General Mirth wrote:
Brb signing van Persie for £2.5m.
Brb signing Hernandez for £6m.
Brb signing Anelka for £500k
Like with every other position, there are bargains that do well and there are expensive players that flop. There is no rule.
Wenger usually spends money up front so he's bound to do it again. What's new is that our defence now costs roughly as much, if not more, than our forward players.
Given the development of information and scouting networks in football since the mid 90s, I highly doubt we ever find another player of Anelka's quality for similar amounts of money.
The issue is information. I suspect that forwards are easier to evaluate because you just have to look at the number of chances they create and goals are score. Rearguard players are harder to judge based on stats. You really need to watch their movement and actions closely. So forwards are easier to price and there is less scope for arbitrage. All the United, Newcastle, and Liverpool scouts are out there right now looking at the same players. They might disagree on defenders and holding midfielders but I bet they will largely agree on good prospects at forward. So that, amongst other things, will contribute to the prices of good forwards being drive up
