[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

22 mill for Austin and Phillips?

Liverpool spent 12 on Sturridge!!! I don't know if we're being ripped off here surely we could get something better for 22 million?

I honestly don't think you can pin any kind of concrete cash value on players anymore; the economics of football have become pure supply & demand, and every new TV deal blurs the lines even more with money flooding into the market and fees becoming more inflated.

The fact is, any football club who knows their business will know that we badly lack pace in our side and need goals.  They'll also know we've got money to spend.  If they've got any sense, they'll squeeze us dry in return for proven talent.  We've tried going down the road of spending our money "better" elsewhere, and it's landed us with guys like Ideye (lovely bloke and flashes of real talent, but hasn't really done what we needed him to do in the long-term).

Unfortunately, I think our moneyball system died when Ashworth left, and for now we're going to have to suck it up and pay over the odds for players we need.