Seems there should be a Coutinho thread, as this kid could do some damage in a Red shirt. I have been impressed with what I have seen so far. Once he gets better adjusted to his team-mates and the new environment, he should really start to motor. He is only 20 and for £8.5 million could prove to be a wonderful purchase if he fulfills his potential. Some highlights from his first 3 games... vid courtesy of MilanKakaBaros https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152638473735468&set=vb.187582981263466&type=2&theater
I like how BR is easing him into the games and more importantly pulling him when he gets tired while he builds match fitness. It's great having his creativity for even 60 mins pulling strings and giving the defense another legitimate threat to worry about.
Konchesky is at Leicester City. The skill Coutinho showed yesterday int he build up to Suarez's goal was outrageous.
While the boy is showing his potential and his ability to get amongst the statistics, there is quite a lot of polishing needs to be done in his game (as shown by a 47% pass completion against Spurs), but there is quite a lot to be excited about.
Compilation of his performance against Newcastle. Look at the pass to Sturridge for Henderson first goal; the defenders expected the pass to go to Henderson which would have given them time to recover. No such luck.
It's hard to overstate how amazing his vision, touch, and footballing intelligence is for a player of his age. When we bought him, I figured he would be one of those players who pops up now and again, but is mostly invisible throughout the course of a match, given how young he is. Boy was I wrong. He is a player you always have to look for - his ability to pick out a pass demands that you pass him the ball. Rocket of a shot as well. We could've spent his transfer fee on Tom Ince. I'm glad we didn't. Phil the Thrill can play.
and if you watch the highlight of the sequence again you will probably think what most of us were thinking - he's going to pass to Henderson who made the run...whoa! nope he threaded it through the needle to Sturridge effectively allowing for the tap in goal.
So why did Inter get rid of him again? Was it economics? He seems the type to be able to transition to a more physical style of defending and closer marking... he was muscling people off the ball from time to time.
Yeah, I really don't get it. Rafa was definitely a big fan, which made him all the more appealing when we were linked with him, but I questioned why he had fallen off the radar. Turns out Rafa was right, Inter were wrong, and we got ourselves the biggest bargain I can recall.
I have to smile at the way he'll go for a shoulder challenge against bigger guys. His timing is great and catches the guy on the wrong foot while he jumps in with both feet off the ground. He's sneaky clever.