could work in theory. Ideally with a new manager.
It'd be very unbalanced. Alba, Coutinho and Griezmann to the left and on the right flank we'd have Semedo/Roberto and Arthur. Theoretically the right side would've needed an offensive midfielder like Coutinho instead.
4-4-2 could work with Coutinho as LM and Griezmann RM, both comfortable in these positions. The problem though would be the CM's. Arthur and Frenkie should always start, but Busi and Raki would NEVER be benched together.
Another interesting formation, which although might lack some warriors like Suárez and Vidal, would be:
Dembélé - Messi - Griezmann
Coutinho - Frenkie - Arthur
Messi in a free role with Griezmann cutting inside á Villa/Henry.
Leo_Messi
New member
That formation is not my preferred formation at all (I did not mention anything about what I would like to see) but more the formation that I expect Valverde to use as I cannot see him dropping Suárez although I could be very wrong.
I like your last formation if not for the fact that Griezmann has never really played as a "right winger" from what I am aware of. Messi will continue to operate primarily in that area of the field while continuing to spend more than half of his time in the center or wherever he wants to (it seems) with Valverde around.
Buying Neymar rather than Griezmann (if buying them in the first place) would probably be the best option tactically as Neymar would be guaranteed the "left wing" while Messi could room the center (false 9) and Dembélé the right wing where I believe he is at his best. Dembélé teaming up with Arthur and Semedo would also give the team the needed spark to our entire right flank.
Anyway I could very well see Valverde use a 4-3-1-2 formation with Suárez and Griezmann upfront and Messi as a traditional number 10 with license to room freely around. Not sure where Coutinho would fit in such a formation and who would provide width other than Alba. We would have the same problem of a mostly entirely static "right flank".
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