Along with Henderson, he's been the most improved L'pool player this year by far now he's added the one thing he was lacking. Consistency. (Although he's not a number 10. At least not in the traditional sense. We don't play with one. We just have a bunch of number 10 quality players all over the attacking 5/6 interchanging at will.).
We've always known he has World Class talent. He's flashed that through his first three years with some jaw dropping moments of absolute genius. The amount of Worldie goals he's scored have become his trademark and have opposition fans drooling and talking like he's the only talent we have because they remember those highlights. But for every Worldie he's webbed in, there was another 19 he blammed aimlessly high and wide from 20 odd yards when a simple ball was on. He struggled when all the onus was on him as the star man after Gerrard left and the quality wasn't there around him. He'd disappear not only during games for large chunks, but whole games at a time. It's been a joke that's he's been our player of the year the last two years running. Nothing like people voting for the star name just because he's scored a handful of unstoppable goals whilst neglecting everything else.
But this year, sans Burnley which is the last game he and the team have fallen back into that (have I mentioned just how much they've learned from that loss? It's turning out to be a pivotal moment in L'pool's season); he's started believing in the better quality around him and just having fun out there again. Which has lead to ridiculous consistency. Particularly the past month when he's been nothing shy of phenomenal. Adding the pace of Mane and Wijnaldum has been a big factor in allowing him more freedom to work his magic. And with that we're starting to see a new level of maturity and intelligence from the Brazilian. He's no longer just aimlessly blamming potshots. Now he's looking to create and get it back and is no longer afraid to play inside the area. His confidence in himself and his teammates that he no longer has to be 'THE MAN' and that theres match winners all over the pitch has lead to a major upturn in that consistency. Along with the continued faith the manager has shown in him. But it's right across the front 5/6 in all honesty. The interchanging and form of them all has been superb and they're all working that hard and covering for their mates that it's allowing the lot of them the freedom to really express themselves without fear within the intricate team structure this system demands of you. Opposition defenders are SO bamboozled by the movement and amount of bodies coming at them at such pace it's a dream scenario for someone as technically gifted as Phil to pick it up in the spaces and create something special.
If Coutinho continues like he is, and the team continues to be as free flowing affording him the space to pick it up and play the killer pass, or make room for one of his Worldies, he'll be a shoo-in for player of the year.
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