Ex Red Luis Garcia praises Coutinho

The former No.10 player has admitted that he sees many similarities in Coutinho to his own style of play, and feels that the youngster is now benefitting from starting regular games and settling down to life in England

He told Sky Sports, “There’s a few differences, too, but yeah, I think so. A lot of people are just looking at the No.10 on his shirt and how tall we are!

“But there’s some things we both like to do, such as his dribbling skills.

Brazil has a long history of producing excellent technical players in the advanced midfield role and it seems Coutinho is no exception. He has found his rhythm and seems to be linking up well with his teammates. He also has the knack of getting into the right position when needed – highlighted by his superbly taken winner against Manchester City at the weekend.

Garcia was equally impressed by the cool finish, stating, “He scored a brilliant goal (against Man City). I think he’s been very good. People were maybe having doubts, because of the kind of player he is, but he’s got the confidence of the manager now.”

He added: “Playing more regularly means he can show the type of player he is, and he’s still only 21.

“He has a lot of quality, and knows how to keep the ball, look for the space and to give the accurate pass. Also he’s scoring goals, so what more can you expect from a player like that?”

Only time will tell if Coutinho can surpass Garcia’s career achievements, but with one hand firmly on the League trophy, the young Brazilian maestro could well end up doing it in only his second season at the club. It may be too soon for him to push for a place in a Brazilian World Cup squad awash with star names, but it is clear that Coutinho has a very bright future ahead of him in the Liverpool shirt and with the Brazilian national team.





