Ian Wright says Liverpool should flog Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona NOW or risk ruining their season
SunSport columnist admires the Reds' refusal to cave in - but says strengthening defence should be a much bigger priority
IT’S safe to say this hasn’t been the best few days for Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool.
Another example of how NOT to defend when drawing 3-3 at Watford, still no sign of a new centre-back and, of course, the Philippe Coutinho saga that’s becoming a fiasco.
Liverpool’s owners are standing firm, insisting they will refuse to sell their star player to Barcelona, however much they offer.
It is a stance which many admire — but it’s also one which I think could wreck their whole season if it continues to rumble on.
That’s why my message to Liverpool would be to sell Coutinho and concentrate on the area which really does need attention — namely that dodgy defence.
We know the Brazilian wants to go because he’s finally told the club he’d like to join his old team-mate Luis Suarez at the Nou Camp — and really you can’t blame a player for that.
Not when Liverpool haven’t really progressed since Suarez left in 2014. They are no closer to winning the league and, if anything, they are further away.
I fear that even if the transfer window closes and Coutinho is still at Anfield, the saga could have a real impact on their campaign.
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And that’s regardless of whether they get through two tricky legs against Hoffenheim and make the Champions League group stages or not.
If Coutinho stays, the whole thing will focus on him. Picture it now. Every week: Will he play? Will he not? Did he give everything? Why was he subbed? Why was he on the bench?
They should be talking about how to mount a title challenge again, not about one man and whether he will or won’t go.
Klopp needs to be able to give his attention to more vital matters like his defence. Especially at set-pieces.
Even if they get £100million for Coutinho, that’s not the main issue. For me, it’s more about signing Virgil van Dijk and getting a leader into that back four.
They need stability in the team, they need to progress, they need to stop being so easy for opponents to open up. Let’s face it, this isn’t a new problem, it’s been the case for years.
It amazes me why so many different coaches have not recognised it — or done anything about it.
We all know they’ve got great attacking players with or without Coutinho.
He missed nearly two months last season and they won five and lost only one league game when he was out.
With Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Mo Salah, Adam Lallana to come back and Daniel Sturridge if he’s fit, they will always score goals.
Keeping them out is the problem — and Coutinho doesn’t change that.
People aren’t doing their job back there, whether it’s defenders or players coming back for corners and free-kicks. They’re not putting their body on the line. In my day at Arsenal, every man would know their job — and every man was prepared to do it for the team.
The likes of Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn and Martin Keown would be saying, “That’s my man and he’s not going to score”.
At free-kicks my job was to be the blocker. As soon as the ball was touched I had to fly out and get in the way.
It was probably George Graham’s way of getting me smashed for all the trouble I caused him, but that was it!
I know Liverpool are going zonal — which I think always gives an opponent the run on you — and that means taking responsibility.
It means being in the best position to head the ball out, to clear the danger, and players just aren’t doing that.
That’s something they need to solve NOW.
So get Coutinho sold, get at least one more defensive leader in, and start focusing on what’s important.
Before it’s too late.
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