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A ‘Ferrari’ Would Be Nice, But Is Coutinho Really What We Need?

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SINCE the weekend, Liverpool FC have been widely associated with a transfer for Inter Milan’s young star Philipe Coutinho. This was seen as an exciting move by many, a signal of intent on the part of manager Brendan Rodgers.

Described by Spanish and Italian football journalist, Mina Rzouki as ‘a Ferrari’, the 20-year old Brazilian is a young talent with great prospects.

She further goes on to wax lyrical about Coutinho, ‘he is a phenomenon…when he’s dribbling with the ball at his feet, you just can’t catch up to him’.

While a Ferrari is something I’m sure many of us would desire, it is often best to go with something reliable, experienced and able to offer us a bit more consistency. And this is why I have a couple of issues with the thought of signing this youngster.

For one, we’ve recently signed Daniel Sturridge. We already have Luis Suarez, Raheem Sterling and Suso. Further down into the reserves and youth we have Dani Pacheco, Jerome Sinclair, Joao Carlos Teixeira and Jordan Ibe – these are all player with ability on the ball, able to take on opponents and with an eye for goal.

These may all be at varying levels of development at this club, but they wouldn’t be at the club if they were not believed to have the ability to do something special. Throw in the club’s long-time pursuit of Tom Ince (who many believe will still sign before transfer-deadline day) and you really do have to ask – why do we need another of this type of player?

Many might question me on this and try to argue that Philipe Coutinho is more experienced than the likes of Ibe, Sinclair, and even Suso and Pacheco, but this simply raises my second issue: he is still only 20 and has played barely 40 games for Inter over the past 2 ½ seasons at the San Siro.

While his dribbling ability and his well-documented futsal background may well seem attractive to many a Red, he doesn’t strike me as the kind of player that can make an immediate difference. I believe this even more so given the complete change in culture and language barrier he would undoubtedly face on arrival at the club.
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I have absolutely no qualms with the player himself, he seems like he’d be a great young player to watch but at the moment he would be nothing but a luxury, when what we need is a player that can add consistency and experience to the side.

This has been pointed out by many but back on the 1st July 2000, we signed the 35 year old Gary McAllister. A decision questioned by many (probably, myself included but I can’t quite remember!) which worked out pretty well for all parties, I’m sure we can all agree. Although I am not suggesting signing an old Scottish international, I am saying that what we need right now more than anything is some added experience to the squad.

We’re utterly blessed with young, talented attacking players, not to mention the likes of Robinson, Wisdom, Allen and Kelly in other areas of the squad but a player with a proven track-record of quality is needed to add real depth to the squad. The sort of player I have in mind is along the lines of two we let go in the summer, Maxi and Kuyt, but while I won’t start banging that drum again, it really is something that we still need to address.

If the one-capped Brazil international does become our next signing, then I will welcome him and his undoubted talent with open arms and I’ll look forward to seeing him in a Red shirt.

However given that we are supposedly working within a pretty tight budget, I would much rather see some of this spent on an experienced pro that can come from the bench and use his nous to open up a 10-man defence or give the team that little bit extra when it isn’t quite performing to our lofty expectations.

And for a side with an average age normally below 25, I think that that should be our top priority during this January window.
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I'm a 32 year old Liverpool fan, living in the heart of the City Centre. I've supported the club since the day I was born and have been writing articles for L4L for over 3 years, writing close over 350 articles in that time. My favorite player of the past generation is Sami Hyypia.

I am the current editor for L4L, with my day job being in R&D for the NHS.

41 comments

  • Elias says:

    We must get him. We really need to come up with the best in the midfield to compete

  • Bill says:

    Unfortunately for us any classy experienced players in your preferred 25 year age group are not available because, either they are too expensive, greedy or want to play in the CL this season. These things we can do nothing about whilst the ever frugal FSG are in control of the purse strings.

    I believe FSG have the right idea and in the long term could bring stability to the world of football. Unfortunately the Spuds, Manure, Chitie, Goonards, Chelski and now Southampton don’t agree and are wont to do their own thing. It would also appear that a Brazilian Liverpool player rates Coutinho, (according to press reports), read what you will into that.

    • Davie says:

      You are unbelievably full of BS – constantly spewing nonsense . So clubs with money are doing the wrong thing ? And clubs with no money , or in Liverpools case , owners with money but wont spens , are doing the right thing ?

      What a load of bull . Liverpool have always bought the best and has always spent big on top players . Or would you rather we never bought the likes of R Kennedy , Dalglish , Barnes , Torres , Suarez etc etc

      If you think by being frugal FSG’ could bring stability to the world of football ‘ your a total dimwit
      Kop on really , that was a dumb dumb comment

    • kirbyking says:

      yeah pure nonsense Bill , wake up

  • Dale says:

    I think your last paragraph highlights the basic flaw in your understanding of the situation. You state you’d rather spend money on an “experienced pro that can come from the bench and use his nous to open up a 10-man defence”. To get a player like that costs loads more not less. Wesley Sneijder was an extreme example, but equally signing someone in the Cabaye, Nolan, Arteta, category would cost a lot, lot more than Coutinho is likely to cost.

    I think their is something lacking in the squad/team. BR stated that the group are rather “quiet”, I suspect this is a fair reflection of Gerrards character, he is very much a lead by example type personality and new arrivals look to him to see how to behave consequently they are not particularly vocal. Part of what McAllister provided the team of 10-12 years ago with, was a bit of gobbyness.

    It’s quite easy to throw names around, but only those inside football really know who the loud, confident characters are around the league, that’s really what we need.

    • tommy says:

      yes great point dale souey was that kind of general , you’d even see him pointing at opponents and wagging his finger , but also see him clapping and encouraging his team mates , yes a little noise on the park , bit more chat chat like in the good old days

    • TaintlessRed says:

      We are a very quiet team, too quiet. Part of the reason Carra was played vs Norwich was not just his organisation skills but also bcos Pepe was injured (who alongside Carra is the loudest in the dressing room). BR felt the defence, which has lacked concentration and conceded too many sloppy goals this season, needed to be kept on their toes.

      For the money FSG are willing to spend they’re not going to be able to get a World Class Player who has the experience and authority to immediately be vocal in a dressing room, but as the author said they could have got a more experienced player from a foreign league that perhaps isn’t a world beater but is more likely to have an immediate impact, e.g. like Swansea bought Pablo for £5.5m. But then everyone will say he isn’t LFC quality and regret the wasted £5m. I’d rather go for Coutinho whose already a talented player who ‘could’ be great, than a middle of the road older player whose better now but could never be great.

  • Prole79 says:

    I wouldn’t worry………he’s not coming anyway.

  • Denis says:

    Yes , Coutinho is desperately needed at club, he would be that attacking link between midfield and attack and the class,potential, quality the lad has we should bring him to club for £10M. He could be our Mata, Silva, Cazorla type magician in midfield but two things coutinho has over these three is pace, speed in acceleration and youth at 20 yrs of age.

    But the owners need to give B Rodgers £32M to bring in coutinho and these 4 players to give us great chance of making TOP 4 This season BEFORE TRANSFER WINDOW SHUTS. And to bring more quality competition for places at club and to keep everyone on their toes and performing to a high standard:

    This season we have shipped out 9 players (Adams,Aquilani,Aurelio,Bellamy,Carroll,Cole, Kuyt,Rodriguez and Spearing. And then the club owners only backed B Rodgers to bring in 4 players and 1 loan player and we have now shipped the loan player back, so we have shipped out 9 and brought in just 4 players. so there are 5 places that need to be filled as soon as possible. That is why we have such a very weak squad.

    These 4/Four players and Coutinho would push us all way to top 4 and help us keep Suarez at club for many years to come:

    1: D Rose(22) Of Tottenham For £2-£5M to cover and compete with Enrique, we need another left footed pacey quick full back. LB

    2: J Butland(19) Of Birmingham should be brought for £4-£7M to compete with Jones and Reina. GK

    3: M’Villa(22) Of Rennes Or M Sissoko(22) Of Toulouse Or M Diame(25)Of West Ham, one of these powerful strong tough tackling defensive enforcers needs to be brought to club to compete and cover LUCAS for £4-£9M. DM

    4: B Arfa(25) Of Newcastle should be brought to club in swap deal with A Carroll and £10M. LW/ LWF

    These five players would cost club £30-£35M but would bring more class, quality, quality competition to squad and some depth to squad. And have more cover for our key areas: GK, DM, LB, LWF and AM

    • Higgs Boson says:

      You can’t count Aquilani, he wasn’t even around. ie, the squad options for any given game was not reduced with his departure. Actually, you could nearly count Aurelio in that bracket as well.

      • Denis says:

        Aquilani would have offered us more class and quality than Allen and Sahin, but he was never really given the chance.

        Aurelio was cover at left back, if enrique wasn’t available we had someone who could slot in there if he was ever fit or injury free.

        Ok you say them two players didn’t count, we still shipped out 10 players between summer and now and we have only brought 4 players in (Allen, Assaidi, Borini and Sturridge)

        Another left footed left back is needed desperately, so johnson can just play as right back week in week out. D Rose(22) Of Tottenham

        Another Defensive midfielder with a presence is needed to compete and cover Lucas : M’VILLA(22) Of Rennes, M Sissoko(22) Of Toulouse Or M Diame(25) Of West Ham, One of these players needs to be brought to club as soon as possible.

        A Young GK is needed to come and compete with Jones and Reina, for now and future of club. J Butland (19) Of Birmingham

        A Creative class attacking Left winger with pace, speed is needed to compete with Downing. B Arfa(25) Of Newcastle

        And a creative attacking midfielder in the mata, iniesta, nasri, silva, cazorla mould is needed. And Coutinho (20) Of Inter Milan is that player we should bring to club to fit that mould

        • GAZ says:

          Look , Aquilani is skillful and talented , may more than Allen or Sahin . Someone should have got him out playing instead of ignoring him , while still paying half his wages for last 3 years while he is playing for someone else

  • Coutinho is worth the 10million lets bring the youngster t anfield. This is the sort ov player we need he will b 1 of our key player he is magical

  • If we want to be among the top 4 team again we need t bring in people like coutinho. Don’t let no one take coutinho we have already lost out on sneijder who would ov been a great buy 4 Liverpool.

  • Snake Plissken says:

    Forget Coutinho, what is the point of signing a player who doesn’t want to leave Inter and join us? It’s a disaster in the making, in the old days we used to sign players with the right character, winners who wanted to wear the red shirt, now it’s just desperate times trying to sign players who are just unwanted by other clubs. We really have lost our pride as a club.

    • Denis says:

      He does want to join us, but he can’t come out and say he wants to join us in case deal goes pear shape. Look at how the dempsey transfer went, for two months the guy was begging club to bring him anfield and at end of day owners didn’t want to sanction the £6-£7M and he ended up at Tottenham.

      Coutinho has to be humble and proffessional and say he enjoys where he is , he has not said no i don’t want to play for anyone else but inter he has just said he is enjoying his football there and he is being given the chance there to play. But if he has told lucas he wants to come Liverpool, we should make this happen as soon as possible.

  • Brian says:

    If it means no more Joe Allen – then its the best thing to happen to LFC since Istanbul

  • Higgs Boson says:

    You can’t count Aquilani, he wasn’t even around. ie, the squad options for any given game was not reduced with his departure. Actually, you could nearly count Aurelio in that bracket as well.

  • Ebri says:

    Bring in Phillipe Coutinho, remove Reina and make Jones our No.1 or Butland or the Mexican if the rumors are true, then top of the table would not be a thorough fair. YNWA

  • red says:

    Wow FSG trying to buy FERRARI for LFC !!! What a good PR lesson for marketing students. Young innocent LFC supporters should aware of those CHEAP MARKETING GIMMICKS !!! With such owner and manager at LFC, now this is our first trophy-less session.

  • gideon says:

    I think Denis plays too much football manager. Hahaha. Too many players coming in this late in the season isnt always going to help. Some settle. Some dont. I think for now Sturridge has done well for his short time. Borinis coming back. I think he could be a great player for us once he starts finding the net again. His movement off the ball is quality. Top four is a season too early. I wouldnt be too dissapointed if we didnt get back in this year. Coutinho yes. Why not. We dont have too many players like him about who have played for one of the top teams in Europe. Language barrier? Isnt he international team mates with Lucas?

    • Denis says:

      Gideon, i don’t play football manager at all. i am just honest fan, we are so far behind Manchester United, Man City and Chelsea these days is because the last four and half seasons we have had to too many dead wood average players at club and the lack of class,quality and depth within the squad has been abizmal.

      God forbid we have three or four of any of these key players are ever out injured, ill or suspended at same time, then our club would be totally screwed. Reina, Johnson, Agger, Skrtel, Enrique, Lucas, Gerrard and Suarez.

      If three or four of those key players are out, we would suffer v badly.

      We have no real cover for Enrique, No good left footed left back competing with enrique for his place. LB

      we have no real cover or competition for LUCAS,so if he is injured ever again or suspended we will struggle again. DM

      Reina has been so inconsistant and incomplacent because he has had no real competition for his place and no matter how poor he has been over years if he is fully fit and injury free, he plays whether he was poor or not. GK

      we do not have an attacking midfielder in the iniesta, silva, mata, cazorla mould that is why Coutinho would be great signing for us as he would be that player for us for many years. AM

      We do not have a world class winger at club, someone who would keep Downing on his toes and give him some real competition for his place.

      Gideon, the £32M it would take to bring:
      1: J Butland(19) Of Birmingham GK for £4-£7M
      2: D Rose(22) Of Tottenham LB for £2-£5M
      3: M’Villa(22) Of Rennes DM for £6-£10M
      4: Coutinho(20) Of Inter Milan AM for £8-£10M
      5: B Arfa(25) Of Newcastle LWF in Swap deal with A Carroll and £10M

      Those five players would bring class,quality, quality competition for places and if there would help us try to keep Suarez at club.

      As if the rumours are correct and as Gerrard said on Sunday Goals show, If we do not make top 4 this year he does not know if Suarez will stay at club. And Suarez deserves to be playing in the Champions League

      The five players i have said B Rodgers should bring in, two would be squad players Butland and Rose. But in Arfa, Coutinho and M’Villa are players who are Champions league Class and Quality players.

      And with those 5 players, we could have two strong sides we could field in all competitions throughout season.

      League side:
      Team 1:
      Reina
      Johnson Skrtel Agger Enrique

      M’Villa Gerrard
      Coutinho
      Suarez Sturridge Arfa

      Cup team:
      Team 2: Butland
      Wisdom Kelly Coates Rose
      Lucas Allen
      Suso
      Sterling Borini Downing

      • Tommo says:

        Your right what you say but i dont agree with all choices
        We dont need left back , we have Robinson who is excellent
        And Coutinho isnt really that good

        … and WTF is Allen doing in your 2nd team ? really WTF ? Iwas taking u seriously , but now … your fired

        • Denis says:

          Are you serious? Robinson is good but he needs at least three years before he could actually compete with Enrique for his position at club. So D Rose(22) Of Tottenham should be brought to club to compete and cover Enrique.

          Coutinho is an awesome footballer, take away his injuries and that he is a confidence player. He is pacey, quick skillful and has great vision and eye for goal and he is only 20 years of age.

          And if B Rodgers can give him a platform, do you think Coutinho would not learn anything from the very best( Stevie G). Coutinho is a player, we should have brought to club two seasons ago.

          He is 20, not 30. He is quick, pacey, skillful, creative, is good passer of ball and has eye for goal and is that attacking midfielder we have been missing since L Garcia went those years back.

          J Allen is not ahead of LUCAS Or Gerrard in midfield at club and they are the platform of our midfield now, they dictate tempo of game. Now we need an attacking midfielder who is the link between midfield and attack , who can score some goals. And Henderson is currently in starting line up ahead of Allen as he is playing well and has brought goals into his game.

          Allen is good, but he is simple. what he can do, Gerrard and Lucas can do and better, Gerrard and Lucas just need a creative attacking midfielder in front of them pulling the strings. And in Coutinho we will have that player, you can mock him. But if we get Coutinho in next two years, if he is fully fit and injury free you will be singing his name in the crowds.

          If Coutinho can bring hard work, adjust to league tempo and physicality and stay fully fit and injury free he will be an asset to our club and will get back in the brazilian national team.

        • Tommo says:

          you must be delusional if you think Allen is good . Everything else u said is plausible

        • harry86 says:

          denis – in your last two paragraphs talking about coutinho – u used 3 IFS – thats a lot of ifs for him to do well

  • ozred says:

    Would like to have him at the club. Reality is, if he does come, I don’t see him as someone that will help us this year. He’d simply be another buy for the future.

    It’s time to compliment the youth with experience that will make an immediate improvement to our output. The Sniejder deal is still a bitter pill.

    Based on the fee and wages, it sounds like he’ll cost Gala about the same as Allen will cost us over 4 years. Shattering.

  • Omensa says:

    Diagree on the part of mentioning the likes of pacheco,suso,ibe and teixeira. No! Our and rodgers priority is a winger. Ast urself how many wingers are in our team? Is obviously 1. Who? Downing. Who sterling? He’s in the nurturing process so we need out and tested winger who’s perform marvilously. Note the transfer polices inplace. Even with the reserves u spill out the percurial lad we need now is kristian adorjan whom u s’dve mention first and teixeira is ok but ask urself how many u21 games has he featured? He’s not even fit enough so rodgers must look else where and that’s the exactly thing he’s done. No doubt! coutinho is the best target option. In all the few games i watch him at inter when rafa was his gaffer he was played as a winger and was delight 2 watch. Get him now!

    • Denis says:

      Coutinho is an attacking midfielder, he should be brought to club as the player who battles it out with Shelvey and Suso to play just in front of Gerrard and Lucas.

      B Arfa(25) Of Newcastle is the class winger we should be bring to the club now in swap deal with A Carroll and £10M.

      Just imagine a quartet of Coutinho Suarez Sturridge and Arfa, pace,speed, trickery, goals and entertainment

  • Blackpool want 6-8million 4 ince we could av David villa 4 that. A just think just cos he looks a great player at Blackpool who says he will still be like that if he comes to Liverpool. He is comeing to the premiership its a lot harder than the championship.

  • If they want 10-15million for coutinho then lets give them it!!! This player is to good t lose now

    • Denis says:

      Steve, I don’t know how we spent £11M on Borini, £15M on Allen and are now Haggling of £8-£10M over Coutinho, it doesn’t make sense.

      We should go all out and bring Coutinho to the club, along with the four other signings i mentioned.

      We are in desperate need of class,quality players to bring in order to give us a slight chance of getting that top 4 spot. Yet we have only brought 1 player in, yet Newcastle, Qpr who are struggling are bringing players in like no tommorrow in order to stay in league.

      we need to bring in these 5 players asap:

      1: J Butland (19)from Birmingham for £4-£6M GK
      2: D Rose (22) from Tottenham for £2-£5M LB
      3: M Diame (25) From West Ham for £4-£6M DM

      4: Coutinho (20) From Inter for £8-£11M AM
      5: B Arfa (25) from Newcastle Swap deal with A Carroll and £10M LWF

      Three Young players and two experienced Premiership players nearing their peak

  • Can any 1 tell me av they accepted the bid from Sunderland 4 coutinho????

    • Denis says:

      They accepted a £10.2M bid from Southampton, how are our club getting out bidded for players from clubs like Newcastle, QPR, Southampton and Sunderland. Its shocking, The club have lacked width, pace, speed, width, creativity, class, consistency and quality from the attack for many years. So now we are bringing in more flair, pace, speed, creativity to side we look a more dangerous outfit.

      And Coutinho and Arfa both have pace, speed, trickery, class, quality and goals in their locker. So do not know why we are taking so long to bring Coutinho to club and why we haven’t swapped A Carroll for Arfa yet.

      Rodgers doesn’t want Carroll, Carroll wants to go back to Newcastle, Pardew wants him back, we got mugged off once with the £35M transfer but in bringing in Arfa and £10-£15M, Club would have brought in world class player who would light up Anfield and is of champions league class and quality

      • Southampton!!!!! Y would he want t go there ova a top club who want him,it don’t make sense. We need him n all these other players you said Denis but will Newcastle swap carrol for Ben arfa he is probs newcastles best player. We need t put another bid in 4 coutinho we need this player.
        Bid in 11million and he will be our’s. We only have 6days left till transfer shuts so we need t get a move on!!!

        • kirbyking says:

          southampton probably offer him 80k a week , The tight wnkers that are FSG probably offered about 40k a week

          where would u go ?

  • Mikael says:

    I agree with Snake Plissken. We need quality experienced players who want to wear the Liver Bird with pride and will fight for LFC with passion. We really dont need Coutinho, where;s he gonna play?? We need ALONSO…. He loves LFC and he will help us to 4th spot…Guaranteed.

  • Mikael says:

    Steven Fenwick it seems like you are lost and need to study our beloved Liverpool FC SERIOUSLY. Your comments are pathetic and very immature. Nobody would ever agree with you, you remind me of ‘The Sun’ Gossip Column.. all bull…. Please keep your strange thoughts to yourself, cheers…

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