Pass & Move, Is It The Reserve Team Groove?

[Dante Lavelli]

I agree with everything you have said there dribbler.  I too wanted Klinsmann to get the job as I could see him hanging around for 5 to 10 years, whereas Houllier might be about for 5 years tops (at his age) which is odd as his perceived strength is building the infrastructure and the long term aspects of a team/club.

I wonder what the increase in value would be if you took the prices of Albrighton, Bannan, Clark, Hogg, Herd, Lihaj, Delfouneso at the start of the season and now?

Albrighton £500k (before) £6m (now, and rising)
Bannan £1m (before) £2m now
Hogg £250k (before) £500k now
Herd nominal fee (before) £250k now
Lihaj £250k (before) £750 now
The Fonz £2.5m (before) £3m now

Whaddaya reckon?

[Dave P]

If you have Albrighton at £6m and rising then Bannan would be not far off that imo.

[Dante Lavelli]

You think?  Albrighton seems to be more consistent than Bannan at the moment so I am not sure where his actual ability lies.  Is he the Man Utd destroying wizard or the more anonymous player we saw versus the baggies?  That's why I have his value is relatively low.

In his defence, a player like Bannan needs - to some extent - to have the team built around him.  Ideally you have some brutes that can protect him, like Barca have/had Toure/Mascerano/Busquetes protecting Xaxi and Iniesta.  Due to injuries we have not been able to do that.

[JJ-AV]

Albrighton's delivery and pace is so good that even when he's not 'at it' he's a threat. 2 assists on Saturday despite a relatively poor game, for example.

Reminds me of Ash in that regard, can do nothing for most of the game and then pop up with an assist or a goal.

[Captain Trips]

I reckon SuperMarc is as good as Ash was at the same age and how much did we pay for him?

[Dante Lavelli]

Young had played for a full season in the championship and half a season in the Premier League before we signed him if I recall correctly.  Therefore there was arguably more certainty that Young would make it.

I actually think by the end of the season Albrighton will firmly be a 10-15m player but right now I could not see a club paying more than 6m (...and if I was Randy I would tell the hypothetical buying club to politely do one).