Don't want to jinx it
Alls I've been told is it's close/already has been done. Don't know who though, heard a few parties were interested.
I don't think so really. One of the main strengths in our team is versatility, I think almost every player can play in more than one position. We do have a reasonably strong first 17 or so players:
Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Yobo, Lescott, Baines, Neville, Arteta, Osman, Cahill, Fellaini, Pienaar, Rodwell, Gosling, Yakubu, Saha, Jo/Vaughan/Anichebe < Take your pick
They are the main basis of the squad.After that you have the squad fillers, as I call them:
Castillo, Van Der Meyde, Valente, Nash, Jacobsen.
Then we have the youngsters:
Baxter, Wallace, Kissock, Agard, Jutkiewicz, Irving. (Probably only the first 2 will make it with us, if they do)
I think the balance is about right now, the main problem we have had is injuries. Moyes prefers the small squad as it is better for team spirit, but you can't account for the injuries we've had (length and the players who happened to).
To make the step up we need to basically get rid of the squad fillers and relegate some of the main basis down into the squad filling role and replace them with a higher quality of player. I think the numbers are ok though.
bit of ignorance here but arent some of your injuries down to the players you buy? Cahill and Saha i was always under the impression were fairly injury prone.