Scout Reports

Can Coutinho transform Aston Villa attack and offer FPL points potential?

Aston Villa announced the surprise signing of former Liverpool man Philippe Coutinho on Friday, subject to the player receiving a work permit.

The Brazilian has joined on loan with an option to buy in the summer, in a move which reunites him with Villa manager Steven Gerrard, who was his captain at the Reds.

Not so long ago, Coutinho was one of the best players in the world, but how has he performed since his move to Barcelona, where does he fit in at Villa and what impact will he have in Fantasy Premier League (FPL)?

We’ll attempt to answer those questions in the article below.

LIVERPOOL

“His technical ability is so good. You knew that he wouldn’t lose it, you knew that he would produce something special with it, that he would always choose the right pass.” – Luis Suarez on Coutinho

In 201 games for Liverpool, Coutinho produced 54 goals and 45 assists, near enough one goal contribution every two games.

And yet his arrival in January 2013, when he was an £8.5m capture from Inter Milan, came as a surprise to many having so often flattered to deceive in Italy.

However, the Brazilian was an instant hit at Anfield, racking up three goals and seven assists in the second half of his debut season. From that point on, his influence grew, but it was the appointment of Jurgen Klopp in 2015 that saw him truly develop into one of the best playmakers in world football.

I like the position that I’m now playing. What I like most about it is that I don’t have to just stay in one place. I have the freedom to move around. The manager is comfortable with me doing it and that’s given me the confidence to go and play. I am linking up well with all of the players on the pitch. Now the players feel more comfortable and this comes from the coach. That’s something that’s reflected on the pitch and in the results.” – Coutinho discussing his role under Klopp

In his final season at Liverpool, Coutinho scored seven goals and supplied seven assists in 14 Premier League appearances, averaging 7.4 points per match in FPL, before joining Barcelona midway through the campaign.

COUTINHO’S LEAGUE CAREER STATS AT LIVERPOOL
SeasonAppsGoalsAssists
2017/181477
2016/1731138
2015/162685
2014/153555
2013/143357
2012/131337

BARCELONA / BAYERN MUNICH

Coutinho arrived at Barcelona as the third-most-expensive player in history, with the club desperate to add more quality after Neymar’s departure to Paris-Saint Germain.

In his first season, he showed plenty of promise, scoring seven goals in 18 games, but failed to build on that and spent the 2019/20 season on loan at Bayern Munich.

During his time in Germany, he won the treble of the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and UEFA Champions League, but once again, didn’t quite seem to fit, with Bayern declining to take up their option to sign him permanently in the summer of 2020.

Since returning to Barcelona, the club has mostly been in disarray under the presidency of Josep Bartomeu, whilst Coutinho has also been hampered by injury, with a knee problem ruling him out of the second half of the 2020/21 season.

Discussing why Coutinho’s spell at Barcelona hasn’t worked out, Spanish football writer Andy West said:

“It was quickly apparent – as it probably always should have been – that Coutinho was not suited to either of his expected new roles. He wanted to play further forward than Iniesta’s disciplined midfield role and more centrally than Neymar’s left-wing slot.

Instead, he preferred to roam more central areas and find space between the lines of the opposition midfield and defence. But Barca already had someone fulfilling that role and there was no way Coutinho would ever usurp Lionel Messi as the team’s main creator.

So Coutinho ended up generally getting in Messi’s way, disrupting the team’s rhythm by taking too many touches and reduced to hopeful long-range strikes with sporadic success – leading social media wits to sarcastically dub him ‘Shootinho’.”

COUTINHO’S LEAGUE CAREER STATS AT BARCELONA / BAYERN MUNICH
SeasonClubAppsGoalsAssists
2021/22Barcelona1220
2020/21Barcelona1222
2019/20Bayern Munich (loan)23810
2018/19Barcelona3452
2017/18Barcelona1877

PLAYING STYLE

Coutinho is an exceptionally talented footballer, whose ability to create and unlock defences has the potential to improve any side.

However, he also carries plenty of goal threat, as he scored 19 Premier League goals from outside of the area during his time at Liverpool, more than any other player in the division aside from Steven Gerrard.

Notably, when applying a 500-minute threshold, he ranked fourth amongst all midfielders for expected goal involvement (xGI) per 90 minutes in his last season at the club:

Midfielders ranked by xGI per 90 2017/18

Coutinho’s touch heatmap from that campaign also offers a glimpse as to how he might be best utilised at Villa.

Philippe Coutinho’s touch heatmap at Liverpool 2017/18

THE PROSPECTS – AND WHERE DOES HE FIT IN AT VILLA?

“I don’t think you get a nickname as a ‘magician’ if you’re not a special footballer” – Steven Gerrard on Philippe Coutinho

Coutinho is at his best in the middle of the park, where he is able to get on the ball and make things happen.

On the face of it, that suggests Gerrard may need to move away from his trusted 4-3-3 formation, so that he can accommodate a traditional no. 10.

However, it’s worth noting just how narrow Gerrard’s ‘wingers’ play in his current system, as you can see in Villa’s average position map from Double Gameweek 21, with Emiliano Buendia’s (£6.2m) movement captured on the right:

Aston Villa’s average position map (left) and Emiliano Buendia’s touch heatmap (right) vs Brentford in Double Gameweek 21

That suggests a starting role on the left of Villa’s front three, with the freedom to drift infield, is where Coutinho will be used under Gerrard.

Notably, that would also carry similarities to how Jack Grealish (£7.6m) was deployed, with the attack running through him.

In terms of Coutinho’s Fantasy prospects, there are naturally huge question marks over his fitness and ability to cope with the pace and intensity of the Premier League.

However, reuniting with Gerrard and returning to the league where he was at his most productive is encouraging, whilst Villa’s forthcoming fixtures – especially from Gameweeks 23 to 28 – offers him a platform to make an instant impact.

In addition, it’s also highly likely that he’ll be handed set pieces at Villa, which is another route to Fantasy points.

The Brazilian is yet to be added to the game, but if his starting price were to come in around £7.0m, given his past performances and fixtures, he clearly has the potential to come in and shake up the current midfield template.

Meanwhile, Ollie Watkins could be about to profit from his signing, too, with the prospect of two playmakers playing in behind an exciting proposition for the £7.8m priced forward.

409 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Ci Siamo
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 2 months ago

    As someone who doesn’t Own Ronaldo, is he worth bringing in still?

    1. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 2 months ago

      Not if you need those funds to get Salah back I don’t think so. Another 2 transfers down the line

    2. Fefguero
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 2 months ago

      No reason you couldnt get him in, roll transfer next week and then get salah the week after using two free and off loading ronaldo

  2. dunas_dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 2 months ago

    Welcome any early views as bit stuck. All thoughts of BB gone now and first FH seems waste particularly as would have to deal with Son and Mahrez next week.

    Thinking -8 for
    Borja to Dennis/King*
    Mahrez to Maddison* ( if no Leicester double then Moura)
    Son to Foden

    Gets max of 7 doubles and Foden is move with eye to week 23 fixture.

    * possibly plays double
    ** Out

    DDG*
    TAA Dalot* Reguilón* Cancelo
    Gray Jota Bowen
    Ronaldo* Antonio Borja

    Sanchez* Dawson Son** Mahrez**

  3. Sheffield Wednesday
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 2 months ago

    If playing FH, who are the 8 or 9 dgw players you would most want in your gw22 team?

    I own DDG and Dennis*, current team worth £105.1M (£102.5M net SP). I may fill the last spots with sgw players with good fixtures.

    1. Boly Would
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 2 months ago

      I think I'd be struggling to get to 8 or 9 to be honest

      1. Sheffield Wednesday
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 2 months ago

        I'm looking at my current team with four players flagged, an unfavourable Man City triple up vs Chelsea, and a wasted early ft of Salah > Son. Wondering what difference playing a FH will make this week and whether it's worth it.

        1. Hits from the Bong
          • 5 Years
          2 years, 2 months ago

          It sounds like the perfect time to use it. You'll probably be saving -8 before you even start, you can load up on doublers you really won't want long term, and next week Man City assetts will look better and your flags should have gone

    2. Moxon
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 2 months ago

      Kane/Ronaldo, Maddison, Moura

      1. Sheffield Wednesday
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 2 months ago

        Thanks, I was thinking of adding Tielemans, Alonso and Mount to that list?

        1. Hits from the Bong
          • 5 Years
          2 years, 2 months ago

          McTominayinho

          1. Annie
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            2 years, 2 months ago

            Is that what this seasons come to?

    3. Nanook
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 2 months ago

      DDG
      Alonso. TAA. Reg/Royal.
      Jota. Moura. Maddison. Mount/Lookman
      Kane. Ronaldo. Dennis

      9/11 doublers (if all the games even go ahead). It’s definitely not awe inspiring but if you save the -8 plus score roughly 20 more points than your current team it could be worth it. You’d then have Salah plus your Man City assets back next week. I’m considering too

      1. Sheffield Wednesday
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 2 months ago

        Thanks, much appreciated reply in this dead thread. I have TAA and Jota, but TAA is one of the flagged players so might look elsewhere.