I seemed to cause a bit of a furore - deliberately, me? Never - before heading off on my travels last month by suggesting Sunderland supporters should be happier with their club's efforts in the transfer market than Newcastle's.
Some Newcastle fans argued they wouldn't touch any of Sunderland's new arrivals with a stick covered in dog poo, although I hope that hasn't given anyone any ideas for the derby match in October!
But my point was, whether Newcastle wanted to sign the likes of Pascal Chimbonda or El-Hadji Diouf or not, Roy Keane has had more joy in the quest to improve his squad than his Newcastle counterpart Kevin Keegan.
Whatever way you look at it, Sunderland's first team is a lot stronger than it was three months ago. Players like Chimbonda and Diouf, along with Teemu Tainio, Steed Malbranque, Djibril Cisse and David Healy have all added proven Premier League experience.
While, with the possible exception of Cisse and Malbranque, they are not players who would have strengthened Newcastle's first team, they are good signings for the Black Cats and that's Keane's only consideration.
In contrast, while Jonas Gutierrez, Danny Guthrie and Fabricio Coloccini have added some quality to Keegan's side, three new players wasn't going to be enough at the end of last season and it certainly isn't enough now when you consider Emre, Abdoulaye Faye, Peter Ramage, Stephen Carr and David Rozehnal have all departed.
Newcastle's squad, on paper, is still stronger than Sunderland's, but the gap is closing and if Newcastle do not sign at least another two players - preferably a left-back and a centre-back - before the close of the transfer window they will be a prisoner to their fate in terms of suspensions and injuries.
Four or five injuries and suspensions at the same time will put a major strain on resources and suddenly Newcastle's side looks vulnerable. Given the injury history of key players like Mark Viduka and Michael Owen, it's a risky situation.
I simply can't see why Faye has been allowed to move to Stoke, although there is some suggestion of a falling out with Keegan behind the scenes. If either Steven Taylor or Coloccini picks up an injury, that leaves Keegan with the untried, Sebastien Bassong, the alarmingly slow Cacapa and David Edgar as cover. I actually thought Faye had a decent first season at St James's Park.
And what happens if Alan Smith joins Everton, something I fully expect him to do. I've never been a fan of Smith - midfielder who can't tackle and a striker who can't score goals - but he could have still been a useful squad player. If he departs, surely Keegan must have someone lined up to replace him?! And what has happened to that "wow" signing Mike Ashley wittered on about to the club's corporate sponsors?
As for the Black Cats, Keane's main problem now is trimming the excess weight from his squad. The Irishman has spent a fortune at the Stadium of Light and the squad is full of players who are good in the Championship, but inadequate for a club which intends to finish in the top half of the table this season. Economically he must usher a few of them towards the exit door.
Keane did well to keep Sunderland up last season, but he insists he wants to take the club on to the next level this season. When you make statements like that and you splash the cash around as he has done in the last two years, you have to deliver. The squad looks better than 12 months ago, but it's up to Keane to make sure they prove it out on the pitch.
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