Coutinho targets stronger 15-16 start
Philippe Coutinho has promised to do his utmost to ensure Liverpool make a strong start next season as they bid to improve on a disappointing 2014-15 campaign.
The Reds failed to secure qualification for the Champions League as they finished sixth in the Barclays Premier League last term, and also fell at the semi-final stage of both the FA Cup and League Cup.
Coutinho believes a lack of confidence at key moments was the cause for those slip-ups but is certain that, with a solid pre-season behind them, Brendan Rodgers' team can bounce back.
"It is hard to say why things haven't gone to plan this year but confidence plays such a big part in football," he told Liverpool FC's official magazine.
"At the beginning of the season the team wasn't really playing well and that affected the players.
"Then we started functioning better as a unit and so the individual players' level of performance increased.
"For me there is always a relation between the player and the team and, of course, individual and collective confidence levels. We have to make sure that those levels are improved next season.
"My role in the team will be the same. I want to have a good pre-season with the squad and hopefully the beginning of next season will be better than the start we made to this one.
"First and foremost my aim is to focus on my own game but then my main concern is to play well and do well for the team and the club."
Despite Liverpool's struggles in 2014-15, Coutinho enjoyed his best campaign on an individual basis since moving to Anfield in January 2013.
His efforts were duly recognised at the club's Players' Awards ceremony, where he picked up four prizes - including Player of the Year.
But the Brazilian prefers to concentrate on helping the team to perform better.
"It has been a difficult campaign because we were unable to achieve our objectives," he added.
"It was a good season for me on a personal level and I thank God that I wasn't injured and that I was able to contribute to a good number of games.
"But while it was great to be recognised at the awards night, I don't really like to talk about myself as it is the team that matters and we stand or fall as a collective.
"I can't be too happy because, as I say, we were unable to meet the targets we had set out to achieve. We will go away in the summer and think about next year and look to do what we can to improve."