Hmm... although I see where you're coming from, I wouldn't be too sure on that debs.
I'm thinking that (although it's down to personal opinion of course) none of the, post DoF, "cheaper punts" - Balotelli, Lambert, Borini, Allen, Aspas, Ilori, Assaidi, Yessil or Mignolet have shown too much or genuinely improved our starting XI - for example. Although I will concede that, to date, Sturridge, Coutinho definitely have and others might.
I'd also argue that, with 'inflation' and relative price hikes that the likes of Markovic and Lovren are really just mid-priced players [certainly not top quality].
I'm also going to be very biased here but of our other £20m+ signings... I'd take Lallana, Downing and Carroll, all day every day if I could have one Suarez thrown in. 
Like I say: it's all down to opinion.
I would agree with a lot of what you have said mate, but I wouldn't go abandoning the whole "buying potential" idea. I genuinely think we've just had really sh*t scouting system for a while. You could abandon the whole idea and only go for 20+ million players, in which case, as you rightly point out, likes of Caroll, Downing and Lovren would be massively costly mistakes. If you only go for potential, you're obviously going to get a lot of Aspas and Albertos.
On the one hand, I've seen a lot of people on here complain as to why we're not unearthing South American gems, whilst other clubs seem to, and on the other hand we're complain we're not buying top quality for top dollar. I'd argue that we simply didn't get the balance right for the past three years, plus our scouting has been woeful. I'd love to go for 2 top quality players each year - what that means is anyone's guess, be it proven premiership experience or big money - and 3 or 4 potential.
You're right though, FSG have been too rigid, too stubborn in their recruitment policies. There are signs it's changing though.
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