It seems like only yesterday (and it wasn't much longer ago than that) that there were more strikers propping up the walls of St James' Park than any manager bar Kevin Keegan could possibly know what to do with.
Now, after the departure of Darren Huckerby, Paul Kitson and Les Ferdinand, Alan Shearer is injured and Kenny Dalglish is in trouble, especially if Faustino Asprilla (pictured) and newly arrived Jon Tomasson can not fill the gap. At the back the arrival of Shay Given and Stuart Pearce will provide stability but, in the end, that may serve only to highlight the miscalculation at the other end.
Manager: Kenny Dalglish.
In: Alessandro Pistone (from Inter Milan) £4.3 million, Jon Tomasson (from Heerenveen) £2.5 million, Shay Given (from Blackburn) tribunal, Bjarni Gudjonsson (from Akranes)
£500,000, Temuri Ketsbaia (from AEK Athens) free, Paddy Kelly (from Celtic) free, Stuart Pearce (from Nottingham Forest) free.
Out: Les Ferdinand (to Tottenham) £6 million, David Ginola (to Tottenham) £2.6 million, Lee Clark (to Sunderland) £2.5 million, Robbie Elliott (to Bolton) £2.2 million.
Last Season: Second. FA Cup: Fourth round. Coca-Cola Cup: Fourth round. UEFA Cup: Quarter-finals.
Betting: 7 to 2.
