Would Eriksen cramp Coutinho’s style?

AS Liverpool send a 27 man squad (minus Suarez, Coates and Reina) to the Far East and Australasia, much of the talk at home is still about signings.

In particular, now that we lost out on Henrikh Mkhitaryan to Borussia Dortmund, who will Brendan Rodgers sign to fill that key attacking birth he said he was specifically looking for?

The talk has now slipped back to Christian Eriksen, the skilful Ajax player, who plays for the Daniel Agger captained Danish national team.

Eriksen himself had openly stated his admiration for Dortmund, hankering for a move to the beaten Champions League finalists, but with Dortmund replacing Mario Götze with former Liverpool target Mkhitaryan, that leaves Liverpool and Eriksen both with an unfulfilled need.

Eriksen is a highly talented player. And it would seem his technical game hinging on movement, touch, and intelligence should be well suited to the type of football Liverpool play (although Frank De Boer, the Ajax manager and a very technically gifted player himself, stated he felt Liverpool’s style wouldn’t suit the Dane).

Eriksen doesn’t have the pace, strength, height or scoring prowess of Mkhitaryan. He scored 13 goals in 45 games for Ajax last season with just 30 in 156 in his Ajax career to date. Mkhitaryan scored 28 goals in 41 games last season for Shakhtar Donetsk, 44 in 104 games in his total time in Ukraine, and a still impressive 96 in 236 games in his senior career. The Armenian is of course 3 years older than the Dane, but nevertheless has consistently outscored him even at an earlier age while still playing as an attacking midfielder.

These stats are a bit unfair on Eriksen. He is a different type of player to the Armenian. A better passer of the ball, more of a creative force than a goalscorer.

Michael Laudrup, the most famous ever Danish footballer and another former Ajax man, was often criticised for not scoring enough goals, but, as Michel Platini said, this was only because he was incredibly unselfish.

I am not comparing Eriksen to one of the greats of the game, only I wished to point out that goals per game ratio for a number 10 doesn’t always tell the whole story (Nb. Laudrup wore the No.9 shirt at Barcelona but played essentially as a No.10 in a free role in Cruyff’s dream team.)
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Rodgers has stated he wanted to add 20 more goals to the team. He should add goals with Aspas, though Iago is not likely to start too many games in central areas unless there are injuries, and perhaps a few with Luis Alberto, though I think the young Spaniard is not likely to play too much outside the cups and appearances in smaller Premier League games.

If Suarez leaves we will have to replace a great deal many more goals, but we would have circa £50m with which to do it so that is a separate issue.

It seemed that Mkhitaryan was to be Rodgers’ marquee signing this summer. The one who would add the goals, and the step change in quality that would help the team get to another level. Eriksen, if he were to come, would have to shoulder a similar level of responsibility.

I like Eriksen. I’d have preferred the Armenian, but I’d still be happy with the Dane. My issue is one I’ve touched upon in an earlier post. Mkhitaryan is a flexible player and can play anywhere along a front 3 and as a number 10. He can even play left or right side of a midfield 4.

Eriksen, though he played a little out wide when he was younger, is very much a number 10. If Suarez stays then there are certainly many games in which Suarez will play with Sturridge upfront, with Luis playing the deeper number 10 type role, which we know he can do with aplomb.

However the other player who has excelled in this position is Philippe Coutinho. Watching the pre-season game against Preston, the highlight for me after what has felt a long close season, was again watching our Brazilian saunter his way through the game, linking play and causing havoc in an elegant yet explosive style.

The boy’s passing is sublime, but it is his movement, awareness and ability to find space that makes him so much more dangerous playing centrally. If Eriksen joins, Philippe will have to play wide left or right.

I think Coutinho is a potential world superstar. There, I said it. But so is Eriksen. And they both like the same position.

Ultimately, like any fan, I want Liverpool to have the best players. And there’s no doubt that having Eriksen is much better than not having him. After four signings that have potential, but are mostly about strengthening the squad, singing a top quality player who will start games must be a priority. Chelsea, after all, have three number 10s in Mata, Oscar and Hazard – and have just signed Schurrle!

Whatever happens, if we do sign another attacking player, Eriksen or not, Brendan Rodgers’ must be especially careful to ensure Coutinho can still develop to his full potential. Now that is an exciting thought!

You can catch more from me on my own blog: http://taintlessred.blogspot.co.uk/

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