When a player performs so well in their first season in a new league they are rarely allowed to savour it over the summer months. As soon as the whistle blows to end one campaign, the focus immediately turns to the next.
His frustration has, at times, been clear to see. Things haven't always gone his way and this had led to occasions where he has tried to force the issue by looking for nigh-on impossible passes or, more often, hitting speculative long range efforts.
It is here perhaps where Coutinho has most let himself down. Having scored three goals in 13 games last season, he has managed just two in 18 this - missing four clear cut chances along the way. His shooting accuracy of 39.58% and a dismal conversion rate of just 4.17% highlight the problem.
| Philippe Coutinho - stats comparison |
|
|
| Discipline |
12/13 |
13/14 |
| Minutes played |
932 |
1351 |
| Goals |
3 |
2 |
| Assists |
5 |
3 |
| Final third passing |
70.19% |
69.47% |
| Big chances created |
9 |
9 |
|
Both his goals this season have been close range tap ins and it could just be that he needs one strike from more than five yards to go in to open the floodgates. Either way it is very much apparent that this is an area of his game that needs working on.
However, in other aspects it appears that the Liverpool no. 10 is actually doing rather better than he is getting credit for.
Indeed, only Suarez has created more clear cut chances than Coutinho's nine in the Premier League. Whilst scoring might be a problem for him, creating most certainly isn't and just three assists say more about the players on the end of the chances than about the provider, it would seem.
His pass completion rates may be not be overly impressive but that is a consequence of looking for the risker, killer pass more often.
Coutinho's job is not to simply retain possession and recycle the ball, that job is left to others within the Liverpool team. He is tasked with providing the decisive pass and the aforementioned clear cut chances created statistic shows he is doing just that - even if it is at the expense of an 85%+ pass completion rate.
The best in the business can manage both, David Silva being the best example. But then the Spaniard has seven years more experience than Coutinho.
Additionally, the defensive side of his game is often overlooked but he has shown in his time on Merseyside that he is more than capable of doing his bit, and doing it well.
This was evident throughout Tuesday's Merseyside Derby as Coutinho was given a slightly deeper central position only marginally ahead of Jordan Henderson, with Steven Gerrard holding, in a 4-3-3.
Up against James McCarthy and Gareth Barry, Coutinho won 80% of his tackles, 56.3% of his duels and made a total of 10 recoveries, equal with Gerrard and bettered only by Suarez.
Playing slightly deeper also gave him more space, showed by the fact he had more touches, 65, than any other Liverpool player on the night. The Brazilian was crucial, firstly in helping Rodgers' team to press and harry Everton's players in possession and then, with the Reds three goals up, in enabling them to counter-attack with such devastating pace.
On top of his assist for Sturridge's first goal, Coutinho also set up four shots at goal as well as putting Sterling through for him to be taken down for the penalty. Simply put, Everton couldn't get near him.
It was Coutinho's best display of the season by a distance and on a night of that gave Kopites so many reasons to celebrate, their midfield magician returning to top form was certainly one of them.
Whether this was down to tweaking his position slightly or things just clicking into place, it was the kind of showing fans and pundits alike had been expecting from him throughout the season.
It remains to be seen whether he can shake off his mild case of second season syndrome and maintain such form for the rest of the season, but, if he can then Liverpool's chances of reaching the top four will be significantly boosted.
