Over-analyzing Rodgers comments about squad size

[Modo]

“I don’t want a massive group, we want a tight group with a real core of 17 or 18 players who feel they should always be playing and then supported by a few of our top young talents.” - Rodgers

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/liverpool-boss-brendan-rodgers-says-1949271#ixzz2WXsphhnd

This comment has been on my mind for a few days and I'm a bit surprised that it hasn't been discussed here. Anyway, it does seem like we're looking to get rid of a few players during this window.
So he's looking to have 17 or 18 experienced players with a bunch of kids/reserves as back up.

So what's our "real core"?

Looking at the current squad it should be this bunch (I've included Aspas and Touré):

GK's:
Brad Jones
Pepe Reina

DF's:
Glen Johnson
José Enrique
Daniel Agger
Martin Škrtel
Sebastián Coates
Martin Kelly
Kolo Touré

MF's:
Steven Gerrard (captain)
Philippe Coutinho
Oussama Assaidi
Jordan Henderson
Stewart Downing
Lucas Leiva
Joe Allen

FW's:
Luis Suárez
Daniel Sturridge
Fabio Borini
Iago Aspas

So that's 20 players. Then there's the "kids" and the "outcasts". Despite Sterling and Jonjo's involvement this past season, I think they belong to the kids list.

KIDS:

Suso
Raheem Sterling
Jonjo Shelvey
Conor Coady
Samed Yeşil
Jon Flanagan
Ryan McLaughlin
Jordon Ibe
Stephen Sama
Andre Wisdom
Jerome Sinclair
Jack Robinson
Adam Morgan
Lloyd Jones
Danny Ward

Outcasts:
Andy Carroll
Daniel Pacheco
Jay Spearing

So basically, it looks like there's gonna be a lot of movement this summer.
Looking at our list of core players and the impending signings like Mignolet, Alberto, Illori and Mkhitaryan, I'm guessing that we'll see at least 5 players leave this summer and that's excluding our kids and outcasts.

 

[Ryan]

Coates and Assaidi certainly aren't part of it.

 

[keniget]

Yeah, it's looking quite possible.

It makes our summer really exciting but hopefully it doesn't prove to be too much of an upheaval next season. I guess we'd be better off easing the new guys in gradually where possible and then hoping it all just clicks as the season progresses.

 

[Whirly]

GK's:
Brad Jones
Pepe Reina

DF's:
Glen Johnson
José Enrique
Daniel Agger
Martin Škrtel
Sebastián Coates
Martin Kelly
Kolo Touré

MF's:
Steven Gerrard (captain)
Philippe Coutinho
Oussama Assaidi
Jordan Henderson
Stewart Downing
Lucas Leiva
Joe Allen

FW's:
Luis Suárez
Daniel Sturridge
Fabio Borini
Iago Aspas

5 gone off that list, brings it to 15

Mignolet
Mkhitaryan
Defender(?)

Alberto and Ilori move to the top of the "Youth" category I think.

Kelly is a questionmark, depends how well he comes back from his injury. Could really fit in either group, or just never be the same player. Hard to say with such a major injury.

I could see us getting a younger/cheaper option than Jones, but I don't think it matters either way really.

 

[gkmacca]

He said the squad was 'wafer thin' last season.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

I took that to mean on quality rather than number.

 

[gkmacca]

I don't know. Only six days ago he was quoted on the offal saying last season the squad was 'paper thin' and he was looking to reinforce it to challenge in all competitions. That's a strange use of language if he just means a small squad but better quality.