Comparing Coutinho And Lemar – Stats Suggest Liverpool Should Rather Hold On To The Brazilian Magician
Ever since AS Monaco pulled off a remarkable Ligue 1 triumph followed by success in the UEFA Champions League, Leonardo Jardim’s young superstars were bound to attract the attention of a lot of clubs. Kylian Mbappe made a sensational move to join Paris Saint-Germain while Tiemoue Bakayoko travelled all the way to England to join Chelsea. Their names may have aggressively made their way to transfer headlines over the summer but the business of Thomas Lemar remains undone.
Widely tipped for a move to join Arsenal, Lemar failed to secure a transfer in the summer window. Whether or not the Gunners continue to be interested in him, Lemar is now being linked with a move to join Liverpool.
An out-and-out playmaker, Lemar functions and thrives in exactly the same roles as Philippe Coutinho. It remains to be seen if the Brazilian makes his much-talked-about exit in January but if he doesn’t, it will be interesting to see how Klopp deals with both these superstars in his team. With that being said, let’s take a look at Coutinho’s and Lemar’s stats from this season so far.
Philippe Coutinho vs Thomas Lemar
In 8 appearances for Liverpool this season, Coutinho has spent 610 minutes on the pitch. He has scored 4 goals and 3 assists so far. His disciplinary record seems squeaky clean, having not been booked a single time. He averages 3.6 shots per game and has a pass success rate of 83.1%. The Brazilian playmaker has been adjudged as the Man of The Match thrice, which includes winning the award in a Champions League match as well.
Meanwhile, Lemar has appeared 13 times for Monaco and has spent 953 minutes on the field. He has chipped in with one goal and 3 assists while averaging 1.6 shots per game. Much like Coutinho, Lemar has also not picked up a booking so far. His pass success rate stands at 82.5% and is yet to win a single Man of The Match award so far.
Verdict
As far as numbers go, Philippe Coutinho enjoys a far better record than Lemar. Despite spending more time in action, the Monaco man has failed to keep up with Coutinho. The Brazilian has surpassed him on all fronts, making him the best option for Liverpool.
Given the current situation, the Reds will be better off if they focus on retaining Coutinho instead of splashing out an exorbitant amount to sign a player who is not half as good as their current option. Moreover, their defensive frailty has cost them this season so perhaps Liverpool should consider bringing in defensive reinforcements before anything else.