He’s done it again!
Garth Crooks has named his Team of the Week for BBC Sport, but some of his comments just make little sense.
Well, that’s the case in terms of the Liverpool players he selects, anyway.
Following our 5-1 victory over Hull City, Crooks chose James Milner at left-back and Coutinho, a left-sided forward, in central midfield.
In terms of Milner, Crooks praised his ability to score penalties while ignoring his all-round excellent performance, claiming: “There’s something rather obtuse about a right-footed midfield player playing left-back. However, Milner seems determined to make it work for Liverpool. The question is for how long?”
Hardly the kind of praise Milner’s outing deserved.
But with Coutinho, Crooks has lost the plot.
“I am really interested to know how Jurgen Klopp intends to keep the Brazilian fresh for Liverpool’s domestic campaign,” he began. “Coutinho will have to regularly fly halfway around the world to keep his international commitments and should he ever pick up a long-term injury, Liverpool can kiss goodbye to a top-four place. It’s enough to keep a manager awake at night.”
Just last week, Crooks said this upon his inclusion of Adam Lallana in the Team of the Week…
“At the risk of finding another ‘hair in the soup’, my only concern would be that in an effort to create the team ethic you don’t lose the magic of Philippe Coutinho,” he said. “If you keep substituting the Brazilian you’ll destroy him. Lallana is developing into an impressive player but he is no Coutinho.”
So, Crooks wants Klopp to keep Coutinho fresh, but also is adamant he should never be substituted because we have no chance of finishing in the top four without him…
That last bit isn’t true either. We thrashed Leicester City with Daniel Sturridge in Coutinho’s place – and are anything but a one-man team – which is being proved week in, week out.
It’s quite obvious he doesn’t watch the matches he’s paid to analyse. Really bizarre that the BBC still employ him.