Liverpool Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2014 *mod warning linked in OP 26/07*

Brendan Rodgers is armed with £75m - and he’s not afraid to use it.

The Reds boss has confirmed the club’s four signings this summer were independent to Luis Suarez’s departure to Barcelona, meaning the money raised by the Uruguayan’s sale can be reinvested in the squad.

Liverpool want another striker after bringing Rickie Lambert to the club, with Loic Remy the latest player to be targeted after initial interest in Wilfried Bony ended.

The French international, who has an £8million release clause in his contract at Queens Park Rangers, scored 14 goals on loan at Newcastle United last season.

*READ: Rodgers plans to spend more as interest in Remy emerges

Initial reaction ranges from bemusement to indifference.

After Liverpool finished second and qualified for the Champions League, there was an expectation that it would prove a game changer in the transfer market; the bright lights of Anfield on a Tuesday or Wednesday night would see the world’s best dance beneath them.

Momentarily ignoring that the Reds have signed two England internationals, a Germany Under-21 international and one of the most respected youngsters in European football – somewhat challenging the perception of the summer so far – Remy would bring goals, both scoring them and creating them, to the side.

The 27-year-old notched 14 goals in just 26 appearances, and was a big positive in a Newcastle season which had few of them.

His direct running, pace and finishing ability would appear to make him – at £8million, at least – a smart target, especially given it has been proven in the Premier League since his arrival in January 2013.

Bought by QPR in an attempt to salvage their Premier League status, Remy bagged six goals in just 14 appearances, including a brilliant effort in the relegation six-pointer with Wigan. Receiving the ball on the counter attack, 25 yards from goal, he generated awesome pace and swerve on the ball to lash it past the goalkeeper.

QPR went down, but his performances saw him stay in the top flight with the Toon; he repaid their faith handsomely with goals of all sorts – close-range headers, curlers from outside the area and individual skill in crowded penalty areas.

The inclination is that Remy plays a similar style to Daniel Sturridge – quick, skilful and revelling in grabbing goals.

A cursory glance would support that. Remy scored a goal every 150 minutes, while Sturridge was more frequent with a goal every 108 minutes – but the excellence of Sturridge should not detract from the Frenchman’s own efforts, whose goal-to-game ratio was only bettered by Suarez, Sturridge, Sergio Aguero, Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie.

Their performances were similar in other aspects, too. Their shots per game average is near identical, while Remy created an average of 1.2 chances a game to Sturridge’s one. Their successful dribbles average – Remy 1.1, Sturridge 1.3 – was also close, while their shot accuracy of 49% is the same.

Sturridge is more clinical in front of goal, converting nearly 25% of his chances compared to Remy’s 21.5% hit-rate (excluding blocked shots) – but again, this should not disparage Remy’s work. His form in finding the net was better than Philippe Coutinho (7%) and Suarez (20.4%), as well as Rickie Lambert's season at Southampton (16%), but admittedly worse than Raheem Sterling (27%).

There would be other benefits in pursuing Remy. He has more Champions League experience than most of the Reds squad having taken part in two full campaigns with Marseille, including games against Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund. Remy would score both home and away against the Bundesliga champions as Marseille did the double over them.

He is not the perfect player, of course. Questions about his attitude arose towards the end of the season, with a strong belief he refused to play for Newcastle on the final day – poetically, against Liverpool - in fear of injuring himself ahead of the World Cup.

Remy himself alluded to that, telling French publication L’Equipe: “The coach Alan Pardew understood my point of view. We had nothing to play for and I didn’t want to risk getting hurt again.”

Pardew refuted the claims, naturally. “The reality was that Loic had sustained an ankle injury in our game against Cardiff the previous week.”

His injury record was also of some concern for the Toon last season, starting just 24 games; niggles became knocks, and knocks became problems.

On the pitch, he assisted just three goals last season compared to Sturridge’s seven, while his performances in the North East were a by-product of him being the focal point of attack – a luxury he would not be given at Anfield.

Remy was also found offside more than once a game on average, something that would be detrimental to Liverpool’s fast, intelligent surges up the pitch.

But it is those surges and that style of play which makes Remy a decent option up front. His movement, combined with finishing ability, could either ease the burden on Sturridge or even complement him – Remy’s best performances came in a two alongside Shola Ameobi, and Liverpool need squad depth ahead of a busy schedule.

He also spent some time on the left wing for Newcastle, but with the options at the Reds’ disposal in the positions in attacking midfield, he is likeliest to feature up front.

He would be no replacement for Suarez – but only a handful of players would be. Rodgers wants strikers and Rodgers wants goals.

No surprise then, that Rodgers is interested in Remy. At £8million, it’s a relatively inexpensive gamble that may or may not pay off.

Tusky wrote: »

Spanish papers reporting a fresh bid for Moreno - €20m plus add ons and a friendly between the two clubs.

Agent Coulson wrote: »

His cunning plan worked though pay the original price but let them think they are screwing us by taking Aspas off our hands and getting the first offer as well.

Soft Falling Rain wrote: »

I think subtlety is lost on you my friend.

MonkeyTennis wrote: »

We should all just post pictures of ourselves leaning against a wall to ease the cravings

Cartman78 wrote: »

This might keep us going for a bit....until Reus arrives

Vicxas wrote: »

No, Noooooooooooooo!

Agent Coulson wrote: »

He doesn't have a sleeve tattoo he was never going to fit in at Liverpool.

El Inho wrote: »

pretty much all of the games. if you focus upon the run into the end of the season, Suarez actually really let us down. now he didn't owe us anything, but my his own standards he was poor.