Philippe Coutinho

[truth_hurts]

Coutinho LW maybe.

Mkhi and El Nenny's wages for Coutinho and I suppose you just take the hit on Özil this season knowing that he's leaving next summer.

 

[Red London]

It weren't that long ago that we were looking at Giroud, Welbeck, Walcott, Iwobi as support for Sanchez (top, top player).

Now people are finding reasons to complain about the likes of Coutinho, Dembele, Willian, Lemar and even Pepe to support our only world class player in Aubameyang.

We have a strange fan base. I don't care how dodgy the deal would need to be - Coutinho lifts us up a level finally past the likes of Everton and Wolves where we currently sit.

The thing is, we need to sort out other frailties first so that players like Coutinho and Pepe can strive. Otherwise we're going to be fielding a washed up XI.

We have to be able to defend, win more 50/50 duels in midfield, and keep possession comfortably before bothering to splurge money on players like Coutinho. Otherwise he wont get the ball in positions he wants to + he will have to work hard to cover for our **** team. That will be a waste, we need to the right foundations so he can thrive.

I still see players like Partey, Gabriel as more important than anything else. Otherwise we will be driving a Ferrari with a Daihatsu engine.

 

[Tourbillion]

Shootinho is talented but very overrated and a incredibly fustrating player to watch.

In what ways? I only remember his long range shooting really.

 

[Garrincha]

Always thought he was overhyped but if Auba off need to change it up.

Might be risking money but no chance I want to watch Lacazete up top with Pepe / Özil / Whatever kid in favour next season dossing around the league.

I like his attitude & dropping back down the clubs at just 27 hopefully would light a fire.

 

[truth_hurts]

The thing is, we need to sort out other frailties first so that players like Coutinho and Pepe can strive. Otherwise we're going to be fielding a washed up XI.

We have to be able to defend, win more 50/50 duels in midfield, and keep possession comfortably before bothering to splurge money on players like Coutinho. Otherwise he wont get the ball in positions he wants to + he will have to work hard to cover for our **** team. That will be a waste, we need to the right foundations so he can thrive.

I still see players like Partey, Gabriel as more important than anything else. Otherwise we will be driving a Ferrari with a Daihatsu engine.

I don't disagree, but it is possible to do both. A team like Barcelona will probably act fast and therefore we can't afford to drag our feet. If you have the chance to bring in a player of this calibre you do it and think afterwards.

Rumours are that we tried to land Upamechano last summer and the Partey rumours exist this summer. I believe the board recognise the need to strengthen our spine.

Personally, I'd just get Coutinho done. It's probably at least 3 months until the new season starts so that gives us plenty of time to sell dead wood an work on other areas. Mkhi out and Coutinho in would be a huge upgrade at potentially not a big cost.

 

[dashsnow17]

The thing is, we need to sort out other frailties first so that players like Coutinho and Pepe can strive. Otherwise we're going to be fielding a washed up XI.

We have to be able to defend, win more 50/50 duels in midfield, and keep possession comfortably before bothering to splurge money on players like Coutinho. Otherwise he wont get the ball in positions he wants to + he will have to work hard to cover for our **** team. That will be a waste, we need to the right foundations so he can thrive.

I still see players like Partey, Gabriel as more important than anything else. Otherwise we will be driving a Ferrari with a Daihatsu engine.

True, control the midfield and everything flows from there really - the defence concedes fewer chances and the attack creates more.

 

[Sebastes]

How do we accommodate Özil and coutinho financially and in our starting XI, if we can move Özil on then this would make sense.

While I think it’s easy to underestimate just how important Özil is to Arteta-ball his output this season and last doesn’t justify playing him, imho.

Let Coutinho and Özil compete for CAM and if Özil comes out on top let Coutinho and Saka compete for LW. I want Saka to play a lot and given his talent surely he can’t oust a washed, overrated player like Coutinho.

Either way, the club wins

 

[OnlyOne]

Would people rather Fraser on a free or Coutinho on a year/two year loan?

 

[Sebastes]

The thing is, we need to sort out other frailties first so that players like Coutinho and Pepe can strive. Otherwise we're going to be fielding a washed up XI.

We have to be able to defend, win more 50/50 duels in midfield, and keep possession comfortably before bothering to splurge money on players like Coutinho. Otherwise he wont get the ball in positions he wants to + he will have to work hard to cover
we will be driving a Ferrari with a Daihatsu engine.

Agree on midfield and Partey, but for me our lack of creativity and goals from midfield leaves a huge gap.

On loan I don’t see how it would affect other incomings. Would love to see defence strengthened, preferably with someone PL-proven in Ake or Diop (even though they’re probably unrealistic). Gabriel looks the real deal and would ofc take him in a heartbeat as well.

 

[rich 1990]

He’s not 28, he’s 29.

Point still stands

 

[truth_hurts]

Would people rather Fraser on a free or Coutinho on a year/two year loan?

Coutinho. He's in another league to Fraser.

 

[Aussie_gunner123]

Just because this bloke is nearly 30 & probably his last big contract doesn't mean we shouldn't sign him. We can't keep relying on so many young kids signing for the future, some might click in the future but not all of them will click together first thing just like that.

We need blokes like Coutinho & Partey to start things & to get us firing again. Coutinho will also help give our young players tips & help them with their weaknesses, in other words, be like a 2nd coach behind Arteta, Ljungberg & Mertesacker etc. Even if it's just a years loan I'll take him. Coutinho has done good things with Liverpool, he's proven in the PL aswell.

We need to start major signings from somewhere again & he is probably one of the right players along with Partey.

 

[Aussie_gunner123]

Agree on midfield and Partey, but for me our lack of creativity and goals from midfield leaves a huge gap.

On loan I don’t see how it would affect other incomings. Would love to see defence strengthened, preferably with someone PL-proven in Ake or Diop (even though they’re probably unrealistic). Gabriel looks the real deal and would ofc take him in a heartbeat as well.

Diop is a PL defender I'd be keen to sign & he is probably in our attainable signing bracket, he is a realistic signing to me.

 

[Red London]

Agree on midfield and Partey, but for me our lack of creativity and goals from midfield leaves a huge gap.

On loan I don’t see how it would affect other incomings. Would love to see defence strengthened, preferably with someone PL-proven in Ake or Diop (even though they’re probably unrealistic). Gabriel looks the real deal and would ofc take him in a heartbeat as well.

But my point is that in some ways “luxury” players like Coutinho will be less useful than more combative players if we don’t actually fix the way our team functions.

It’s not necessarily this linear thing where you’re like “ok we don’t have enough creativity let’s chuck in Coutinho and it will be better”. If your issue is building play up from the back, you’re not getting the best out of Coutinho and you’re relying on parts of his game which he is poor at I.e. getting stuck in, winning duels, working hard. Another example is saying ok let’s play both Auba and Laca and we will score more goals, when in reality if we had a more balanced side in attack then we’d create higher quality chances.

I’m just saying that you can’t pretend to be a big team with your transfers if you clearly aren’t a big team . Imagine playing Coutinho, Özil and Pepe in a big game which you are struggling in. It’s impossible in my opinion. We need to address our ball playing ability in defence/midfield as well as the general steel of the side first and foremost.

 

[Red London]

@admin can’t delete duplicate post for some reason

 

[OnlyOne]

@admin can’t delete duplicate post for some reason

I'll get it deleted mate.

 

[Red London]

I'll get it deleted mate.

Cheers mate, best admin about

 

[Sanchez11]

A loan is a no brainer.

 

[Tourbillion]

A loan is a no brainer.

We'd need an actual loan to fund this loan.

 

[Sebastes]

But my point is that in some ways “luxury” players like Coutinho will be less useful than more combative players if we don’t actually fix the way our team functions.

It’s not necessarily this linear thing where you’re like “ok we don’t have enough creativity let’s chuck in Coutinho and it will be better”. If your issue is building play up from the back, you’re not getting the best out of Coutinho and you’re relying on parts of his game which he is poor at I.e. getting stuck in, winning duels, working hard. Another example is saying ok let’s play both Auba and Laca and we will score more goals, when in reality if we had a more balanced side in attack then we’d create higher quality chances.

I’m just saying that you can’t pretend to be a big team with your transfers if you clearly aren’t a big team . Imagine playing Coutinho, Özil and Pepe in a big game which you are struggling in. It’s impossible in my opinion. We need to address our ball playing ability in defence/midfield as well as the general steel of the side first and foremost.

I totally agree with being in a place where we get the most out of a “luxury” signing. I was kind of sloppy in how i put things. In saying I don’t see how a loan affects other incomings, I’m mostly talking about a new cb. I see Partey or someone in his mold as an absolute priority. Ideally we’d get two new CM’s, but I think Partey together with Xhaka or Torreira would give us enough to address other areas.

Regarding ball playing and build up play, I don’t think you’d improve on Luiz with someone like Gabriel, or even Aké. Defensively, yes, and maybe overall as well, but not in terms of build up.

Getting someone like Coutinho, to me, is providing the more balanced attack you’re talking about, as opposed to play say Auba and Laca together. He’s a different profile to what we have in our team (imo) and adds a threat from outside the box, which I think gives us more options and flexibility in creating chances.

Don’t really see him and Özil together, unless against a team that defends really deep that we need to unlock. I’d like to see Coutinho as CAM in a 4-2-3-1 with Saka and Pepe wide; or as LW in a 4-3-3 (which could hopefully provide more steel and resilience in midfield)