STEvIE’S PHIl Good fACToR
PHILIPPE COUTINHO is so good his Villa team-mates admit they are sometimes on a different wavelength.
Steven Gerrard admitted Coutinho’s form and brilliance in training at Liverpool hastened the end of his playing days as he tried to keep up.
But the Villa manager is not complaining now as his loan move for Coutinho from Barcelona looks better business every day.
The Brazilian went off to a standing ovation late on after inspiring victory with a goal and an assist.
But Villa striker Ollie Watkins, who opened the scoring, said: “Sometimes he thinks too quickly for you and I’ve gone the opposite way.
“He’s too sharp — he thinks quicker than anyone else.”
Gerrard can relate, adding: “I can certainly understand what Ollie is saying because Phil was one of the reasons I called it a day and went to America (to join LA Galaxy).
“In most training sessions, some of the things he did with me on the pitch ... he was too quick for me. He is the reason I have six screws in my left groin and I am probably on my way to a new hip. Those type of players can do that.”
Deft
Coutinho, who Villa have an option to sign in the summer for €40m, was always available in the hole and able to build play with his range of deft touches and clever passes.
He was instrumental in Watkins’ opener before unselfishly squaring the ball to Douglas Luiz to make it 2-0.
Coutinho then got on the scoresheet himself with his third Villa goal in seven games before ex-Saint Danny Ings sealed the win.
Gerrard added: “He is in a really good place physically now in terms of the training and the games he has had.
“You can see the fans are delighted to watch him and I am delighted to have him.
“He has got to the stage where he needed a change of scenery and a different movie.
“We want to be that movie for him because if we want to get where we want to in the long run, we need to build it around talents like Phil because he is high level when he is at it.
“All good teams have these type of players, game-changers who the opposition are really concerned about before a ball is kicked.”
But in Coutinho, the Villa chief knows he has a fabulous talent capable of making his plans a reality.