28 Oct 2015 23:03:51
Going to be really, really interesting to see what Klopp does with Texeira now. He showed more invention than Coutinho and Lallana have shown combined in the last couple of months.

1.) 29 Oct 2015
28 Oct 2015 23:47:24
Don't be ridiculous Nick. Yes he was good and shows promise but talk about getting ahead of yourself. Lallana has also been immense since Klopp has come in. One of, if not, the, best player.
So well done Teixeira. More of the same please.

2.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 00:57:49
Lallana hasn't been that good. Improved yes but not a game changer really. i'd like to see tex above Lallana at least he drives into space and move the ball quickly rather than taken too many touches. i'm not sure about cou. I rate him but last few games he's been off point. Interesting to see the next few games!

3.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 01:10:35
Looked better than Lallana if you ask me.

4.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 02:12:45
In one game Teixeira got into a better goal scoring/creating opportunity than Lallana has in the last 3 games under Klopp. He looks a much more direct player who isn't trying too hard. Some of you let Lallana's impressive work rate and possession frequency fool you into believing that he's making a significant impact on our attack, when he really isn't.

5.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 06:35:32
You want to judge Teixeira on one game against a Bournemouth second string? I have watched Teixeira regularly since he has joined, mostly for the U21s, and while he is a talented player, he still has a long way to go to become where Coutinho or Lallana are. Chelsea away is not the place to put him in the PL.

6.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 06:37:23
Personally think you are all wide of the mark. Facts are Lallana continues to flatter to deceive, his end product is poor and I don't believe he would even get into the likes of West Hams team at the moment. Texeira showed glimpses of talent last night, but also showed he is way short of first team level, if we are to challenge the top four ( unlikely)
Ibe and Firmino played great last night, both now need some continuity and a greater level of consistency. Roll oon next summer.

7.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 07:24:11
Think the changes for the front four this weekend need to be Coutinho for Texeira and Benteke (if fit) for Origi.

Lucas and Can in the middle of the park for me.

8.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 07:58:35
AG, I think it's already clear that Teixeira is a better player than Lallana and I'd rather see him grow than have a continually ineffective Lallana block his passage into the first team.

Stop acting like Teixeira is some young little starlet and assuming he will be like a deer in headlights. Teixeira is 22 years old, he's an adult, he's not a teenager anymore. He's more than ready for a game at the Bridge against a fragile, broken Chelsea. If Klopp opts for Lallana instead, then fair enough to Klopp, I'll back his decision. But personally, I want to see more of this guy.

9.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 08:02:52
I also don't see how Teixiera is way short of first team level. Based on what? He had a great game. You must be confusing yourself with Brannagan who conversely looked like he's in a genuine teething phase. It was hard for Teixiera to deliver a perfect performance considering that it was his first full Liverpool debut amongst a team of players he's mostly never played with before competitively.

10.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 08:12:52
It is "clear" that Tex is better than Lallana? Based on what? Ridiculous that you just judged Tex on one game against a Bournemouth second string. Lallana WILL start against Chelsea, and that is what Klopp will do, so I am with Klopp on this one, that while Tex is talented, Chelsea away is not he place for him to make his first PL start. I like Tex, and you will find my comments on Lallana plenty of time, and what I think is he needs to start being effective, but what you suggest is not the best course of action.

I have seen this plenty of time in the past; a youngster comes through and plays a good game, and soon, everyone wants him starting ahead of experienced players, as they are sure he is better on the evidence of a single game.

And finally, I am not confusing anyone with Brannagan; I have seen enough of the U18s and U21s over the past 5 years to make a reasonable assessment of where Tex stand. And he didn't have a "great game", typical embellishment of LFC youngsters from you, Nick.

11.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 08:31:30
And in what ways is Lallana better than Teixeira at the moment? Because he's experienced? With all that experience he does little with it for Liverpool. As a 27yo he still plays like a kid starstruck by the reality that he's a Liverpool player.

I rate Teixiera a 7-8 for that game, and I consider that great. 9-10 is 'outstanding'. So I don't think that rating is close to embellishment.

It's not just based on one game, I've seen highlights of Teixiera at Brighton and I base my opinion on his time there too. I'm not naive enough to base it on one sole game.

Why exactly is the Bridge such a hostile environment to start him at? If Klopp names him on the team sheet for that game his confidence will go through the roof. He's not a kid anymore, he's an adult. I'm sure he's mature enough to handle a Chelsea away game that many lesser players have handled just fine. He is not someone fresh out of the academy, he's had plenty of first team experience.

I believe the guy shows a lot more invention, confidence and directness than Lallana, that's why I'd play the risk of starting him at Chelsea.

12.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 08:54:53
This is daft. We all need to back off and give the young lad time to continue his development.
He was playing against an unfit Bournemouth midfield, some of whom have not played in a long time.
I do think Tex did well, as did Brannigan. I would say they both played better than Allen, who consistently got bullied off the ball in the first half.
Although Brannigan did not do anything magical he was solid and made no mistakes, the one free kick he conceded shouldn't have been.
Tex gave the ball away a few times but was creative around the box.
I thought Randall was superb, had a bit of a steep learning curve first half but came narrower and compensated second half to much greater effect. He spent most of the half in their half!
The reason each of these 3 players don't play regularly is because they obviously don't perform to this level consistently.
I am just pleased to see that Klopp will go and watch these lads and then give them the opportunity. I believe he is much more likely to develop these players and some of our young assets, and that's a massive bonus.

Back off over egging a one game performance. Patience is key.

13.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 09:08:27
Personally I'd play Teixeira on the left, Firmino in the centre and Ibe on the right. I loved the movement and link up play between Teixeira, Ibe and Firmino. They just needed a stronger midfield behind them than Allen and Branagan. Lucas and Can will offer that solid platform. If Benteke is fit as well they will have a proper striker to hit.

I don't think Coutinho and Milner have done enough lately to warrant a start. i'd place Lallana ahead of them in the pecking order tbh. Coutinho has been terrible for weeks now and Milner is out of form as well.

14.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 09:19:24
Come on Andy you can't call us daft and then say that Randall was superb. Over the whole course of the game he can be summed up as good, but not superb.

Of course Teixeira still needs to develop, but I think he's mature enough to be playing games at the bridge.

15.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 09:46:41
Much as I love the performances from Ibe and tex I think we have to start with couts and lallana. That's the team that's been getting familiar to a style of play. Coutihno worries any team and will change the way Chelsea play- not least because they will set up to try and cope with him. Lallanas high energy and press will be essentiall in getting out of the blocks early. As players tire I would love to see Tex and Ibe feature.

16.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 10:06:08
Tex did well but I wouldn't start him against Chelsea, I would be looking at bringing him on from the bench though.
Chelsea away is different to Bournemouth after all.

17.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 10:15:26
Coutinho to start lallana i'm not to sure about.

As I said before lallana should be one of the main players to off load in jan.

18.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 10:18:09
Tex is 22 years old. He's not 18.

19.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 10:38:30
Nick, Randall stepped up in a superb manner when you consider his only first team performance before that was for Shrewsbury.
If we had signed a young lad from a lower division and he played like that we would be waxing lyrical about him, but because he's a development player were not. Just look at the reception Joe Gomez got, Randall was as good as Gomez in his first game.

20.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 10:43:41
You said it yourself Nick, a "risk" that you are willing to take. Plenty of first team matches is nothing but a disingeneous term as he had played only 36 senior games I think. Similarly, the subjective "great" is another statement where I don't agree with. If you want to call Tex's performance yesterday great, sure, but I will not agree.

You have now repeatedly said he has had experience and is not a kid, and I can use that to put forward an argument for Lallana or Coutinho too.

21.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 11:15:44
Wait, so based on performances this year, Lallana conversely is not a risk? Everything is a risk.

Plenty of first team matches- in the context of how much you experience you need to start a game at the Bridge. 36 games is the equivalent of one season. I'm sure any player is capable of starting a match at the bridge with one full season under their belt.

Yeah okay, but does that mean Lallana has more quality? Does that mean Coutinho has recently shown more quality? Lallana always dishes up the same old promise no deliver, while Coutinho has just been utter sh! te lately. Being experienced alone doesn't mean you will unlock defences. Imagine the amount of reds fans who cheered the Milner signing for midfield, because he's experienced. yet look how that turned out.

22.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 11:18:48
Andy I think academy players are treated with the same expectations as lower division players.

Gomez just took everyone by complete surprise, but I was never calling his performances in Australia and early season superb.

23.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 11:19:39
If benteke is fit if play ibe firmino coutinho in behind. If not if probably play firmino up top, lallana and coutinho either side and teixiera in the middle and bring Ibe in as impact.

24.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 12:18:26
But that is just the thing Nick, Joe Gomez was superb before his injury. As was Randall for the step up to first team last night.
Do I think he will go on to be a first team starter at Liverpool, or even stay, no, probably not. But he got his chance and did very well with it.
Texeira is a good youngish player who has great composure. let's just take the pressure off and relax.

25.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 12:36:57
Experience does not just mean number of matches, but also the opposition, the context, the tournament, the form of the team at the time, etc. Are you telling me Tex is superior and better ready for the game against Chelsea because he played 36 games in the championship last season against Bristol City, Brendford and Preston while Lallana, while struggling, played for LFC against Man Utd, Chelsea, Man City and Arsenal? How about we bring in the cup semi finals from last season, does that occasion equate to Tex starting against Nott. Forest? You have clearly misunderstood the what I meant by "experience".

As for all the talk about "quality", that is again subjective. How do you define quality. In any case, Coutinho will be better than Tex at this point in terms of "quality" or are you telling me Tex is better?

I am not saying Tex is incapable of starting at the Bridge, but that I think Lallana is a better bet if LFC want to get a result simply because he has been there, and done that before against the bigger teams. Besides, it's make or break time for Lallana, he needs to perform this season, or he is toast. Tex will get game time in the cups, and I rather he is eased into it rather than thrown in at the deep end.

Hyping up young players (less experienced) is a regular occurrence here, and you only have to look at how Ibe is now to see the detrimental effect it can have one the youngsters.

{Ed001's Note - but Lallana has shown in that experience that he is completely incapable of making that difference. So surely it would be better to take a chance on someone who has shown, even if it is with a lot less experience, that he may just be capable of making that difference.}

26.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 12:40:35
Absolute dreamers on this site, fair play. Ibe was the next coming of Barnes, has a few bad games, then gets ripped to shreds. Gomes was the next Desailly, has a few bad games, should get dropped from the team for Moreno. Now Teixeira has a decent game against Bournemouth and we should build our team around him.

Flavour of the month fans. We overrate and underestimate our players in equal measure, on a game by game basis. Clueless. One day Coutinho is the best number 10 in the world, today he should be dropped for Teixeira.

27.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 12:51:22
Potentially one thing you're forgetting here - whoever you think is better, Texiera has lacked first team minutes for months coming back off a fairly bad injury, and played 90 minutes on Wednesday night with an early saturday kickoff away at Chelsea. Lallana has been no doubt training hard, as have Coutinho, but got a decent break midweek. Simply based on player rotation and managing fitness, Lallana and Coutinho must be above Tex for the weekend - the chances of him being fit enough right now for 90 minutes 2 days in a row isn't huge and you really don't want to go to stamford bridge starting a player you know will need subbing.

28.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 13:04:35
Lots of opinions, personally I liked what Texiera offers. He wanted that free kick and i was really surprised firmino didn't pull rank as such and take it. That shows he is ready to take an opportunity at first team level. I don't think it would weaken us at all based on players form to drop Couts to the bench for this match. Young players on a confidence high can win you matches like the one were about to go into. Chelsea won't know much about him and in the same way sterling had a massive impact when he was full of confidence, just as Ibe did last season I think Tex could be similar.

29.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 13:07:22
Okay AL has the experience but how long has he been at Pool now. Yes he might have picked up a few injuries but he's had plenty of time to prove why he should play and for me and i feel a lot of fans. The opinion is he doesn't do enough with the ball and i think his end prodcut isn't great and his decision making is pretty poor. So Tex i think his time for a chance has come. The argument maybe not against chelski as he really has one possibly two? if an ed can clarify i can't remember senior experiences and if its a tight game maybe having the experience to grind it through might be better. That being said Tex shows a willingness to move the ball quickly. Run in behind and drive into space when possible with clear decision making. AL doesn't do any of the above that well. i'd rather give Tex ago than keep AL who continually for me doesn't do enough. I think this season there aren't really any expectations but already players are slowly chaging. So if there isn't too much pressure maybe letting the young lads have a shot is a good thing? Sterling seemed to do okay. Tex is 22 now. If i recall Hendo was 22 when we bought him? Also urd out of the cup. Starting to fancy our chances for this one ;) would be a big confidence booster if we did win it, i know its not the FA cup or the prem but it would be some silverware! YNWA.

30.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 13:48:59
FFS dude, I'm not telling you his experience is better, I'm telling you his quality and/or potential to make something happen is better. You kept on harking back about experience and all I'm merely saying is that he's experienced enough for a start at Chelsea. Relax mate, it's not a cup final. It's a league match against a troubled team who can't sort their sh! t out at the moment.

Dude, the only argument you've raised to explain why Lallana is better for Chelsea is because he's more experienced. So effing what, during all that experience of his at Liverpool, he didn't really do much anyway. Was he ever a game-changer in any of those top club clashes? No. Like ed001 said, he never makes a single darn difference, and I think 1 assist in 38 hours + 1 goal in 25 tells the story. You just have this blind belief that just because he's experienced, things will more likely turn out okay. I'm sorry but there are a lot of ineffective players out there who also happen to be experienced too. Experienced at being ineffective.

Teixeira definitely showed enough quality, composure and awareness against Bournemouth to warrant himself a chance against Chelsea. He's 22, so I think he feels that he needs to quickly kickstart his career.

31.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 14:32:59
Sure Ed001, but Chelsea so desperately needs a result, and playing someone like Tex will be something that they will use to their advantage IMO. I have no problems with Lallana being replaced with Tex, but I think it needs to be done gradually, and not at Chelsea away.

Give me a break, Nick. You are now plain right lying to get your points across. He has now 8 goals and 5 assists in 52 appearances for Liverpool. So that is one point you have just made up. Second, can you not read what I wrote, or do not comprehend what I wrote? I used experience as an evidence in that he can be more ready to face a team like Chelsea than Tex, because he has been there and done it more times than Tex. When I mean been, I mean he has played a lot of important games, and done it in the sense that he has learned what to do and what not to do when in certain situations in the game, certainly plenty more times than Tex has.

And I have only needed to make one point because that is only one applicable here. You keep saying that he showed "enough quality" against Bournemouth; for one I disagree, and I think he did well, and nothing special. He struggled against the physicality of Bournemouth's second string, and you think he is ready for Chelsea?

I have no problems with Tex playing, but I don't think he should against Chelsea, because one mistake in that game, and the fans will be on his back. I have seen this before with other younger players.

I am done with topic now. I have enjoyed the debate, and have made my points. I appreciate a good argument, but it is getting tedious now. So let us just agree to disagree on this one, and move on as it is likely that Lallana is likely to start against Chelsea.

{Ed001's Note - how will they use that any more than they will use the fact that Lallana slows down the play and allows the defence time to set up? I am sorry but I fail to see any point in your argument here.}

32.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 15:24:23
"If you are good enough, you are old enough". Tex should start. He didn't played badly when he was called upon against Fulham at a crucial juncture. Many young players done well when they are thrown in deep end and 22 is not young player He needs games too.

33.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 21:07:57
I find myself agreeing with both sides of the debate, and I suppose it's a good thing that we have a young player challenging a England international for a start against Chelsea. For me Tex did enough last night and lalana hasn't done much this season, I'd go Tex but I'm usually wrong, or so I'm told.

34.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 21:17:39
Teixeira was creative, but his end product was very poor. Misplaced many passes, took the wrong decisions many times and his corners were poor.
But I like what I see from him, he is not ready but he has a lot of potentials. And I believe he is better option than Lallana but not better option than Coutinho.

35.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 21:30:48
Id start him. He isn't afraid to try things? Think the pressure is wearing couts down the lad needs a break.

36.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 23:08:09
Only saw the highlights but tex looked good but there isn't a chance I'd start him against Chelsea. Lalanna has scores a few for us and can create an assist but you lot just like slagging him off. Coutinho has been absolute shite but no mention of him not playing. First game that firmino looked decent too. And while we're at it what about bogdan getting a start eh. He's better than migs. Ibe too looked ok, he seems to have a go at that lesser teams but shrivel away in the bigger games.

37.) 29 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 23:08:15
How am I making up lies? Those are recent stats for Lallana, not overall. 13 goals/assists in 52 games is not even that good anyway. That means he makes about 1 assist every 10 games, and scores 1 goal every 6.5 games. Sure, his goal return is not too bad, but his assist return is awful.

What do you mean that he did nothing special? You make him sound like he was just this Allen-type who was tidy but didn't make a difference. Struggled with physicality? I think you're making stuff up.

My point is, for all that learning of what to do and what not to do, it hasn't seemed to have help Lallana actually make a difference on a consistent basis. Experience means nothing if you don't convert that into end-product.

38.) 30 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 23:21:37
Heh heh - great debate!

The one thing we should all agree on is that the best person to make this decision is Mr. Klopp. The manager is the one person who really knows about these players because he is with them on a daily basis. Who should play Tex or Lallana - I have no opinion other than whoever starts they will get my full support. I find that we tend to second guess the mangers (past and present) too much, we are not experts, we are fans and anyone who says otherwise is deluded. Of course everyones entitled to an opinion, but that's all it is and try and do it with a touch of humility.

39.) 30 Oct 2015
29 Oct 2015 23:46:26
Forget the experience. Lallana is giving everything "full throttle" out there since Klopp came in and that's all I ask of players.
He will be one of the first names on the team sheet against Chelsea.
Just after Lucas and Sakho! Immense. Battlers!

40.) 30 Oct 2015
30 Oct 2015 23:24:01
Lallana I feel is a player who has been over coached.

Another BR victim.

Lets all have a think where Suso would be now if he had been given more of a chance. Ahead of Lallana and TEx imo.