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[Albion] The next step



Milano

Well-known member
Aug 15, 2012
3,378
Sussex but not by the sea
To become that top 10 fixture and regularly challenging for European football is, IMO, signing the better players from ‘bottom 10’ teams if they would strengthen us. We’ve got plenty of money.
That would be a serious marker.
 






The Optimist

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Apr 6, 2008
2,614
Lewisham
That feels like a difference between the big 6 and the rest, rather than the top 10. I can’t think of a non big 6 club who regularly buys other Premier League teams best players. I could be wrong and just not thinking hard enough.
 




Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
23,609
There's a reason why they're bottom ten players.
Pascal Gross was a relegated player. The first place teams look at the end of the season is relegated teams across Europe. There's always a few gems in them.
 






B-right-on

Living the dream
Apr 23, 2015
6,187
Shoreham Beaaaach
Our model is working. Why change it and risk ending up like Leicester, Southampton, Bolton etc etc.

This. Although we need to do more of it to increase the depth of our squad and allow for any that don't make it.
 


Kalimantan Gull

Well-known member
Aug 13, 2003
12,924
Central Borneo / the Lizard
Our model is working. Why change it and risk ending up like Leicester, Southampton, Bolton etc etc.
The best model is one that pursues all opportunities where they arise, rather than being prescriptive. If we only signed teenagers and developed them through u23s and loans we wouldn't have Pedro, Igor or Estupinan. If we only signed young players we wouldn't have Lallana, Veltman or Welbeck.

Our model is just to look for value. This is probably why buying the star players from bottom half PL teams is out of our range, once they're proved and starring in the PL they become very expensive. Moreover the player doesn't really have the motivation to push for that move to the likes of us, they're looking for the big 6. City can sign Phillips, Grealish, Ake and Nunes, Arsenal get Rice, Raya, Trossard and White, United take Maguire and Shaw, Chelsea buy Caicedo, Chilwell and Cucurella, Liverpool get MacAllister, Mane, van Dijk and Robertson, Spurs pick up Bissouma, Hojberg, Richarlison and Johnson, and below these teams everyone else is shopping from relegated teams, championship, overseas or big 6 cast offs.
 














Peteinblack

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jun 3, 2004
3,624
Bath, Somerset.
To become that top 10 fixture and regularly challenging for European football is, IMO, signing the better players from ‘bottom 10’ teams if they would strengthen us. We’ve got plenty of money.
That would be a serious marker.
'Uncle' Tony has; not sure about the rest of us!
 


HastingsSeagull

Well-known member
Jan 13, 2010
9,259
BGC Manila
The only way I can see this is if it’s from the teams who go down. Otherwise why would they sell their best to us? If anything the similar thing might be buying the very best young Champ players like we did with Pedro? Expensive but possible when there’s someone elite.
 




drew

Drew
Oct 3, 2006
23,070
Burgess Hill
The best model is one that pursues all opportunities where they arise, rather than being prescriptive. If we only signed teenagers and developed them through u23s and loans we wouldn't have Pedro, Igor or Estupinan. If we only signed young players we wouldn't have Lallana, Veltman or Welbeck.

Our model is just to look for value. This is probably why buying the star players from bottom half PL teams is out of our range, once they're proved and starring in the PL they become very expensive. Moreover the player doesn't really have the motivation to push for that move to the likes of us, they're looking for the big 6. City can sign Phillips, Grealish, Ake and Nunes, Arsenal get Rice, Raya, Trossard and White, United take Maguire and Shaw, Chelsea buy Caicedo, Chilwell and Cucurella, Liverpool get MacAllister, Mane, van Dijk and Robertson, Spurs pick up Bissouma, Hojberg, Richarlison and Johnson, and below these teams everyone else is shopping from relegated teams, championship, overseas or big 6 cast offs.
Our model already includes getting value whether they are youngsters or older players, Veltman, Lallana, Welbeck, Dahoud. We've already spent big on Pedro so TB isn't scared to spash some of the cash. What the OP is suggesting is that we start signing the top players from failing clubs. On the face of it, it seems logical but the Ward Prowse is reputedly on £115k a week and Maddison on £170k a week, both far about our current levels. Of the players that went down, who else would you want? If it wasn't for our horrendous injury list we wouldn't be having this debate which then begs the question, those two players aside, are others better than our first choices when fit and if not, the only reason they are coming here is for a wage and to sit on the bench, if they get that far.
 
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Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
18,730
Born In Shoreham
To become that top 10 fixture and regularly challenging for European football is, IMO, signing the better players from ‘bottom 10’ teams if they would strengthen us. We’ve got plenty of money.
That would be a serious marker.
I’ve read a few times and it still doesn’t make sense.
There is no way on earth we could afford to buy and pay the wages of let’s say Pedro Neto from Wolves. He will be £50m plus and would ask for a significant pay rise.
 


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