Probelem is though, the way we're going about things we're probably encouraging silly bids and offers nowhere near £20million plus. We're giving people the impression that they can come and get a bargain.
My view is that the manager needs to be clever even if he doesn't fit into his ideal plans. Build him up, give him confidence and a chance, let him get some fantastic goals or perfromances under his belt like his cup semi final/final and Euro 2102 games. If we could rebuild his values to £20/£25 milion then fine.
The other thing is, we've seen in the past that we need something different or direct against teams like stoke. I really thing BR should be trying to keep AC and prove himself a coach who can change the team's style to suit needs. On cold winter nights with boggy or frozen pitches the slow passing game might not work.
You make some pretty decent points and I'm a little concerned about the money he might go for too. I think our best option would be to engineer a player swap + cash type deal - as there are plenty of teams out there who would love to sign him, but very very few who would stump up the 20 mil, give or take.
If we could, for instance, make a deal with Fulham for Dempsey involving Carroll going the other way - with Fulham sweetening the deal with something like 12 mil, then I'd be reasonably happy. Fulham (or another team of the like - who has a player we're interested in) could surely find 12 mil, where 20+ would be out of the question.
I'm hearing you about needing a plan B when.... well, when plan A isn't working
Against the likes of Stoke ect.. but I had to laugh about the wintery "boggy pitches where the passing game might not work" When was the last time you saw a boggy pitch in the premier???
The days of the old first division are long gone - they're damn near bowling greens year round these days!!!!
