How big or small a squad do we need?

Currently, we've got a total of 28 players that require registration.  It's fairly safe to say that Degen, El Zhar and Darby won't be registered for our 25 man squad and Jovanovic is close to negotiating a move to Anderlecht which brings the total down to 24 (9 of which are HG).

Last season we registered a 21 man squad - this season N'Gog effectively takes Darby's place.  Then you've got Insua and Aquilani who have both returned from their loan spells.  I know last season we had European football, however this season we'll most likely have additional cup games to compensate for.

To put it another way, this season we've added 3 players to our ranks that weren't there last season, we had nothing in our ranks even remotely similar to the three below mentioned last season:

Doni, GK
Adam, CM
Aquilani, CM/CAM

We then traded a 30 year old HG LB for a 22 year old HG + club trained LB - this is as like for like as you'll get.

Then we added an additional winger (Downing - RW/LW) at the expense of an attacking utility player (Jovanovic - LW/ST) but despite that it's pretty much a like for like swap when you factor Kuyt and his versatility into the equation.  Just means Kuyt will play more games as a striker this season instead of on the right wing.  No real loss of depth in one area to gain it in another area.

From the looks of things, there is a very real possibility that we might add just 1 more face to the roster by the time the transfer window is closed.

So a few questions for you:

- Can our current squad handle a campaign with a similar amount of games to last season?
- Are there any players that could potentially be sacrificed for short term pain but long term gain?
- Could we trim squad depth in one area of the field to add to it in another area?
- Are there players who could potentially save us money by making the switch to a new position?
- If we do only add one more name to the roster, which position should it be?

Id bring in a cb and dump sotis as a like for like swap or loan Wilson to another prem club, id also wait til Jan for another lb and let glen, Robinson and insua fight it out, then id look to loan dani p to another prem club and sign rw a then I'd flog ngog promote promote Morgan to get a few games and also sign a 4th strikers who can lead the line if Carroll is out

In:
CB, LB, RW, ST, we still don't have sufficient depth and I feel we can't rely on Carroll fully just yet
Out:
Poulsen, N'Gog, El Zhar, Degen, Jova, Cole, Rodriguez and Aurelio, keep the Greek, he's a decent 4th CB and supposedly good with the young lads
Loan out:
Shelvey, Wilson, keep Pacheco and give him one last chance to prove himself

I'd push Johnson upfield to RW and play Kelly with Flanno as backup, on the left side give Insua a chance for about 10 games and promote Wisdom, Adorján, Morgan and maybe even the likes of Suso, Bueno and Bijev.

Definitely need a big squad, you don't see a team with an average squad win the league really.

Anybody has figures of team squad v/s team ranking down the years?

- Can our current squad handle a campaign with a similar amount of games to last season?

No, but we don't have all those matches, so I think we'll be fine.

- Are there any players that could potentially be sacrificed for short term pain but long term gain?

I think that Raul Meireles and Alberto Aquilani both fit into this category. Although I would miss them both, I really want to see Jonjo get opportunities to show his talent. I also want Henderson to play in his natural position from time to time.

- Could we trim squad depth in one area of the field to add to it in another area?

The obvious answer is central midfield, but a less obvious one is goalkeeper. How many do we really need? Get rid of some extra GKs and maybe we could get a backup striker... or another central defender.

- Are there players who could potentially save us money by making the switch to a new position?

Absolutely. Steven Gerrard to right mid is something KK might consider. It worked wonders for Rafa in 2005-2006 and I'm really surprised it isn't mentioned more often. Get him on the right and all of a sudden we don't need another striker (Kuyt, Suarez and Carroll could fight for 2 positions instead of filling all 3).

- If we do only add one more name to the roster, which position should it be?

I think it should be a striker. People think LB or CB, but we have plenty of people there. If either Suarez, Carroll or Kuyt gets injured, we will be in trouble... unless KK puts faith in Bueno or Morgan. Then... who knows?

Well said Jesus Hearts LFC.
I am giving you another positive after 6 hours.

Carroll/Kuyt

Downing/Maxi - Suarez/Cole - Gerrard/Henderson

Aquilani/Adam - Lucas/Meireles

Enrique/Aurelio - Agger/Kyrgiakos - Skrtel/Carragher - Johnson/Kelly

Reina/Doni/Gulasci*

Sell/Release: Cole, Kyrgiakos, Jones, Poulsen, Degen, El Zhar ...

Sell/Loan: Ngog, Spearing, Insua, Pacheco, Wilson, Ayala, Eccleston, Hansen*, Darby* ...

* - Already on loan

Carroll/Kuyt

Downing/Maxi - Suarez/Cole - Gerrard/Henderson

Aquilani/Adam - Lucas/Meireles

Enrique/Aurelio - Agger/Kyrgiakos - Skrtel/Carragher - Johnson/Kelly

Reina/Doni/Gulasci*

Sell/Release: Cole, Kyrgiakos, Jones, Poulsen, Degen, El Zhar ...

Sell/Loan: Ngog, Spearing, Insua, Pacheco, Wilson, Ayala, Eccleston, Hansen*, Darby* ...

* - Already on loan

Crap tastic! just the way I like my pie!