Dr Gloom

clubs overpay for players all the time. a player's true worth is how much i think he's worth

going to have to agree to disagree then. carroll was never worth 35m in a million years.

The one thing that really unites Europe is Irish bars. Every major city has one. And they're all shite.

Very nice drop that. Nice and smooth. Good value too. I'm currently drinking a double espresso from Monmouth - best coffee shop in London, bar none.

So a player's worth is based only on what a club is prepared to pay? Was Carroll worth 35m? Daylight robbery on the back of one good half a season. When in reality his true value is about 10 or 15m. Cisse is a better player than Carroll but he's only had one good half a season in the premier league too. He could go on to be worth that amount if he keeps it up but I wouldn't be splashing that cash on him now if I owned a football club. Well, not unless you had man city's endless riches at your disposal.

He'd probably go for that much now if city or united came in for him but I don't think he's worth that much just yet. If he keeps it up this season and next then yeah.

Hads up, I thought spurs were head and shoulders above us.

Head and shoulders is quite a compliment to them. You never know; they could sink under that numpty AVB

Spending money on Carroll alone wouldn't be, no. But before the last window when we bought Cisse, Ashley was generally making more money from player sales than he was investing in the playing staff. I agree with leazes there - that showed a lack of ambition. Ashley investing in the squad again after the baron years has to be a good thing. If he buys him and we get the other players we've been linked with, and we don't lose any key players then We will be considerably better off than last year. Carroll, Ba and Cisse are three good strikers to pick from. And even if we do pay 15m for him, we've effectively made 20m from Liverpool by loaning him for 18 months - good business whether you rate the player or not. I still do rate him.

Better than smoking blokes like you. We just paid 10m for Cisse. He's worth more than that now because of the half season he just had. If he continues that form then his value goes up obviously. If Chelsea or man city came in for him now he'd probably go for double that. too early to say he's worth over 20m just yet. Andy Carroll was sold for 35m after one good half a season. In reality his true value is probably 10m, maybe 15m because he's English.

Spending a lot of cash on carroll suggests he might be serious about investing in the squad again. That is a good thing.

No, statements don't win anything. Good observation. Nice to think the owner's heart might be in it again though after the debacke that was the keegan/JFK/relegation years

I'd say they're all probably worth around 10-15m. Carroll would be worth less if he wasnt English.

I wouldn't complain too much if we spent over 15m on him as long as other players follow and we don't lose key players. Paying out that sort of fee would be a statement from the owner that he's serious about the club doing well again.

unplayable on his day; a donkey on others. he was class last season. must be due a testimonial soon....

reminds me of the year when we were rumoured to sign that portugese lad at full back all summer before it fell through; shepherd issues the classic "there are other cars in the lot" ... and we end up with stephen fucking carr.

oh yeah; well hughton's proved he can manage him. let's get him in as pardew's assistant. sorted.

he had half a season where he played his best football for us. it was the form - and the 11 goals in 19 games - that carroll showed under pardew's management that led to the move to liverpool

what have you heard? he looks a fairly uncomplicated geordie charver - likes a drink and can get himself into the odd scrape. is it something worse than that? my old man saw him out and about in a pub and said he can see why he gets into bother. this massive lad with an italian footballer faircut and an effeminate voice. he said you'd think he was gay if you didn't know he wasn't.

aye, and pardew has proven he can manage both. i wouldn't be put off by that aspect of loaning or re-signing carroll. the issue is whether there's a place in the starting lineup now to justify the high wages or fee.

They're arguably a bigger club, recently won trophies, more likely to play in the champions league, better climate etc etc. At 26 and coming into his prime years, this is a massive contract for him. Wouldn't be surprised if he chose them over us.

Surely he'll choose inter over us?

In terms of attitude, I doubt Carroll is any harder to manage than Ben Arfa

Our lot will drive a hard bargain. If Liverpool want rid they'll have to take a massive loss.

he can come back on the condition that he gets down the barber and has that ridiculous mane cut