Interesting to hear peoples views on this matter. So far, on the balance of two games, 1 at home against a decent side and away to a formidable opponent ive felt Couts has been in the shadows and failed to spark.
Perhaps to accommodate Balotelli BR will go with a 4-1-2-1-2 formation? An then theres Couts/Markovich/Lallana for that coveted spot.
You could see Silva and Nasri (low sense of gravity drifters) just pop the ball between Toure in triangles - picking passes in spaces and eventually working a great goal for their second. At times they were making 20-30 passes at a time.
There were many times the thread ball wasnt made by couts and previous times he'd have found the spot. Maybe its form but on evidence i'd say Couts is fortunate Lallana is not match fit as he'd be my preferred choice to start.
Is Coutinio a starting 11 player?
posted on 26/8/14
Naturally he is more suited to playing in a central position, rather than out wide moving into a central position.
The two teams we have played in Southampton and City both have players who can neutralise Coutinho. Wanyama and Schneiderlin are beasts and City obviously have quality all over the pitch.
In these games he hasn't been great and has been said has been bullied out of the game, but he still has moments where I looks (behind Sterling) our most creative player).
I'm not going to judge him too harshly against these two teams because against other midfields and defences i think he will flourish. Especially played in a more central position.
If he doesn't then we have Lallana and Markovich, so I'm not too concerned.
posted on 26/8/14
comment by righteous1 (U7048)
posted 17 minutes ago
This is getting a bit silly.
A great pre-season and people are writing articles about how amazing he is. Two mediocre games and now it's the opposite.
The truth is he is a very good young player who like many young players is inconsistent and is still learning his game, his team-mates and his best position.
He may never get better than this or he might go on to the next level, we will see in the next few years.
If he isn't good enough for our team then we must have a very good team so that's fine with me.
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This exactly.
posted on 26/8/14
Your articles are a bit iffy if you ask me. Negative articles and no comment from you on them. Smacks of a WUM and run to me.
posted on 26/8/14
^ Agree. Not sure that the OP's motives for producing his articles are entirely genuine.....
posted on 26/8/14
I wouldn't say it's a WUM. If anything, surely suggesting that a player as good as Coutinho not starting in the XI is a suggestion that we've actually got some good players?
posted on 26/8/14
comment by Jordan Henderson's Backheel (Formally Kel... (U6983)
posted 18 minutes ago
I wouldn't say it's a WUM. If anything, surely suggesting that a player as good as Coutinho not starting in the XI is a suggestion that we've actually got some good players?
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Perhaps not in isolation.
posted on 26/8/14
For me, Coutinho is a fantastic player worthy of his place in the first team. Now, however, with competition hovering in the wings, Philippe seems to gathered a number of detractors to his cause. Yesterday, having soaked up that was thrown at them, silly mistakes gave City the three points, and well done for them.
Where does Brendan go from here? Obviously, with the enlarged squad of talent now at his disposal, hopefully he will earn his corn by picking the eleven individuals for the next game.
Disappointing yesterday, admitted, but lots of positives too. Well done City, sauntering in at the end.despite his howler, Moreno looks committed, Can gets stuck in, Markovic is defo one for the future.
Give the team time people, Brendan will get us there.
JimmyTheRed
posted on 26/8/14
Good post Jimmy
posted on 26/8/14
not
posted on 26/8/14