Shay Given blasts Philippe Coutinho after poor performance in Aston Villa draw v Nottingham Forest
Shay Given believes that Philippe Coutinho is a “shadow of the player who was at Liverpool” after another poor performance for Aston Villa against Nottingham Forest.
The Brazilian started on the left wing against bottom of the table Nottingham Forest on Monday night but was hauled off after just 64 minutes as Steven Gerrard’s side chased a goal that never came in the 1-1 draw.
That means it’s just one goal and zero assists in his last 20 appearances in the Premier League for Villa, and Given told talkSPORT [11 October] that he has been a “big disappointment” since joining from Barcelona.
“Coutinho’s been a big disappointment,” he said. “I mean I suppose they wouldn’t have let him go in Spain if they thought there was still a really good player there.
“They got him on the cheap people would say because of what Liverpool got for him a few years before that but he looks a shadow of the player who was at Liverpool, he really does.
“I don’t know if it’s a confidence thing or form or whatever it is, I don’t know, but I suppose that’s one of the jobs of the manager – to get the best out of him.”
Shocking
When Coutinho first joined the club on loan in the January window it was seen as a coup for the club and Gerrard, and he performed really well initially to convince the club to make the deal permanent.
But in truth, Barcelona probably couldn’t wait to get rid of him and his astronomical wages and Villa were the club to bite the bait.
He’s been so passive in his play so far for Villa and offers nothing going forward, which is where he’s supposed to be a magician and the best player at Aston Villa.
But with the team desperate for results and form, Gerrard has to drop him out of the side and bring in fresh faces who will be hungry to make an impact on the team otherwise there is no way anything will change.
Coutinho is finished at the highest level and this last year has made that abundantly clear. It was nice while it lasted but the experiment has to end and Coutinho should be the first one out of the door.
In other Aston Villa news, Arsenal still want to sign Douglas Luiz according to Fabrizio Romano