Analysing Philippe Coutinho's Early-Season Form for Liverpool
To the surprise, and irritation, of many, Philippe Coutinho was named in the PFA's Premier League Team of the Year for the 2014/15 season—recognising his strong run of form towards the end of a campaign that saw Liverpool finish sixth in the Premier League.
The Brazilian was voted by his peers as part of a five-strong attacking line that also included Chelsea's Eden Hazard and Diego Costa, Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez and Tottenham Hotspur's unlikely success story, Harry Kane.
But this accolade has represented something of a poisoned chalice for this group, with all but Sanchez enduring a miserable start to 2015/16.
TOP NEWS
Madrid Fines Players $590K 😲
'Mbappé Out' Petition Gaining Steam 😳
Star-Studded World Cup Ad 🤩
Hazard and Costa have played a peripheral role as Chelsea struggle for form, leaving them 11th in the Premier League after Saturday's 2-0 win over Aston Villa—an encounter that saw the Belgian dropped to the bench in favour of, as Jose Mourinho told Bleacher Report's Garry Hayes, a return to "tactical discipline."
Similarly, Kane has scored just one goal in nine league appearances for Spurs, after hitting 21 in 34 games last term. The England striker was once again thwarted on Saturday, thanks to the heroics of Coutinho's team-mate, Simon Mignolet.
While Sanchez has confounded this theory by scoring six goals in nine league appearances so far this season, there is a worrying trend within this group—one furthered by the stuttering form of Coutinho this campaign.
Coutinho began the new season as he left off, of course.
Watching his 25-yard effort soar beyond Jack Butland and into the Stoke City net, the 23-year-old capped what was an otherwise tepid season opener with a moment of magic 86 minutes into the game at the Britannia Stadium. Coutinho had sealed an immediate response for the Reds, following their 6-1 defeat at the same venue at the end of 2014/15.
It was a familiar scenario for Brendan Rodgers, whose Liverpool squad had been picked apart in recent seasons, with the £49 million sale of Raheem Sterling to Manchester City over the summer compounding his misery.
His was a Liverpool side with few stars, with Coutinho the only remaining talent with proven, match-winning ability. While the likes of Christian Benteke and Roberto Firmino settling into their new surroundings, it was left to the Reds' No. 10 to inspire early-season success.
This continued against Bournemouth and Arsenal in August, with a blossoming partnership with £32.5 million summer signing Benteke a key factor in an improved attacking line.
An unlikely big-man, little-man tandem, Coutinho and Benteke inspired victory over the Cherries, while coming close to securing a result at the Emirates Stadium—only the majesty of Petr Cech kept Coutinho from scoring.
But, predictably, Rodgers became overly reliant on the playmaker, who was ostensibly tasked with serving as Liverpool's chief creative talent, a defence-stretching wide man and a second striker.
Danny Ings and Divock Origi remained on the substitutes' bench, with Liverpool crying out for a two-man attacking line.
These issues were magnified when Coutinho received a red card in Liverpool's 3-0 defeat at home to West Ham United at the end of August, signalling a downturn in form for Rodgers' key man.
Receiving his marching orders at Anfield after two yellow cards, Coutinho brought an untimely end to a performance devoid of the creativity and attacking zeal that had hallmarked his first three games alongside Benteke.
The Brazilian made no key passes, hit three shots off target and lost possession six times—more than any other Liverpool player, despite only playing 52 minutes. It was a fatigued performance, concluded with a clumsy challenge on Dimitri Payet.
After a gruelling international break with Brazil, Coutinho returned to the Liverpool starting lineup for their Europa League opener away to Bordeaux, playing the full 90 minutes. And while he thundered an effort against the crossbar in the first half at the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, he again faded as the contest played out.
This continued against Norwich City in the Premier League, when deployed behind Benteke and a returning Daniel Sturridge in a 3-4-1-2 formation. Coutinho attempted an incredible 10 shots on goal, hitting the target just twice, as well as creating just one chance for his team-mates.
"Coutinho was far from his brilliant best, and proved to be one of the Reds’ more frustrating players on the day," Henry Jackson of This Is Anfield proffered in his post-match player ratings. "His decision-making was slightly off the boil, and he missed a massive chance to win it for his side when clean through."
A two-assist performance in September's 3-2 victory at home to Aston Villa signalled an upturn in fortunes for the midfielder, largely owing to the dynamic movement of Sturridge in attack—but this proved all too brief, as he returned to the margins in Rodgers' final game in charge.
Harassed by the hardworking, tenacious James McCarthy, Coutinho was completely absent from the Reds' buildup at Goodison Park, with Ben Twelves of This Is Anfield describing his afternoon as "his poorest and most ineffective performance of the season."
That Merseyside derby stalemate proved to be the final game of Rodgers' reign, with the Ulsterman's reliance on a flailing Coutinho a contributing factor in his demise. But while Rodgers' fortunes plummeted this season, a poor run of form did little to damage Coutinho's reputation—as interest from La Liga attests, per Fichajes (h/t Joe Rimmer of the Liverpool Echo).
Coutinho gave Liverpool a welcome boost at the beginning of October, days after Rodgers' sacking, with his agent dismissing speculation the Brazilian is looking to leave the club in the near future.
"Philippe is extremely happy at Liverpool. He signed a new long-term contract towards the end of last season that represents his ambition and his feeling for Liverpool," Kia Joorabchian told Brazilian TV channel Globo (h/t the Guardian).
"Reports that I have been talking to Real Madrid about Philippe are not true. His aspirations are to qualify for the Champions League with Liverpool this season and to win a trophy. That is all that he is focused on—and nothing else."
Making clear Coutinho's ambitions for the campaign, with a top-four finish and silverware in his sights, Joorabchian underlined his client's commitment to the cause. With a new manager, with proven top-level pedigree, installed in Jurgen Klopp, is the 23-year-old in a position to complete these objectives?
"Coutinho? Do you not think he can play better football than today? Of course, he can," Klopp told the club's official website following Saturday's 0-0 draw with Spurs.
After another muted display from the Brazilian at White Hart Lane, Klopp will be formulating plans to extract top form from his No. 10, and his further assessment of his team's performance proved particularly pertinent for Coutinho's situation.
"We don’t have to sprinkle magical dust on them 'and now you can play football.' They know how to play," he continued. "We just have to create a situation where it is possible to do this."
Klopp is slowly restoring belief to a flagging Liverpool outfit, and Coutinho is just one of many players to have suffered a crisis of confidence in 2015/16—with his recognition at the end of the previous campaign magnifying his poor form.
Under Klopp, Coutinho will be required to run harder, press higher and tackle with more ferocity, but he will also be given more freedom to express himself.
It is this that will prove crucial as he looks to address his stuttered start.
Statistics via WhoScored.com.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
