It's been frustrating not being able to strengthen and missing out on the players we wanted. It must be just as frustrating for the club that despite their best efforts, they'll have to wait until closer to the close of the transfer window for things to come off. There was welcome news on Thursday as Seyi Olofinjana signed from Stoke and Jozy Altidore - highly rated in America - also joined subject to getting a work permit.
How's the boss doing?
He made some mistakes in the second half of the season, trying to play a more defensive game which didn't improve our defence and weakened our attack. He also might have done better in the January transfer window, although if his main signing, Jimmy Bullard, had been fit for more than 1 game things would have been very different. He needs to find a system that plays to our strengths and gets the best out of Geovanni. A bigger task may be restoring players' confidence after that awful run of results.
Player to watch from your team?
Centre back Michael Turner, although we hope scouts and managers aren't watching him.
Boo boy?
Fraizer Campbell. We'll never forget his importance in Hull City's promotion, but stringing us along this summer until he got a transfer he preferred was not responded to with understanding by our fans. We hope he'll be happier sitting on Sunderland's bench and he may just find we're no longer interested if he discovers it was the wrong decision.
Who'll make up the top four?
Same as last season although I expect the 4 to be closer together:
1. Manchester United
2. Liverpool
3. Chelsea
4. Arsenal
Relegated?
Burnley - lack decent defensive players
Wolves - lack proven Premiership players
Portsmouth - lack any players
Where will you finish?
If we can sign the players we need we've got every chance of staying up. There should be all to play for in the last couple of months of the season when the bottom half of the table is normally very tight and we play a lot of the teams we expect to be around us then.