Joao Carlos Teixeira (Liverpool > Porto)

Good lad with a footballing brain. Nice understudy to Phillipe, strange as that might sound cos the little magician is just 22.

Hopefully the lad would have overcome his being prone to injury and contribute to the first team.

Glad we have the Europa to give some game time to some of these lads.

Could Joao be an answer to our playmaker conundrum? 

It could be a way to utilise his incredicable calmness with the ball, his fantastic passing ability and possibly save us buying someone in.  He's pretty tough in the tackle, reads the game exceptionally well, shields the ball well and has already played a fair bit as a CM even though most people see him as an AM. 

Could Joao be an answer to our playmaker conundrum? 

It could be a way to utilise his incredicable calmness with the ball, his fantastic passing ability and possibly save us buying someone in.  He's pretty tough in the tackle, reads the game exceptionally well, shields the ball well and has already played a fair bit as a CM even though most people see him as an AM. 

I know Tex does his fair share of work and does some good tracking back, something like this?

              Lucas
Milner/Hendo    Tex

That really has a wonderful balance on paper. A DM specialist, Box-box and ball player that'll work.

Also, for all you stalkers out there, I recently found Tex's instagram, didn't know he had one https://instagram.com/joaovilaca8/

So exited to see this lad feature in the first team, hopefully this season. He could become an assist king in time, some of his passes and through balls are Coutinho esque.

Could Joao be an answer to our playmaker conundrum? 

It could be a way to utilise his incredicable calmness with the ball, his fantastic passing ability and possibly save us buying someone in.  He's pretty tough in the tackle, reads the game exceptionally well, shields the ball well and has already played a fair bit as a CM even though most people see him as an AM. 

I like your thinking Debs, and although I have not seen him as much as you have but when I have I agree with your summary about Tex's ability to play the DLPM role.
Interestingly he was playing at the base of the midfield in training for the Adelaide game.

I know Tex does his fair share of work and does some good tracking back, something like this?

              Lucas
Milner/Hendo    Tex

That really has a wonderful balance on paper. A DM specialist, Box-box and ball player that'll work.

Also, for all you stalkers out there, I recently found Tex's instagram, didn't know he had one https://instagram.com/joaovilaca8/

I was thinking more at the base of midfield mate behind Hendo and Milner.  I think with the pressing those 2 will do further up the pitch he's perfectly suited to picking up the stray balls that do get through and releasing the ball quickly to set up an attack, or bring the ball out himself if a pass isn't on. 

It gives us a different dimension and I believe he's more disciplined than Can and a damn sight quicker both off the mark and on the turn.

I could be way off in my thinking but it's a way for him to secure a starting place in the team where he might struggle further up the pitch.

I like your thinking Debs, and although I have not seen him as much as you have but when I have I agree with your summary about Tex's ability to play the DLPM role.
Interestingly he was playing at the base of the midfield in training for the Adelaide game.

That's what got me thinking mate and if that's Brendans thinking, I like it.

I was thinking more at the base of midfield mate behind Hendo and Milner.  I think with the pressing those 2 will do further up the pitch he's perfectly suited to picking up the stray balls that do get through and releasing the ball quickly to set up an attack, or bring the ball out himself if a pass isn't on. 

It gives us a different dimension and I believe he's more disciplined than Can and a damn sight quicker both off the mark and on the turn.

I could be way off in my thinking but it's a way for him to secure a starting place in the team where he might struggle further up the pitch.

That's what got me thinking mate and if that's Brendans thinking, I like it.

Take an exciting young attacking midfielder and play him as a DM... Rafa is that you

In all honestly I'd like to see him having a runout playing deeper, his passing looks the part and he's got quick feet. With Lucas here too we've got the perfect mentor for him. Could work.

I was thinking more at the base of midfield mate behind Hendo and Milner.  I think with the pressing those 2 will do further up the pitch he's perfectly suited to picking up the stray balls that do get through and releasing the ball quickly to set up an attack, or bring the ball out himself if a pass isn't on.

It gives us a different dimension and I believe he's more disciplined than Can and a damn sight quicker both off the mark and on the turn.

I am not overly concerned about the discipline as that can be taught and gained through experience. However, in this midfield 3 with Hendo and Milner as likely starters, I still believe they need a ball player (which Can is not) for us to get the right balance in midfield and to bring out the best in our box-box players. I'm actually very intrigue now, I think you could be on to something here!

Also, One thing I noticed about Tex's defensive side of the game when I saw him play for Brighton, he is quite a tenacious bugger!

Take an exciting young attacking midfielder and play him as a DM... Rafa is that you

In all honestly I'd like to see him having a runout playing deeper, his passing looks the part and he's got quick feet. With Lucas here too we've got the perfect mentor for him. Could work.

Ha not exactly mate, Brendan was using him there in an open training session today, that's what got me thinking about it and how it could work.  Like I said in an earlier post he reads the game well, can tackle and can pass long and short and bring the ball out himself.  I know he's not the biggest but neither was Alonso or Masch and he's pretty strong for his size.

I am not overly concerned about the discipline as that can be taught and gained through experience. However, in this midfield 3 with Hendo and Milner as likely starters, I still believe they need a ball player (which Can is not) for us to get the right balance in midfield and to bring out the best in our box-box players. I'm actually very intrigue now, I think you could be on to something here!

Also, One thing I noticed about Tex's defensive side of the game when I saw him play for Brighton, he is quite a tenacious bugger!

I agree the discipline can be taught, he's definitely a ball player and yes his defensive game is pretty good.  He has that ability to shield the ball, has quick feet and can turn on a sixpence.

I think he's a fabulous player so I'm biased and I'm also desperate for him to play somewhere, anywhere really, as I think he'd add something exceptional to our game.  He has that graceful, effortless elegance but without the laziness of a Berbatov.

I'd definitely love to see Tex play some more and be integrated in to the side but i don't think he's ready to be playing week in, week out. Especially playing deeper in midfield where we've been weak in the past 12 months.

Alongside Hendo or Milner and in front of another midfielder i think he could work his way in to the side.

I'd definitely love to see Tex play some more and be integrated in to the side but i don't think he's ready to be playing week in, week out.

He's already better than Allen, who plays week in and week out, so I don't see why he's "not ready."

Again, I do wonder why Tex wasn't given a run out? Same goes for Markovic, especially after a decent showing in the first 45 mins of the first pre season game.

Again, I do wonder why Tex wasn't given a run out? Same goes for Markovic, especially after a decent showing in the first 45 mins of the first pre season game.

Markovic came on didn't he?

Markovic came on didn't he?

5-6 mins left ? Would have been nice to see him given 45 or even 20 mins. Not much you can show in 5. Would understand it if it were a youth, but whatever.

Maybe he's sharper than the others anyway? Markovic was playing international football recently anyway, not sure about Tex

5-6 mins left ? Would have been nice to see him given 45 or even 20 mins. Not much you can show in 5. Would understand it if it were a youth, but whatever.

I actually didn't know when he came on, I just saw him on the pitch late on. It does seem weird that some players are getting so much time yet a few are barely getting a sniff.

I actually didn't know when he came on, I just saw him on the pitch late on. It does seem weird that some players are getting so much time yet a few are barely getting a sniff.

Yeah, I would understand it with 2-3 pre season games to go, but we're in the early stages. It happened in last season's pre season games too. Idk, just hope Tex and Markovic are given a chance, same with Can and Ilori.

Teixeira and Markovic were two of the ones I was most looking forward to watching in pre-season and it's not as though they've been poor when they've played. They've looked really bright but for some reason Brendan sticks to some of the same players. I hope they get more chances in the latter games of pre-season.

This lad is a good footballer but I'm very unsure whether he's going to end up being good enough for a top team. I'd send him back into the Championship on loan, but with the provisio that he knows that he nmeeds to be the best player in the league if he's serious about playing for us. I'd liken him to a Christian Errikkson type of player, a canny number 10 who makes things happen, a Coutinho maybe. If you imagine though what either of those players would do if they played in the Championship (they'd look like Messi) that's what Texeira has to be aiming at. Rip up the Championship, then come back and see if you can get into the team. I've a hunch though he may end up being another Suso or even worse a Dani Pacheco. I hope I'm wrong, but flair players who you have to carry in other aspects of the game have to make A LOT of things happen to be worth a spot in the team.

the dude is 22 years old so another loan is pointless. he already tore up the championship didn't he, player of the season at brighton? BR just needs to put his faith in a 22 year old, isn't that what he's known for? teixeira can clearly play a bunch of positions, he is well in that mold of versatile forward that BR wants, I hope things fall into place for him to be used here this season.

the dude is 22 years old so another loan is pointless. he already tore up the championship didn't he, player of the season at brighton?

This is one of the worst exagerrations i've seen. Tore the Championship apart at Brighton )))))))) while almost avoiding relegation with them. He was a good player in the Championship, made 32 appearances in Championship, scoring 5 goals and making 3 assists, that's it. Let's hope he will continue his development in PL, he should be loaned to another PL side, Bournemouth could be a good club for him.

This lad is a good footballer but I'm very unsure whether he's going to end up being good enough for a top team. I'd send him back into the Championship on loan, but with the provisio that he knows that he nmeeds to be the best player in the league if he's serious about playing for us. I'd liken him to a Christian Errikkson type of player, a canny number 10 who makes things happen, a Coutinho maybe. If you imagine though what either of those players would do if they played in the Championship (they'd look like Messi) that's what Texeira has to be aiming at. Rip up the Championship, then come back and see if you can get into the team. I've a hunch though he may end up being another Suso or even worse a Dani Pacheco. I hope I'm wrong, but flair players who you have to carry in other aspects of the game have to make A LOT of things happen to be worth a spot in the team.

I'm of the same opinion mate, very much in the Suso mould and I have a feeling his career may go the same way if he doesn't achieve some sort of a first team breakthrough this season. I'd like to think he will see extended playing time in the Europa League this season, that would make more sense than a loan for me. Although if he did go on loan somewhere such as Bournemouth with a good manager who likes to play football would be the best bet.

Seems like he played well in the practice match today.