Philippe Coutinho performed well in a role that is similar to his future position at Barcelona.
The result wasn’t what Brazil wanted because they will be expected to win every game by the public back home. However, Coutinho’s performance was exciting for Brazil and Barcelona fans alike.
He outshone Neymar who wasn’t at his best. It’s likely that he wasn’t at full fitness, but his decision-making was poor as well because he often held on to the ball too long and ran down cul-de-sacs. Blerim Dzemaili also did an excellent man-marking job on him because he nullified his threat effectively.
Brazil’s formation can differ between a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 depending on what you read or look at. However, it appeared to be a 4-3-3 based on Coutinho’s heatmap with Neymar ahead of him, although he did occasionally drift into central attacking areas in the attacking phase.
His curled finish from outside the box put the Selecao ahead and ultimately gave them a point. Coutinho’s performance was strong without that, though, because he linked up well with Neymar and Gabriel Jesus in the midfield and final thirds. He also performed his defensive duties admirably as part of the three-man midfield.
Coutinho and Marcelo formed a good understanding down the left side, which allowed the full-back to sit high up the pitch. Brazil’s left flank was naturally where most attacks originated because of the creativity down that side.
It’s arguable they would have probably won this fixture if Neymar wasn’t so wasteful; although they will only improve as he regains his fitness, which is a worrying sign for the other teams.
Why does this matter for Barcelona?
The importance of this performance for Barcelona is due to the similarities with their style. He was playing a similar role to how Andres Iniesta used to play at Barcelona because he was the playmaker in central midfield.
His time at Liverpool and at Barcelona has often seen him play as an attacking midfielder. Therefore, he is capable of playing a more patient role with the movement in front of him being more important than his own.
Player such as Marcelo and Neymar are similar to how Jordi Alba and Ousmane Dembele would set-up in a 4-3-3. The French winger may end up moving to the left side with Luis Suarez as the centre-forward and Lionel Messi on the right. This isn’t an issue for Dembele because he doesn’t seem to have a predominant foot. Therefore, the understanding Coutinho has formed with the 4-3-3 system at international level could translate across to Barca.
This is a promising sign considering someone has to replace Iniesta in the team. It’s a hard role due to the understanding it requires positionally in all stages of play. Vacating an area at the wrong time can completely unbalance the side and lead to play being reset due to the lack of a key passing option.
It’s also important when counter-pressing because Marcelo is similar to Alba in that he makes a lot of forward runs, so he often needs to be covered when possession is regained. Winning the ball back quickly by blocking out passing lanes and crowding out the ball carrier is an effective way of achieving this.
Next: Barcelona keeping tabs on Arsenal target Aleksandr Golovin
Coutinho’s knowledge of the role could be invaluable for Barcelona next season, and that is only likely to improve the more he plays for Brazil in the World Cup.