Barcelona finally got their man with the Catalans
finally landing the signature of long time target Phillippe Coutinho, and with
that marks the end of another saga for Liverpool as the Reds yet again have lost
another big name player similar to how did Louis Suarez a few seasons ago. While
the Brazilian’s exit can count as a loss for the Reds, but unlike when Suarez
left Liverpool should still have more than enough talent to finish the season in
a respectable position with the triumvirate of Sadio Mané, Roberto Firmino and
Mo Salah comprising a better part of Liverpool’s strength.
In Salah Liverpool have undoubtedly the Premier
League’s hottest property right now. The Egyptian has been involved in 29 of
the 75 goals Liverpool have scored this season and at the halfway point of the
season has eclipsed the Brazilian’s top scoring tally of 13 goals from last
season. In comparison Countinho, even though having played six fewer matches,
has been involved in 20 goals with him scoring 12 while also contributing eight
assists (Salah has two fewer than those with six so far).
Firmino and Mané have been involved in a
combined goal involvement of 35 so far this season which attests to how far Liverpool
have come as they have shared the goals as opposed to when they relied on one
player to carry the team. The return of Adam Lallana will also go some way to
easing pressure of his teammates as the Englishman is capable of filling the
creative role behind the attacking trio.
In addition to the team’s strength, the £142
million fee should go a long way to softening the blow to Jürgen Klopp’s side. In
the grand scheme of things Coutinho leaving won’t hurt Liverpool as much as if
he had left last summer as it allows Klopp to look towards mounting a title challenge
next season without the Brazilian with the addition of Virgil van Dyke, Naby
Keita set to arrive in July (or earlier), and acquiring a quality defensive
midfielder and goalkeeper being the missing pieces for Liverpool.
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