Jurgen Klopp may have another Philippe Coutinho on his hands at Liverpool – Our View

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Thiago Alcantara is a joy to watch, there’s no doubting that, but whether or not he’s a good fit for Liverpool is up for debate.

It’s been six months since the Champions League winner joined the Reds, and if we’re being honest, his time at Liverpool hasn’t exactly gone to plan.

The Reds sit outside of the top four right now, and while it would be ridiculous to suggest that the issues they’re facing are Thiago’s fault, we have to admit that he’s not done much to improve Liverpool’s midfield.

Unfortunately, it looks as though he may actually be hampering their efforts in a very similar way in which Philippe Coutinho was doing before his departure.

Now, Coutinho and Thiago are both supremely talented players, nobody can argue that, but Liverpool’s most successful hasn’t been built around a flashy, tricky midfield, it’s been all about pragmatism and effectiveness.

Nobody would argue that the Reds’ trusted trio of Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum and Fabinho are the trickiest players in the league, but they do their jobs and they do them incredibly well.

Meanwhile, Thiago and Coutinho are two mavericks of the footballing world, doing everything with a bit of finesse and flair, looking to unlock defences in their own unique way, and while that’s wonderful to watch, it’s not necessarily the most effective way of operating, especially in Liverpool’s midfield.

It’s no coincidence that the Reds went on to win the Champions League and Premier League after selling Coutinho and bringing Fabinho into the midfield, and while, Fabinho isn’t as entertaining to watch in the middle of the park, but he’s much more suited to Jurgen Klopp’s style.

Of course, it’s unfair to judge Thiago on this opening six months, he’s not had the safety nets of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez or Joel Matip behind him all season that would give him the freedom to be his expressive, creative self more comfortably, but right now, it feels as though we’re watching another Coutinho.

And that isn’t necessarily a negative, Coutinho was arguably Liverpool’s best player before he left, and he was sold for a record fee.

However, in the end, Liverpool were a better side without the Brazilian, and unfortunately for Thiago, there may be no room for a maverick midfielder in Klopp’s well-oiled footballing machine.

It’s early days, and the Spaniard still has plenty of time to turn things around, but his performances so far indicate that Liverpool may have another Coutinho on their hands here.