Summer Transfer Window 2014

[Tes]

defence?  Who needs a defence.

the master-plan involves Liverpool buying up all of Europe's wingers.

If zwe have all the widemen, zwe will blitzkreig the opposition.....and we do not need a defence.

I think we will sub our two first half wingers, for two fresh wingers for the second 45 minutes.

We're going back to the future, so we'll be playing with "full backs", "half backs" or right and left "half", "inside" and "outside"/"winger" lefts and rights.





Though Mignolet's still floundering with the crosses. 

[Tes]

An interesting insight in to Remy from Gerard Houllier:

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/loic-remy-perfect-example-team-7514164

I love the way media have it down as "fact" that we have to replace 31 goals, as though it is 'absolute' that Suarez would have scored that many again.

The principle of spreading goals and creativity around the team and squad is far more comforting than relying on one or two. Not only does it mean injuries, suspension, loss of form etc have less of an impact but it makes us harder to set up against as it's not a case of stop "..........." and you stop Liverpool.

[Tes]

So post Remy, we're again being linked with Southampton's Jay Rodriguez. If we pulled out of the Remy deal on medical grounds, signing a player before seeing how they recover from an ACL injury would be crass stupidity.

ACL injuries are one of the worst a footballer can get and too many of them are never the same again after one.

[Tes]

Meanwhile, the Remy theories continue:

Loic Remy's team deny Liverpool medical failure?

Representatives of Loic Remy have reportedly claimed that Fabio Borini's refusal to leave Liverpool was the real reason behind their client's failure to complete a move to Anfield.

The French striker underwent his medical earlier this week and appeared to be on the brink of a switch to the Reds from Queens Park Rangers for around £8.5m.

However, the deal fell through on Sunday, with reports claiming that Remy had failed his medical, but the player's team have stated that Borini's decision to fight for his place with the Reds is why the QPR forward hasn't moved, according to Sky Sports News.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11669/9396762/sky-sources-liverpool-pull-plug-on-loic-remy-deal

Liverpool were looking to offload Borini for around £14m to Sunderland, before they brought in Remy, but the Italian wants to remain on Merseyside.

Reds manager Brendan Rodgers will now reportedly pursue other alternatives.

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/liverpool/transfer-talk/news/remys-team-deny-medical-failure_167538.html

All very speculative at this stage, especially as the source is supposedly "Sky Sports sources", but if we can't afford the Remy deal due to Borini digging his heels in about staying, then how can we afford to "reportedly pursue other alternatives"?

I'd find it difficult to understand turning down a player as suitable as Remy and hoping Borini comes good, or going for 'an alternative' if Borini doesn't leave. To a degree I can understand Borini wanting some stability, and to prove himself, but I suspect he'd accept a permanent transfer if it was back to Italy and a decent team in Serie A.

As it stands Sturridge, Lambert, Borini does not bode as well as Sturridge, Lambert and Remy would have.

Rodgers' job just got a little bit harder.

It also makes defensive improvement even more critical if we're going to have to 'make do' with Borini's contribution over the potential upside Remy would have surely been.

[the dude abides]

We're going back to the future, so we'll be playing with "full backs", "half backs" or right and left "half", "inside" and "outside"/"winger" lefts and rights.





Though Mignolet's still floundering with the crosses. 

 

I remember those days well.

It was jolly bad business to attempt to stop a penalty that had been given against you.

We withdrew our keeper, from between the posts, when the other side took their spot kick.

And when the penalty was scored, we would clap and cheer our approval, loudly and profusely.  Jolly good show old chap.  Well  placed!

[Tes]

I remember those days well.

It was jolly bad business to attempt to stop a penalty that had been given against you.

We withdrew our keeper, from between the posts, when the other side took their spot kick.

And when the penalty was scored, we would clap and cheer our approval, loudly and profusely.  Jolly good show old chap.  Well  placed!

I still have the lace shaped scar on my forehead from the first and last time I headed that ball. 

There were more fights over whether the ball went under or through the crossbarstring than my Grandchildren would have had over whether it went inside the jumper or over it.

[Tes]

Poyet looking to persuade Borini personally:

http://www.insidefutbol.com/2014/07/27/gus-poyet-banking-on-personal-chat-with-fabio-borini/152011/


All this Borini/Remy thing (if indeed the two are connected) makes no sense at all.

Sunderland seem to have negotiated a fee with us without the slightest idea as to whether Borini would be interested.

We seem to have gone to the time and massive expense of lining up a replacement without the slightest idea as to whether Borini would be prepared to leave and we do actually want/require a replacement.

Didn't Rodgers and Poyet at any time, especially near the end of the season, or once it had finished, have any discussions with each other, seeing as they wanted the same thing? Didn't Poyet discuss the possibility of a permanent transfer whilst Borini was there? Didn't Rodgers, either on the end of season mini tour of Ireland when Borini played, or at the start of pre-season discuss with Borini whether he was in his plans or not, and if he wasn't/isn't make it clear? Rodgers would then know Borini's attitude to staying or going and could have saved the time negotiating with Sunderland if Borini was going to refuse to move and the whole process with Remy.

Of course Remy's people could be being less than honest as he obviously wants to leave QPR and doesn't want other potential buyers being put off by medical scares.

Both his QPR and Newcastle medicals went without a problem, so he's had two since the problem with his Marseille one, and as Aurelio, Aquilani, Degen, Cole and Carroll prove, and Agger to a degree also, our medicals weren't/aren't the most reliable, unless things have changed since those players somehow managed to get through their's.

[Tes]

Loic Remy transfer: QPR fume after news leaks out that striker's Liverpool move has collapsed

Jul 27, 2014 22:30 By Darren Lewis, David Maddock

The French striker's £8.5million move broke on Sunday, following reports that the striker had failed a medical with the Anfield club.

QPR chiefs are furious at Liverpool for claiming that Loic Remy’s £8.5million switch to Anfield has collapsed.

Rangers still consider the deal is on and are also annoyed that the news leaked out from Merseyside yesterday afternoon.

The move is understood to have hit the rocks over Remy’s failure to pass a stringent medical. But further tests are planned on the France international today.

The 27-year-old striker – desperate to move to ­Liverpool to play Champions League football – was due to sign a four-year contract following a week of ­negotiations.

But the Reds pulled the plug yesterday and then declined to give a specific reason when they arrived in Chicago for last night’s game against Olympiakos. Reds boss Brendan Rodgers will also be disappointed after securing the World Cup striker for a smaller fee due to a release clause in his QPR contract.

Remy was on loan at Newcastle last season and missed almost a month at the back end of the campaign with a calf problem. But the issue is seen at Anfield as far more serious than that relatively minor injury.

He had flown to Boston for his medical and to discuss terms on an £80,000-a-year contract. But as the Liverpool squad moved on to Chicago as part of their pre-season tour, he returned home.

Remy now faces the prospect of missing out on his European dream and rejoining QPR. If the deal is confirmed as being off, it will leave Liverpool desperately searching for a striker only three weeks before the new season starts.

Rodgers was hoping Remy’s record of a goal every other game would help to reduce the impact of the loss of Luis Suarez, who scored 31 goals last season.

Now he will need to use some of the £75m raised by the sale of the Uruguayan to find a replacement quickly, with Swansea’s Wilfried Bony back on his radar.

But Liverpool will refuse to be held to ransom over wages or a transfer fee, despite their obvious need for more firepower.


http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/loic-remy-transfer-qpr-fume-3923597

Why would QPR 'be furious' at as for saying it's collapsed? Have we failed to inform them, and if so why? Why are further tests planned? Who are doing these further tests?

The story is dated today's date 27th and timed at 22:30, which would make it 16:30 in Chicago, but then further down the report it states: "But the Reds pulled the plug yesterday and then declined to give a specific reason when they arrived in Chicago for last night’s game against Olympiakos.". Are we therefore supposed to be reading this on Mon 28th July, and the 'further tests' will take place tomorrow, Monday?

And we're supposed to believe we won't be "held to ransom", as the report suggests, after paying the fees we have this Summer, especially the latest one of £20M for Lovren?

This whole Remy thing just gets stranger and stranger. Let's hope we don't come out of this and the Borini transfer looking like a complete bunch of amateurs like we did last Summer with the Ilori transfer and the last minute panic overpaying on Sakho.

[Tes]

From: We won't fall for panic buys insists Rodgers despite late collapse of Remy deal

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-fc-wont-make-panic-7516838

"Borini, who has been stalling over a move to Sunderland, has flown back to the UK to have treatment on the shoulder injury he suffered against Roma in Boston."

Originally it was only a minor problem and no mention was made of him needing to return to England.

From: Rodgers offers Borini injury update

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/167051-rodgers-offers-borini-injury-update

"Brendan Rodgers is confident Fabio Borini's shoulder injury won’t result in a lengthy spell on the sidelines for the Italian.

The forward was forced from the field after just 12 minutes of Liverpool's 1-0 defeat to AS Roma at Fenway Park on Wednesday night following a heavy fall.

Rodgers acknowledged Borini will require treatment, but insists the injury is not serious.

"It's probably not as bad as first thought," the boss told his post-match press conference in Boston. "He's had problems in the past with his shoulder, but he's only bruised it.

"He'll miss a few days of training. He won't train now for the remainder of the trip here, but it's only going to be a matter of days before he's back training and playing again."

Maybe he's bored over there if he can't train, but I wonder what treatment he can get in England that he can't stay with the squad and have done. It seems odd, especially if he's wanting to prove himself to the manager and stay at the club, and if the shoulder's only bruised.

[barticus]

Lovren signs...

Lovren will become most expensive defender in Liverpool's history
He follows Lallana and Lambert from Southampton to Liverpool
Fee will outstrip £18m paid for Mamadou Sakho and Glen Johnson
Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has been pursuing Croatian all summer
Lovren completed his medical with the Merseyside club on Saturday
He is set to fly out to the US to join the club's pre-season tour


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2707395/Dejan-Lovren-signs-Liverpool-20m-Southampton-player-join-summer.html

[barticus]

So Lovren signed and we have plenty of centre backs now...pity about Remy so i'm guessing the focus will turn back to Bony. Lukaku would be an interesting one as well as Chelsea obviously want to get rid.

[Tes]

So Lovren signed and we have plenty of centre backs now...pity about Remy so i'm guessing the focus will turn back to Bony. Lukaku would be an interesting one as well as Chelsea obviously want to get rid.

Chelsea seem reluctant to sell us Bertrand, so I doubt there's any chance with Lukaku.

For me, being first choice would be the most important thing for Lukaku, after his experience at Chelsea and being first choice at WBA and Everton on his loans. I hate to say but I can definitely see him back at Everton. He'd be first choice there with no problems and they have European football on offer.

[barticus]

Chelsea seem reluctant to sell us Bertrand,

The only thing in Jose's favour then!

[Tes]

The only thing in Jose's favour then!

I think he thinks he's getting one over on us and protecting his club by not selling to a rival (nice he regards us as a rival), or maybe he's just feeling guilty about that 2-0 at Anfield.

Either way, it's us he's doing a favour for really, protecting us from ourselves in wanting Bertrand.

[Tes]

From: http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/492831/Chelsea-Liverpool-Man-City-and-Man-Utd-on-red-alert-as-Real-Madrid-snub-Radamel-Falcao

" Monaco want £9.5m for the season-long loan with the remaining £35.5m to be paid next summer. "


If we could negotiate a lower loan fee, would it be worth the risk or is it still too much, even if it buys us a season to find a replacement for Remy and to see if we actually need more firepower or not?