Philippe Coutinho to Leicester whispers

[Deeg67]

2 hours ago, SO1 said:

Love that phrase "hard yards". Never seen a player in a club managed by Rodgers even get on the field without 100%+ effort.

 

Did you skip the last two months of the current season?

[MPH]

17 hours ago, LinekersLugs said:

The most deluded thread on Fox Talk ever 

 

Face of Kinder?

[Gamble92]

Feels more like one the chances to get a cult rumour for the archives, like "remember the time we nearly signed Cruyff" rather than an ectual newsworthy story. 

[PhillippaT]

1 hour ago, Gamble92 said:

Feels more like one the chances to get a cult rumour for the archives, like "remember the time we nearly signed Cruyff" rather than an ectual newsworthy story. 

Nah, Cruyff wasn't THAT good, anyway, now, was he?  

[coolhandfox]

16 hours ago, messerschmitt said:

I'm not saying he's a bad player, who would you drop to play him in our team and who would you drop to play him in the Liverpool team?

And that is relevant to us how? 

 

 

[willie-bell-in-rothley]

3 hours ago, Gamble92 said:

Feels more like one the chances to get a cult rumour for the archives, like "remember the time we nearly signed Cruyff" rather than an ectual newsworthy story. 

Remember when we nearly signed Cambiasso, was that newsworthy

[MrMean]

1 hour ago, willie-bell-in-rothley said:

Remember when we nearly signed Cambiasso, was that newsworthy

Nah thats crazy we would never get cambiasso

[urban fox]

9 hours ago, Gamble92 said:

Feels more like one the chances to get a cult rumour for the archives, like "remember the time we nearly signed Cruyff" rather than an ectual newsworthy story. 

Yeah but we really did almost sign Cruyff. It was practically a done deal until we got gazumped at the eleventh hour by an offer which guaranteed him a share of gate receipts.  This is entirely different and just one of those media stories doing the rounds. Until there is an offer on the table, or a medical scheduled then that is all it ever will be.

That said, it shows how far we have come in this modern era that we are even being linked with this type of player. My only reservation is that Barca are dangling a carrot with a hidden agenda to snare Ricaro and/or Soyuncu as part of any deal.

[Nicolo Barella]

On 27/04/2020 at 07:55, pmcla26 said:

He still gets into the Liverpool team every day of the week in my opinion. You’d have Fabinho partnered with Henderson or Wijnaldum and Coutinho a bit further forward. In our side he takes one of the wide berths, maybe start him left and Barnes right, or vice versa.
 

I think a lot of people, not saying you mate, disregard how much running he used to do for Liverpool. Bit like Maddison with us, lightweight in terms of physique but have fight and Rodgers has brought the hard yards out of both in his career. 

I don't really rate Coutinho as one of the midfield three at all, in any team. And he definitely wouldn't get into Liverpool's midfield three, it would ruin their whole system - no way the fullbacks would be able to do what they do without all three very hard working mids.

[Nick]

4 hours ago, Nicolo Barella said:

I don't really rate Coutinho as one of the midfield three at all, in any team. And he definitely wouldn't get into Liverpool's midfield three, it would ruin their whole system - no way the fullbacks would be able to do what they do without all three very hard working mids.

In a 4-1-4-1 at Leicester though the four in front of Ndidi and behind Vardy would then be Coutinho Maddison Tielemans/Praet Perez/Barnes. No matter what I reckon about defensive tracking back and luxury players there is simply no way I could justify making a serious argument that outlined me not wanting to see that midfield play.

[Nicolo Barella]

10 minutes ago, Swan Lesta said:

In a 4-1-4-1 at Leicester though the four in front of Ndidi and behind Vardy would then be Coutinho Maddison Tielemans/Praet Perez/Barnes. No matter what I reckon about defensive tracking back and luxury players there is simply no way I could justify making a serious argument that outlined me not wanting to see that midfield play.

I mean, remember when we put Maddison on the wing? I think in this formation, we would see the same thing. Maddison kept roaming inside to find space but it was already filled, and it just left a hole on the left to be filled by Chilwell, of all people. Coutinho is much the same in his style of play, if undeniably a better player. I know it's exciting lol, but sometimes "exciting" doesn't actually cut it (look at Liverpool's midfield three right now).

[messerschmitt]

2 hours ago, Nicolo Barella said:

I mean, remember when we put Maddison on the wing? I think in this formation, we would see the same thing. Maddison kept roaming inside to find space but it was already filled, and it just left a hole on the left to be filled by Chilwell, of all people. Coutinho is much the same in his style of play, if undeniably a better player. I know it's exciting lol, but sometimes "exciting" doesn't actually cut it (look at Liverpool's midfield three right now).

Exactly this, you can't just put good players in a team and hope it works, a teams a very difficult balance, Coutinho worked in that Liverpool team but not particularly well at Barcelona of Bayern. I'm sure we could spend that sort of fee and wages better.

[sly1]

Hope we pull this off wow

[FoyleFox]

15 minutes ago, sly1 said:

Hope we pull this off wow

We won't. Not impossible and I've not got a chrystal ball, I don't know for certain but we won't.

[sylofox]

On 26/04/2020 at 12:11, Tuna said:

 

Must have a source involved on match days.

I'd highly doubt it's someone high up detailing transfer activity though.

The fact he gets team news so early says it's some a little high up. I doubt Brendan talks line ups to Doris the tea lady. I would also think most of the time the players are in the dressing room before they find out.

[Lambert09]

27 minutes ago, sylofox said:

The fact he gets team news so early says it's some a little high up. I doubt Brendan talks line ups to Doris the tea lady. I would also think most of the time the players are in the dressing room before they find out.

Would a 3rd choice keeper be considered high up? Or a fringe youth player? 

 

I very much doubt his source gets any transfer knowledge, just hearsay from around the ground. 

 

My mate worked as a physio at Hull back when Pearson had just returned and just form the chats with players was adamant that James Chester was coming here. Obviously turned out to be rubbish but it’s the same type of murmurs that SFE is getting.  

 

Even the players are in the dark about what’s happening most of the time. 

 

[Hollyfox]

Has the Newcastle takeover happened yet? 

They'll be well up for a big signing as a statement of intent. 

[Wymsey]

Reports say Barcelona are only considering a player-swap deal for Coutinho (and Dembele).

 

Just send them a GIF of his good goal at Old Trafford, and they'll know they've got some player if they want him..

[weller54]

2 hours ago, Hollyfox said:

Has the Newcastle takeover happened yet? 

They'll be well up for a big signing as a statement of intent. 

Welcome Islam Slimani..!

[Mehrez]

1 hour ago, Wymsey said:

Reports say Barcelona are only considering a player-swap deal for Coutinho (and Dembele).

 

Just send them a GIF of his good goal at Old Trafford, and they'll know they've got some player if they want him..

Send them this masterpiece and offer a straight swap 

 

[Pliskin]

Rather stick with Madders as the top dog. Kid will be the bollocks once he’s properly settled.

[Nicolo Barella]

13 hours ago, pmcla26 said:

It really wouldn’t ruin their whole system. He runs a lot more than you’d think. They’ve only adapted their system to losing Coutinho, they’d easily adapt back to what they were + Van Dijk and Allison with Coutinho in the side too. 

and if you don’t rate Coutinho in a 3 “in any team” but then say it would be the same as putting Maddison on the left, then what position does he play? He’s world class and could play any of the 4 positions behind Vardy and improve us.

It's not about running. Eriksen ran a lot for Spurs, that didn't mean that he was particularly effective for them defensively. Pressing is no use if you aren't prepared to tackle as well. And I realise that saying it would be the same as putting Maddison on the left is confusing, so I'll try to explain. Coutinho, as a winger, in reality drifts inside in to "No. 10" positions. Now, that can work really nicely if the team is prepared and moulded around that expectation, but doing so is more difficult than it seems (Barcelona and Bayern both couldn't do it). It means that not only do you have to make sure that the middle area is not congested, so his addition will actually be useful, but an attacker must fill the hole he opens up on the left.

 

This would result in a similar situation to when we put Maddison on the left if we tried it in our team (in my opinion). Our entire team is always built on crowding the centre (no other team in the league plays with two 8s as advanced as ours, aside Man City, and we often add a second striker into the mix) so there would be less space to take advantage of in the middle for Coutinho, rendering him less useful. 

 

Just my opinion of course.

[Toddybad]

12 hours ago, sylofox said:

The fact he gets team news so early says it's some a little high up. I doubt Brendan talks line ups to Doris the tea lady. I would also think most of the time the players are in the dressing room before they find out.

I'd say it's almost definitely a player. They'd know the team well in advance of the game, they don't just get told in the dressing room.

[Leeds Fox]

2 hours ago, Nicolo Barella said:

It's not about running. Eriksen ran a lot for Spurs, that didn't mean that he was particularly effective for them defensively. Pressing is no use if you aren't prepared to tackle as well. And I realise that saying it would be the same as putting Maddison on the left is confusing, so I'll try to explain. Coutinho, as a winger, in reality drifts inside in to "No. 10" positions. Now, that can work really nicely if the team is prepared and moulded around that expectation, but doing so is more difficult than it seems (Barcelona and Bayern both couldn't do it). It means that not only do you have to make sure that the middle area is not congested, so his addition will actually be useful, but an attacker must fill the hole he opens up on the left.

 

This would result in a similar situation to when we put Maddison on the left if we tried it in our team (in my opinion). Our entire team is always built on crowding the centre (no other team in the league plays with two 8s as advanced as ours, aside Man City, and we often add a second striker into the mix) so there would be less space to take advantage of in the middle for Coutinho, rendering him less useful. 

 

Just my opinion of course.

There aren’t many teams in the league who can afford to play a 3 with 2 of them so advanced. We’re lucky we have N’Didi, as it allows us to play like this. 
 

Rodgers is playing with the cards he’s been dealt at the minute. An extra winger or quality number 10 could change his setup. He’s definitely astute enough to be able to mould us into a different shape should he be afforded the resources.

[Nicolo Barella]

58 minutes ago, Leeds Fox said:

There aren’t many teams in the league who can afford to play a 3 with 2 of them so advanced. We’re lucky we have N’Didi, as it allows us to play like this. 
 

Rodgers is playing with the cards he’s been dealt at the minute. An extra winger or quality number 10 could change his setup. He’s definitely astute enough to be able to mould us into a different shape should he be afforded the resources.

I can agree with that, but am just saying that there are a lot of difficulties associated with fitting him in without detriment to the rest of the team. I would like to point out that the previous team Rodgers managed with Coutinho in it had a lot of defensive issues (which was papered over by the best ever season of one of the strikers of this decade). Even if obviously they weren't all down to Coutinho, it is somewhat telling that they disappeared with his departure (again, this can be attributed to van Dijk instead of Coutinho's absence, but I think it's disingenuous not to take into account how the team's defensive shape changed with Coutinho's departure).