View: Aston Villa signing Philippe Coutinho is bad news for Emiliano Buendia
There was understandably much fan-fare when Aston Villa announced the permanent signing of Brazilian star Philippe Coutinho last week (12 May).
The former Barcelona player is undoubtedly a quality addition and has proven himself to be a useful member of the squad while on loan since January.
Steven Gerrard’s influence has been key for the club to take advantage of the unique circumstances of his ex-Liverpool teammate to bring him in for an affordable price.
But while he surely wouldn’t express as much, there is one man at the club who could be excused for not feeling the same excitement – Emiliano Buendia.
The Argentinian was brought in last summer in a record-breaking deal that could end up totalling £38million (Independent).
He was supposed to help fill the gap left by £100million sale and former captain Jack Grealish, but it has been a stop-start season for the 25-year-old.
Understudy
Any player who is not yet fully established at a new club is going to suffer from the upheaval of a new manager coming in, especially one who may not view him the same way as the previous one.
He had only played the full 90 minutes twice in the Premier League before the new year, but his best run in the team actually coincided with the arrival of his illustrious new teammate.
Steven Gerrard started him against former side Norwich on 14 December, to start a run of nine straight games in all competitions where he was in the XI at kick-off.
Once Coutinho made his debut against Manchester United (15 January) the former Rangers boss opted to start both big-money creative players either side of a central striker.
But, despite scoring the winner against Everton a week later, the subsequent run of one point from nine saw the manager make a change, and it was Buendia who dropped out of the line-up, while Coutinho remained.
Over the next two-and-a-half months the summer signing only started once, while the January arrival was ever-present, and that one game where they featured together was a defeat, against Arsenal.
Whether that signifies they are not a good fit to be in the same line-up or whether Gerrard doesn’t play in a way that will work for them both at once is up for debate – and the former England captain knows all about such debates from his playing days with Frank Lampard.
But it was instructive that it was the first game since Coutinho had broken into the team where the ex-Barca man was left out that saw Buendia’s best game.
Gerrard had laid down a challenge before the win at Burnley, saying via Birmingham Mail: “The challenge is very much there for him when he gets the opportunity, whether that’s from the start or from the side, we’re looking for that creative contribution from him, goals or assists.
“That’s the best way for him to start winning a starting shirt consistently and deliver and execute and get numbers in the game.”
He responded with a goal and assist in the 3-1 win, yet was straight back on the bench for the subsequent two games.
Despite Coutinho’s game-time far outweighing Buendia’s it is clear whose ego Gerrard is more concerned for when he said after the Burnley win, via The Times: “We want Phil Coutinho here. There’s not much ego in this group.
“There’s five games in a short space and he and Emi will get enough game time to keep them satisfied. Phil understood it and he’s respectful.”
The new £17million signing is clearly the manager’s man, and their history together makes that no surprise.
Buendia has been firmly shunted down to second choice as a result, and despite delivering exactly what his manager asked for in his lone chance to take up the number 10 role on his own was not rewarded with another start.
Unless he is content to sit on the bench as a nearly-£40million back-up his time at Villa Park looks like it might be a brief one.
In other Aston Villa news, the Villans boss avoided FA acton for his comments about Jon Moss after the Liverpool defeat.