25 players yes, but you have to remember that players 21 and under aren't counted. We need two players for every position, the first team member of top quality and a good standard second choice, this is why I think players like Bridge will stay and it'll be the fringe men like Garrido going.
Here is my opinion of the 2 quality players in each position in a 4231 formation. In brackets are the players who make the 25 man squad in a different position but are more than capable of filling in elsewhere, or are under the age of 21 and therefore don't need to be counted as part of the 25.
GK - Given / Hart / Taylor.
FB - Boateng / Kolarov / Richards / Bridge. (Lescott, Toure)
CB - Kompany / Lescott / Toure / Onuoha. (Boateng, Richards, Boyata)
DM - De Jong / Yaya / Barry / Vieira. (Kompany)
RW - Johnson / SWP. (Balotelli, Weiss)
AM - Silva / Balotelli. (Tevez)
LW - Robinho / Bellamy. (Silva, Johnson)
CF - Tevez / Adebayor. (Balotelli, Bellamy)
Players submitted - 23. One extra keeper included. That leaves space for a couple more, Ireland will be in the squad, and the versatile Zabaleta. 25 players used, a hell of a lot of options there, many versatile players and a squad fully capable of pushing all the way for the title. This means, the players to either go out on loan, miss the squad and play reserves football for half the season, or be sold are - M.Johnson, Jo, Caicedo, Santa Cruz and Garrido. 5 players sold, not quite the "firesale" many media outlets have been claiming...
Here is my opinion of the 2 quality players in each position in a 4231 formation. In brackets are the players who make the 25 man squad in a different position but are more than capable of filling in elsewhere, or are under the age of 21 and therefore don't need to be counted as part of the 25.
GK - Given / Hart / Taylor.
FB - Boateng / Kolarov / Richards / Bridge. (Lescott, Toure)
CB - Kompany / Lescott / Toure / Onuoha. (Boateng, Richards, Boyata)
DM - De Jong / Yaya / Barry / Vieira. (Kompany)
RW - Johnson / SWP. (Balotelli, Weiss)
AM - Silva / Balotelli. (Tevez)
LW - Robinho / Bellamy. (Silva, Johnson)
CF - Tevez / Adebayor. (Balotelli, Bellamy)
Players submitted - 23. One extra keeper included. That leaves space for a couple more, Ireland will be in the squad, and the versatile Zabaleta. 25 players used, a hell of a lot of options there, many versatile players and a squad fully capable of pushing all the way for the title. This means, the players to either go out on loan, miss the squad and play reserves football for half the season, or be sold are - M.Johnson, Jo, Caicedo, Santa Cruz and Garrido. 5 players sold, not quite the "firesale" many media outlets have been claiming...