Football starts on Saturday

With the kick off of the Premier League. Of course for plenty of sides football has already started, but Newcastle won't be kicking a ball in anger till Saturday, so that's my start date. This season I'd like to think we've got some reasons to be cheerful

Patrick Kluivert should be good
Nicky Butt should be good
Kieren Dyer and Jermaine Jenas can't be worse than they were last season (three league goals between them)

There are also a couple of question marks. Is Steven Carr actually any good and can we get over our habit of signing talent and failing to improve it by letting James Milner realise his potential? Hell it's be nice if Titus Bramble and Darren Ambrose could deliver.

Truth is though the squad is looking better and has a bit more depth to it this season. We've got four proven forwards who can deliver the goods, and plenty of strength in midfield provided it all performs to potential. It's still at the back where we've got worries, although right now this is less about the quality of playing staff than the fact that half of them are injured.

Champions League qualification is by no means assured, but once again I think we're in with a good shot at the fourth place spot - and if one of the big three slip up maybe even third. What we can't afford though is yet another bad start - just for once couldn't we be the team who record the freak 4-0 win on the first day and get to start the campaign at the top?