-
Shearer says world's best Haaland looks unstoppable
-
Newcastle have made good start despite transfer trouble
-
Magpies still make Alan's Premier League top 4 predictions
-
Rodri deserves to win the Ballon d'Or
Waiting for closer to the time is my Oasis Masterplan
I knew it was just going to be crazy on Saturday morning to try and queue for Oasis tickets, so I'm hoping nearer the time that one or two become available, because I didn't even try to get some this time to be honest. I couldn't be bothered to sit and wait!
There were a few lucky ones and I know some people who got them, but I was at a friend's wedding abroad at the weekend so I didn't bother!
Haaland is Pep Guardiola's predator
Erling Haaland is an absolute beast of a centre-forward. I mean, I looked at his goals on Saturday against West Ham and his balance is just phenomenal.
The way he quickly he sets himself to get that shot away and opens the angle up to suit him, and make it very, very difficult for the goalkeeper. That's really impressive when you break it down.
He's a world-class striker playing with world-class players, and he's got a world-class manager so when you put all that together, it just stinks of goals.
I said last week that there's no better feeling in the world as a striker when you're on fire and you just expect to score goals. With that team, he's going to get chances and the good thing is that, when you miss one, you're not going to wait a long time for another chance.
He might wait another 15/20 minutes for a touch the way Man City play, but he knows his next touch might be a brilliant chance and that's the best thing. From a forward's point of view, that's heaven.
Also, Pep Guardiola is saying to him, 'I perhaps don't need you as much or want you as much in the build-up', but where I want you is where it matters, in and around the 18-yard box.'
For a centre-forward, it doesn't get much better than that - when the manager is clearly saying that to him. I want you in the box. I want you to be the predator, the finisher.
I'm not bothered about you doing all the other stuff that we had to do years ago; the link-up play, coming back to defend, tracking your runners, chasing the two centre-halves who are passing the ball around. Haaland doesn't really have to do a lot of that, although there was a time in the second-half when he had to chase back and he actually did.
In the main though, his job is to be a threat in the box and at the minute there's no one better than him at doing that.
Haaland is the world's best striker
Haaland is the best striker in the world right now. In terms of his goals, I mean, he's playing in the hardest league in the world too.
I know he's got great players around him, but he still has to finish his chances and the way he is, and how easy he's making it look, which of course it's not, then yes there's no one better than him at putting the ball in the back of the net at the minute.
Haaland's finishing is top class, and you can see he really, really enjoys it too and I appreciate that. I get that because when you're in that form, when you've got that belief and when you have a chance and you expect to put it away, it's a great feeling.
Standing on the pitch, standing in the tunnel looking at your competitors thinking 'I'm already 1-0 up. I've already got the belief and the confidence.' It's an incredible feeling and I can see he's got that. I can see it in him and it's an amazing feeling.
Haaland will take my Premier League record if he sticks around
If Harry Kane was to come back to the Premier League in a couple of years, then he may have a chance of breaking my record, but there's no doubt that if Haaland stays here for the next five or six years, the way he's going, then he will absolutely break it.
We'll have to wait and see though; we don't know what's going to happen with Man City and the charges, we don't know what's going to happen with Guardiola and his time at the club.
They are big questions, not only for the football club and the manager, but also for the players that are at the club too. But, if Haaland stays in the Premier League then absolutely, he'll break my record.
Massive room for improvement, but a good start for Newcastle
Without playing well, Newcastle have had a good start to the season. Two wins and a draw and through in the cup too. I was at St James' Park on Sunday though, and I thought they we were fortunate.
Spurs were really poor in forward areas, and had they been any better than I think Newcastle wouldn't have got that result.
Having said that, the thing that impressed me is the togetherness and the will to win, because without playing well, we've not lost yet and have seven points. If Newcastle click, then that can only be a good thing because we've done okay so far, but there's massive room for improvement.
It's so disappointing that we didn't get the signing(s) over the line and, as I said, it doesn't reflect well on the Sporting Director or the Chief Executive.
I don't think they've given Eddie the best chance in going into the season with as good a squad as he would've wanted, and I don't think they've improved his squad from last season.
When you look at the other clubs and what they've spent and what they've done, it's going to be really difficult for Newcastle to finish in the top four.
I said if we could get a signing or two in, I thought we could do it again, but Newcastle are another team that will have to be really lucky with injuries, which we weren't last season.
I think that'll be the difference if Newcastle are going to sustain a challenge for fourth or fifth place.
Big moment for Isak to grab his goal
Aleksandar Isak hasn't really looked as sharp as he perhaps did last season so for him to get that goal against Spurs will do wonders for his confidence. It's always important
for a forward to get a goal as soon as possible, and not to sit on the two-week international break having not grabbed a goal. That would have been a long couple of weeks for him.
That goal though will help him come back after the break with huge confidence and should do him and Newcastle the world of good.
Newcastle still in my top four predictions... for now
I still think Newcastle could get into the top four, as I predicted at the start of the season, but I think because of the lack of signings, we'll need so much luck.
If we get the luck then perhaps, we could do it again, but if we don't then I don't see us getting into the top four.
I've been impressed with Aston Villa and the way they've started - I know they were beaten by Arsenal, but they were unlucky that day. They look really good, but they've got Champions League football as well to come.
Manchester United haven't impressed me at all. I think I had them to finish fifth but I wouldn't change anything with them moving higher at the moment, and Chelsea are still a spin of a coin. I had them in 9th at the start of the season, so I wouldn't change too much in what I've said from what I've seen in the first few games of the season.
Brighton have been impressive in their first three games. Fabian Hürzeler has had a really positive start so they are a team to watch.
Everton in for a tough season as predicted
In terms of the bottom of the table, it is what I thought it would be with the three promoted teams; they're going to struggle. On the evidence from the first three games though, Ipswich are the ones that might have the best chance of survival.
Everton have struggled - I thought they would. It was a catastrophe for them being 2-0 up in the 87th minute and then losing the game 3-2, so they'll have a tough season.
I'm reasonably happy with what I've predicted and what I've seen so far. It's very early.
Arsenal still to come out on top
If Haaland stays fit, then Man City are going to be tough to beat because of the number of chances they create. After three games, though, I'm not changing my mind yet on Arsenal winning the Premier League this season.
I missed the 1996 Ballon d'Or afterparty because I came third!
I went to the Ballon d'Or ceremony in 1996 as a nominee, hoping I'd have a chance of winning. I wasn't aware of any result that had been made or decided, so I was going there hopeful of winning it.
When I came third, I was that disappointed that I didn't want to go to the afterparty - and I didn't end up going! It was such a big thing at the time that I just decided, 'I'm not celebrating, going to a party for finishing third'.
Man City star deserves Ballon d'Or
For this year, there's only one winner for me and it's Rodri for what he's done and what he's achieved in the last year. I know Real Madrid are a huge football club, are huge in the world of football, and Vinicius Junior and Bellingham are rightfully in the mix this year, but I think with what Rodri's done for Man City and Spain, I'd be amazed if he didn't win the Ballon d'Or.
If England had won the Euros, then perhaps Bellingham would have had a brilliant chance because he's had an unbelievable time at Real Madrid, but with Spain winning it and Rodri playing a huge part in that, I think he deserves it.
I know Man City didn't win the Champions League last season, but he played a huge part in City's success last season.