Sparky To Select Horses For Courses

Heading into our Arsenal showdown week, Mark Hughes has emphasised to the official site how he intends to utilise his revitalised 24 man squad this season...

While the majority of 'The Street of Shame*' and other media sources relentlessly peddle drivel throughout the international break over Robinho definitely going to Barçelona er, 'next time' or that Richard Dunne's wife is a top pay off deal broker, the City gaffer remains focused on City's footballing issues.

He first addressed the rumblings throughout football that he will struggle to accomodate his 10 star signings this year. To the horror of waves of critics, it could be that Sparky has forged an all for one and one for all mentality within his squad:

'There's an understanding that at times the next game or opposition might not be the right one for them to be in the side. I look at the opposition and the threats our players can make - against different teams you need different threats. That will always come into my thinking, and the players understand that. It's about making sure we have the right team for the right opposition.'

That means that certainly up front, Hughes' strikers can expect to undergo some form of rotation. For example, Bellamy's competitiveness will surely be preferred to Robinho's lightweight tackling efforts when the going get's tough, as it most assuredly will do.

The City boss then turned his attention to what is planned for players who are sidelined at any stage:

'We ensure that if they don't get significant first-team action, they get more work in training than the ones who have played 90 minutes. It's important they have the ability to make an impact when called upon. They understand how my staff work - it's not a punishment that they have to do extra work out of the team, it's because we want to give them the best chance of being successful when they do get called upon.

'They understand that that work has to be done - they know that it's a long season, that there will be times when they have to have an impact, so they have to be ready.'

With the transfer window having formally closed following the victory at Portsmouth, it's an ideal time to take a look at exactly who Sparky will be calling upon before the season goes up a gear...

Sparky's New Look City Senior Squad In Full:

Goalkeepers:

1. Shay Given (IRL)
12. Stuart Taylor (ENG)

Defenders:

19. Joleon Lescott (ENG)
16. Sylvinho (BRA)
3. Wayne Bridge (ENG)
15. Javier Garrido (ESP)
4. Nedum Onuoha (ENG)
2. Micah Richards (ENG)
28. Kolo Toure (CIV)
5. Pablo Zabaleta (ARG)

Midfielders:

18. Gareth Barry (ENG)
34. Nigel de Jong (NED)
7. Stephen Ireland (IRL)
6. Michael Johnson (ENG)
33. Vincent Kompany (BEL)
17. Martin Petrov (BUL)
40. Vladimir Weiss (SVK)
8. Shaun Wright-Phillips (ENG)

Forwards:

25. Emmanuel Adebayor (TGO)
39. Craig Bellamy (WAL)
27. Benjani Mwaruwari (ZIM)
10. Robinho (BRA)
14. Roque Santa Cruz (PRY)
32. Carlos Tevez (ARG)

*Street Of Shame Copyright Private Eye

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