Despite performing consistently well for Liverpool over the last sixteen months, Reds attacker Philippe Coutinho continues to be ignored by Brazil boss Phil Scolari, who has tonight selected Chelsea star Willian ahead of Coutinho in Brazil's final World Cup squad. This is a crushing blow for LFC's little magician, who earlier this week claimed that he's just as good as Willian.
In an interview with Brazilian sports magazine Placar, Coutinho admitted that he still 'dreams' of making Brazil's World Cup squad, and when asked about the competition with Willian, he observed:
"I know there's a lot of tough competition, [but] I think we're on the same level. Willian is a great player and has shown that here."
Coutinho also accused Scolari of favourtism towards Willian. He noted:
"It's a complicated question. Every coach has his favourites and Scolari is no different".
Coutinho's sole appearance for Brazil came in a 2010 friendly with Iran, and he hasn't had a look-in since. Willian, on the other hand, has five appearances to date for the national team, and although he's not an experienced international, Scolari clearly prefers him over Coutinho.
Does Willian deserve to be in Brazil's World Cup squad ahead of Coutinho? Players should ideally be selected on merit, so it's only fair to compare their form in the league this year:
Willian is ahead of Coutinho in some areas (passing/crossing accuracy, for example), but an attacking midfielder's primary role is to create and score goals, and Coutinho contributes more regularly than Willian, who cost £24m more than his fellow countryman.
Clearly, there's absolutely no doubt that Coutinho is 'on the same level' as Willian. Indeed, based on the above stats, it's possible to argue that Coutinho is more deserving of a place in Brazil's World Cup squad. Alas, this doesn't seem to make a difference to Scolari, and it's Willian who will be representing Brazil in a few weeks time.
Who is the better player? If you could choose, who would you rather have in LFC's team?
Author: Jaimie K
In an interview with Brazilian sports magazine Placar, Coutinho admitted that he still 'dreams' of making Brazil's World Cup squad, and when asked about the competition with Willian, he observed:
"I know there's a lot of tough competition, [but] I think we're on the same level. Willian is a great player and has shown that here."
Coutinho also accused Scolari of favourtism towards Willian. He noted:
"It's a complicated question. Every coach has his favourites and Scolari is no different".
Coutinho's sole appearance for Brazil came in a 2010 friendly with Iran, and he hasn't had a look-in since. Willian, on the other hand, has five appearances to date for the national team, and although he's not an experienced international, Scolari clearly prefers him over Coutinho.
Does Willian deserve to be in Brazil's World Cup squad ahead of Coutinho? Players should ideally be selected on merit, so it's only fair to compare their form in the league this year:
Willian is ahead of Coutinho in some areas (passing/crossing accuracy, for example), but an attacking midfielder's primary role is to create and score goals, and Coutinho contributes more regularly than Willian, who cost £24m more than his fellow countryman.
Clearly, there's absolutely no doubt that Coutinho is 'on the same level' as Willian. Indeed, based on the above stats, it's possible to argue that Coutinho is more deserving of a place in Brazil's World Cup squad. Alas, this doesn't seem to make a difference to Scolari, and it's Willian who will be representing Brazil in a few weeks time.
Who is the better player? If you could choose, who would you rather have in LFC's team?
web polls
Author: Jaimie K
Even if Coutinho is preferred, my guess is that the 80% in favour maybe a skewed vote, indicative of a pro-Liverpool readership...
ReplyDeleteCoutinho is light weight
ReplyDeleteWillian clearly has the better reputation, and we seemed pretty keen to get him. I think with more playing time at Chelsea and a more regular role in the team he might have produced some better results. Coutinho has almost always been first choice at Liverpool and he's had a longer time to settle into the Premier League. The stats are revealing and although Willian is presumed to be the better player I think Coutinho has proven himself at the very top level of football and is unquestionably the more effective player. I think Scolari has made a mistake, Willian is not in his best form at the moment. But as to who I'd prefer at Liverpool ... it's not a like for like comparison. Willian is more suited to a wider role. Over the long term I just have a feeling that Willian has a higher peak to reach than Coutinho, but if Coutinho was to improve his shooting range and accuracy then he'd be just as capable. They are both good players who need to step up another level.
ReplyDeleteCoutinho says "every manager has his favourites", but Willian has only recently been making the squad so obviously that has nothing to do with his selection. What has everything to do with the selection is that the manager thinks Coutinho is not as much use to him or the team. So what Coutinho thinks is irrelevant. Do you really think Mourinho would swap Willian for Coutinho if given the opportunity? Of course not. Coutinho also shows exceptional conceit by singling out a specific player for comparison with himself. Perhaps it's his conceit and self-interest that has led Scolari to decide he's not the sort of character he wants in his squad.
ReplyDeleteWell willian is a Chelsea player so it isn"t really a surprise, Scolari already Chose his squad for the world cup a year ago and he doesn't care if players he chose are playing really badly he won't change his squad.
ReplyDeleteWhen you see Paulinho or even Bernard (who have exactly the same role as Coutinho but doesn't create/score in the ukranian league) it's pretty obvious that nothing could have make him change his mind.
If you read the story properly, you would see that Coutinho was specifically asked about the competition with Willian. So no, not "exceptional conceit" - merely answering a question. Also to claim self-interest has a bearing on why he's been left out of the squad is farcical.
ReplyDeleteWillian has less pressure on him playing for Chelski. He plays mostly wide and doesn't have the expectations placed on him that Coutinho does for us. Willian has a stable of mid-fielders better than he is on the field at any one time. Coutinho is expected to penetrate and create constantly...and largely succeeds. Willian is not. By far Coutinho is the better choice.
ReplyDeleteWillian wasn't in the running a year ago. So Scolari must have changed his mind.
ReplyDeleteAnd Mr Cecil is a rabid Chelsea fan so one would expect him to prefer Willian. William runs a lot which I suspect appeals to Scholari who likes that side of things more than flair, which is another reason why Mourinho would prefer him to PC
ReplyDeleteFirst sentence of my post (forme chelsea manager going for a chelsea player).
ReplyDeleteIt's well known that Scolari tend to keep the same squad whatever the form of the players, the perfect exemple are Jô, Bernard and Hernanes who are offensive player having a poor season.
Well considering that chelsea's style of football is that of a more defensive style of play that gives willan's goals and assists more credit. Of course it's easier to create more assists and goals in a team that is set up to attack, especially with not one but two on form striker's infront of you a luxury willian hasn't had this season.
ReplyDeleteCoutinho is 21 years old, hardly the finished article and no where near his peak. As for Willian, he 25 and closing in on his peak.
ReplyDelete....but won anyway.
ReplyDeleteGood comment, buddy.
Very true, Coutinho has a few years more to develop. Even in three years he'll only be 24, it's an exciting prospect. I hope Coutinho gets better every year and so when he does reach that peak he'll be producing at least 10 goals and 15 assists per season, it not more.
ReplyDeleteA similar question was asked between Barkley and Coutinho. I feel that they are two different types of player yet very creative. Couthino is in the Silver mould and Barkley is Gerrard in the mould. In the same respect Willian is more of a wide type of player who does a lot of running and dirty work and Couthino although does these things but is more of a flair player but definitely on the same level as Willian. I also think age comes in to it as maybe it is thought that Willian will be more responsible on the big stage. In saying that Couthino currently has a bigger impact on games for me.
ReplyDeleteLoads of really good points made by posters on here.about age and playing differences.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is that Willian has beaten off strong competition just to play for Chelsea . Straight off he has made an impact and always looks really busy,and tidy.
I do
ReplyDeleteAt the age of 25, how much more can Willian improve compared to Coutinho who is 21?
ReplyDeleteBased on that, it is Coutinho all the way for me.
Coutinho is a much more unusual and interesting player than Willian, who is a typical athletic forward. There are maybe a dozen players of his type in the Premier League alone. Coutinho is much more fun to watch, is more spontaneous, has delicacy and wit on the ball where Willian has pace and efficiency. Preferring Willian to Coutinho is like preferring tea and toast at your grandmas house to cake and champagne in a medieval sultan's harem.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Scolari has witnessed a few of Willian's excellent defensive displays under Mourinho and feels that parking the bus is the way forward the for the Brazil team.
ReplyDeleteCoutinho is the better player. I can't believe he was left out of the Brazil world cup squad. It is monstrosity.
ReplyDeleteIt will be good for next season that Coutinho doesn't play in WC. Now he will be ready on mid-August
ReplyDeleteWith the talent Brazil had, even our no10 go just sit there and watching ppl playing. Diff just live at pitch instead at TV....
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question we just don't know. One or other or both might or might not iimprove further.
ReplyDeleteIf I am pushed to make a choice after lots of agonising and at a push I'd have to say ............. I'd like to have them both at Liverpool :-)
Tea and toast at grandmas mmmmm!
ReplyDeletePlus it's a well known fact that only eunuchs can enter a Sultan's harem especially a medievel one -ouch!
Coutinho is a good player with bags of potential, however he is far to inconsistent at this stage of his career, something no doubt will improve.
ReplyDeleteThe Brazil squad looks rock solid but seem to lack creativity in midfield, something Coutinho might have brought, but I digress.
Next season will be the season for Coutinho to go to the next level. And Sterling as well, what a good player he is turning out to be.
With major surgery on the defensive side we'll be a threat again.
Talking of class. I have just heard that Russell Brand has donated his damages from the S*n to the Hillsborough fund.
ReplyDeleteCoutinho's form has improved a good chunk in the second half of the season - there was one chance for a call-up, the Brazil-South Africa game, he didn't get it, so Scolari won't take him.
ReplyDeleteAnd going with Willian is no big surprise really, seeing that he has taken no less than 4 Chelsea players, who train together on a regular basis, and have also had call ups to the national team. And then there is the fro factor - Willian's hair is much cooler than Coutinho's bowl cut.
Probably better for Coutinho, he will avoid the life long disappointment of losing the world cup on home turf, and can play next time around.
Now that he's got that monkey off his back, he can fully concentrate on New Castle, which is the important game.
Oh, and it's 'would have', not 'would of', started....
ReplyDeleteSo who's better, John Terry or Ashley Cole? Let's compare stats and see who has more tackles, blocked shots etc. Oh wait...they don't play the same position. "Offensive midfielder" is a fairly broad term. Willian is a wing player, who plays predominantly on the left, can play on the right and if needed, can fill in centrally. He is direct and fast (similar to, but not as good as, Ribery). Coutinho is a typical number 10 who plays centrally and pulls the strings, but can fill in on the wing (particularly on the left of a diamond) if needed. He is not fast, nor direct, and controls the game at a slower pace. Hmmm, maybe Scolari was thinking...I need a fast wing player, and not another number 10 (as I already have 4 of those).
ReplyDeletedoes that mean Willian is sturdy like Yaya Toure?
ReplyDeleteI think Willian is great, but the player I think Coutinho deserved to get in ahead of is Oscar. I've never been particularly impressed by Oscar...
ReplyDeleteIt's the hair...not the ability.
ReplyDeleteBut then what do we do with Sterling who is surely better than Willian?
ReplyDeleteSlightly hypocritical, though, considering Brand has written many columns for the s*n in the past. Taking their money then didn't seem to bother him.
ReplyDeleteWell considering that chelsea's style of football is that of a more defensive style of play that gives wililan's goals and assists more credit. Of course it's easier to create more assists and goals in a team that is set up to attack, especially with not one but two on form striker's infront of you a luxury willian hasn't had this season. And bearing that in mind coutinho has only scored 1 more goal than willian and 5 more assists which isn't a considerable amount more bearing in mind all of the points mentioned above and the fact that he's played 7 more games than willian. Both are very good player's with lot's of potential but at this moment willian is definitely the better player.
ReplyDeleteGuy's try not to be biased, use logic not emotion
ReplyDeletelight weight players get shoved off the ball during games. Coutinho is a clever player and knows how to deal with this type of thing. He is certainly no lightweight.
ReplyDeletecouldn't agree more. Silly statement about Willian still to reach his peak. Coutinho will be awesome in the next couple of years and will overtake Willian and become impossible to leave out of the Brazil team.
ReplyDeleteme either.
ReplyDeletehard to believe. Especially considering Bernard got in.
ReplyDeletePerhaps he did not understand before and is now trying to atone. Who knows but he could have kept the money and many would. Many others take Murdoch's money or give it to him.
ReplyDeleteCoutinho has the class and ability to play at the top level in the future but right now I don't think he has enough experience. Don't get me wrong, he's a joy to watch and at moments is easily the best play maker in the league but he sometimes buckles under pressure. This was seen against Chelsea, once they were winning, his frustration kicked in and every pass and dribble went straight to the defenders, and he didn't know how to change his play. William offers a slight greater defensive impact aswell as the knowledge of parking the bus. I still think Coutinho out played him this season but with Neymar in the team; he can't risk any more "lightweights".
ReplyDeleteThe stats are skewed because of the defensive style of Chelsea's play. Willian has a lot more defensive duties in mourinho's system than coutinho does in ours. Not saying coutinho doesn't do his bit but he isn't defending as much as willian. I think in our team willian would have more goals and assists than he does. I think willian's a lot further along in his development than coutinho and more consistent. I'm not saying I'd rather have willian because I think in the coming years coutinho will be world class but right now I think if I was Scolari and had to choose one of the two to got to the World Cup this summer I'd choose willian too
ReplyDeleteVery different players very different qualities. I don't personally see them fighting for the same role. More Cout and Oscar or someone like that. Cout isn't really a winger.
ReplyDeleteRafa has sympathy for Liverpool, because he thinks the team earns it this year, and its about time for Gerrard to lift up the PL trophy.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gifted forward line, plus Coutinho, Henderson, and Gerrard. These would have been enough to see us through this season, but for a few precarious moments in defence. All is relative, so how much would all this banter about the defence matter, should WH win against MC? Save it until, or hopefully dump it after, 17:00 on Sunday...
ReplyDelete