Possible squad for 2010/11 (update 3)

Many people are finally cottoning on to the idea that this transfer window is about shaping a 25 man senior squad, and not just about having a strong first choice eleven.

As a consequence the past couple of days have seen increased speculation about the futures of Craig Bellamy and Stephen Ireland in particular. Yet it’s still possible for them both to make the squad even with the new players coming in.

Below is an update of the previous look at our possible squad. Alesandar Kolarov has been added and Stuart Taylor has returned.

It’s worth noting that the addition of Mario Balotelli won’t affect the 25 man senior squad as he is under 21.

Bringing in a new target man in the form of Dzeko or Ibrahimovic is likely to give us three out and out strikers with Bellamy and Balotelli as alternatives. If we were to sign Torres as well, then the future of Adebayor would come into question.

If Mancini sees Balotelli as a winger who can cut in and deliver a powerful shot, then this puts pressure on Bellamy’s place. Both Adam Johnson and David Silva are natural left wingers though they may not play there.

The key quality Bellamy has over his rivals is a willingness to track back. Balotelli is more in the Robinho mould, with Jose Mourinho regularly admonishing him for failing to support his full-back.

Both David Silva and James Milner may be at their best in attacking midfield roles, which would put pressure on Ireland’s squad place. However if either is seen as primarily a winger, then Ireland’s chances of remaining are greatly improved.

A question mark hangs over the right-back role, particularly from an attacking perspective. Neither Richards or Zabaleta have convinced, and maybe Mancini will look to use Boateng if he can’t secure his preferred choice of Maicon.

If Maicon were to arrive, then the speculation around Richards could prove justified. The big names to leave are likely to be Robinho and Santa Cruz, yet the departure of Onuoha will be the saddest in many ways.

Nedum may well go on to be an England player and ought to be worth a place in a top class squad in the same way as Wes Brown has been at United. There just doesn’t seem to be room for him, Richards and Zabaleta in this squad.

Goalkeepers:

• Joe Hart (home grown).
• Shay Given (home grown).
• Stuart Taylor (home grown).

Full backs:

• Pablo Zabaleta (also midfield, left-back).
• Wayne Bridge (home grown).
• Aleksandar Kolarov (also midfield).
• Micah Richards (home grown, also central defence).

Central defenders:

• Vincent Kompany (also midfield).
• Joleon Lescott (home grown).
• Jerome Boateng (also right-back).
• Kolo Toure.

Central midfielders:

• Gareth Barry (home grown).
• Nigel de Jong.
• Patrick Vieira.
• Michael Johnson (home grown).
• Yaya Toure(also central defence).

Creative midfielders:

• Stephen Ireland (home grown).
• New creative midfielder – James Milner (home grown, also winger), Mesut Ozil, Marek Hamsek.

Wingers:

• Adam Johnson (home grown).
• Craig Bellamy (home grown, also striker).
• Shaun Wright-Phillips (home grown).
• David Silva (also creative midfield).

Strikers:

• Emmanuel Adebayor.
• Carlos Tevez.
• New striker – Edin Dzeko, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Fernando Torres.

Additional U-21 players:

• New signing – Mario Balotelli
• Vladimir Weiss (possible loanee).
• Dedryck Boyata (possible loanee).
• Alex Nimely.
• Abdisalam Ibrahim.
• Gregory Cunningham.
• Andrew Tutte.
• Ryan McGivern (possible loanee).
• Alex Henshall.
• Javan Vidal (possible loanee).
• Adam Clayton (possible loanee).
• Ben Mee (possible loanee).

Loans:

• Gunnar Nielsen.

Confirmed departures:

• Benjani.
• Karl Moore.
• Sylvinho.
• Valeri Bojinov.
• Martin Petrov.

Other resulting departures:

• David Gonzalez.
• Kelvin Etuhu (home grown).
• Nedum Onuoha (home grown).
• Javier Garrido.
• Roque Santa Cruz.
• Robinho.
• Jo.
• Felipe Caicedo.
• Shaleum Logan (home grown).

• How do you see the final 25 senior players looking?