With England’s incredibly dreary World Cup qualification campaign finally out of the way, we can spend the next nine months relentlessly debating who should and who shouldn’t be part of Gareth Southgate’s squad for the tournament in Russia.

Indeed, the Three Lions may have qualified undefeated but it was hardly a masterclass from the Group F winners, who perpetually struggled to turn their dominance over underwhelming opposition into scintillating attacking displays.

That, however, only makes discussions over Southgate’s squad all the more intriguing, with so many places seemingly still up for grabs. Very few players appear to have guaranteed themselves a spot at the World Cup, so we could well see those stuck on the fringes sneak their way in before the end of the season.

Everton contract rebel Ross Barkley provides a classic example, especially in light of England’s lack of creativity in central midfield.

A long-term injury and uncertainty over his future at Goodison Park will continue to affect his game-time but if the 22-cap international, who Transfermarkt value at £22.5million, finds his way back onto the pitch, he’ll have a great chance of overtaking some rivals in the England pecking order.

So, Everton fans, would you take Barkley to the World Cup next summer? Let us know who would and wouldn’t make your squad by giving each of our suggestions a thumbs up or a thumbs down…

Playing for a big Premier League club brings a lot of scrutiny with it, but Hector Bellerin thinks that some of the criticism of Arsenal has been unfair.

This season, Arsene Wenger’s men have lost three of their nine top-flight games so far and are nine points off the pace of league leaders Manchester City.

The team were heavily criticised by pundits and fans alike when they were beaten by Stoke City and lost 4-0 to Liverpool in August.

The commitment and desire of some of the players’ was questioned after those results, and Wenger’s men also came under fire when suffering a 2-1 defeat to Watford a fortnight ago.

The North London outfit responded on Sunday by earning a 5-2 rout over Everton after coming from behind at Goodison Park, but the poor display from the Merseyside outfit was the main focus.

While speaking to the London Evening Standard, Hector Bellerin hit back at the critics, saying:

“I think it always is [an overreaction] with Arsenal. It doesn’t matter how we do. If we win it is always the other team’s fault and when we lose it is always our fault. We have just got to deal with it as we have been doing, play our game and show that we have got the potential, that we can win games like this one. I think everyone has seen that.”

Arsenal fans were split in their opinions of the full-back’s comments.

According to The Sun, Tottenham have stepped up their pursuit of Celtic defender Kieran Tierney, who has been impressing scouts around Europe for the last 12 months.

What’s the Story?

Mauricio Pochettino sent scouts to Munich last Wednesday to watch Bayern’s comfortable Champions League victory over Celtic. However, the Spurs representatives were not eyeing Robert Lewandowski or Arturo Vidal.

Instead, Celtic’s young defender Kieran Tierney was the reason behind the trip to Germany, with Tottenham reportedly interested in landing the 20-year-old at some point over the next two transfer windows.

This is not the first time that Spurs representatives have been seen watching the left-back. Scouts were also present when Celtic edged past Kazakhstan outfit Astana during the Champions League qualifying stages.

How good has Tierney been this season?

Expectations rose for Kieran Tierney when he was awarded the Scottish Premiership Young Player of the Season award in 2016/17. It wouldn’t have been a surprise to see the young defenders form drop somewhat this season because of this pressure.

However, the opposite has seemingly occurred and Tierney has actually improved markedly since last season. The 20-year-old, who is valued at £1.8million by Transfermarkt, has featured in 14 games for Celtic so far this campaign and has been one of the most consistent performances in Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Would Tierney be a good signing for Spurs?

One of the brightest talents in Europe, Tierney would certainly be an astute signing for Spurs, especially if he continues to develop his game.

The likelihood of this signing coming to fruition depends on Danny Rose and whether his recent feuds with Tottenham can be forgotten. If not, and the England international is moved on, Tierney would be a superb replacement.

According to reports in the Daily Mail, West Bromwich Albion are ready to reignite their interest in Fenerbahce midfielder Josef de Souza having failed with a £10.6m move during the summer transfer window.

The Daily Mail says that the deal stalled and Baggies boss Tony Pulis instead signed Grzegorz Krychowiak on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, but now he could return for the 28-year-old as he looks to boost his squad in the New Year.

The west Midlands outfit are without a win since August and the pressure is increasing on Pulis, whose side have picked up two Premier League victories this term.

That is a number that can be matched by 18th-placed West Ham United, and new manager David Moyes is another that could be busy during the January transfer window with de Souza an interesting potential addition to a Hammers side that find themselves in a relegation battle.

Here are three reasons the Irons should hijack West Brom’s bid to sign the Brazilian…

They need a defensive midfielder

One of West Ham’s biggest weaknesses this season has been in the centre of the midfield, and it is probably one of the reasons that previous manager Slaven Bilic was seemingly so keen to sign Sporting Lisbon’s William Carvalho during the summer.

The likes of Cheikhou Kouyate, Pedro Obiang and Mark Noble simply haven’t been good enough at protecting the backline – shown by the fact they have the worst defensive record in the Premier League this term – and with The Mirror already linking the Irons with Carvalho and Bournemouth’s Harry Arter in January, it seems that new boss David Moyes has identified this as a problem area too.

De Souza can play in either a central or defensive midfield role – he has featured more prominently in the latter for Fenerbahce during the current campaign though – and he could be exactly what the Hammers are missing in the middle of the park.

His qualities

According to WhoScored.com, de Souza’s strengths are his ability to win aerial duels, making blocks and interceptions, winning tackles and his passing – all traits that would ensure that he was success in the middle of the park for West Ham.

The Brazilian is 6ft 2in tall and strong, and he would certainly add some steel to an Irons midfield that has become way too easy to bypass at times this season.

A goal and an assist in 10 Super Lig appearances this term also show that he can have an impact in the final third if required, but Moyes would likely want him to sit and shield the backline if he did bring the 28-year-old to the London Stadium in the New Year.

Price tag

By the time January comes around de Souza will have just 18 months left on his Fenerbahce contract, and that could mean he could be picked up for a reasonable price if the Turkish giants are willing to sell in January.

If reports are to be believed West Brom came close to signing the Brazilian for £10.6m during the summer, and if the Irons could pick him up for something around that fee then it could be a much better deal than targeting William Carvalho again.

The Guardian reported in August that Sporting Lisbon wanted £37.5m for the Portugal international, and that price is unlikely to have dropped between then and January.

Do you agree, Irons fans? Let us know below.

This time last season, Chelsea had 34 points as they topped the Premier League and marched on to another title.

The last time Jose Mourinho himself was top at this stage was in 2014/15, when his Chelsea went on to win the league. That season, after 14 games, his side had 36 points and were top of the league. This season, his new club Manchester United have 32 points, not too far off where most teams who sit top would usually be at this stage: but Manchester City are breaking records.

But both Mourinho and City should know better than most just how quickly those points can evaporate: at the start of December 2014, City were six points behind Mourinho’s Chelsea side. But what happened next was really quite remarkable.

A stunning December saw Manuel Pellegrini’s team – complete with James Milner in a false nine position – close the gap on the leaders the whole way. The two clubs found themselves exactly level on New Year’s Day: both shades of Blues locked on the same number of points, the same number of wins, the same distribution of goals and the same goal difference. They were precisely equal on the first day of 2015.

That was the last time a team had 36 points or more after 14 games. This season, City have 40 – four more still.

And yet, City are currently only two points better off than Chelsea were in 2014/15 when it comes to their lead on the chasing pack: in other words, if the Mourinho’s new side can manage exactly the same December as Pellegrini’s City did in 2014, United would climb to just two points behind their crosstown rivals on New Year’s Day.

Despite clawing their way back, however, what happened to City next was disastrous: a second half of the season to forget was marred by injuries to Vincent Kompany. Centre-back issues reigned supreme as Martin Demichelis and Eliaquim Mangala failed to cope. They would come second in the table at the end of the season, but eight points back. And only after Chelsea – already crowned champions and able to relax – dropped four points in their final three games.

This season, things feel a little bit different. Guardiola’s City aren’t the same side as Pellegrini’s, and they appear to be one of the most formidable teams in Premier League history – certainly in a way that the 14/15 vintage wasn’t.

And yet there are still similarities beyond mere points tallies.

City’s problem that season was the aforementioned defensive crisis. This season, they are once again relying on a potentially unreliable Kompany. And in the absence of John Stones and Benjamin Mendy, they are again placing a lot of trust in Eliaquim Mangala and a midfielder turned defender, this time Fabian Delph.

Back in 2014, too, Chelsea fell to their first defeat of the season in early December, before drawing once and then losing a further time before the end of the festive period. This season, City are yet to lose, but have both Manchester United and Tottenham to play before the end of December, as well as Newcastle away – the very same fixture where Mourinho’s Chelsea first came undone.

That means it’s not a foregone conclusion that City win the league from here, and however different things seem this season, there’s precedent from one of the same teams and one of the same managers that things could change very quickly over the next month.

There’s still a lot of work to be done yet, though. City will have to prove in the coming weeks that they truly are a different team to the one that collapsed in early 2015 after clawing their way back to Chelsea so admirably. And Mourinho will have to prove that he can mastermind the wins to come from behind, too, given that his sides are usually happier with a lead to defend.

But whatever happens, there is enough evidence from not that long ago to suggest that this isn’t over just yet.

Rangers midfielder Graham Dorrans has been ruled out for a further three months due to injury, after undergoing ankle surgery this week.

The former Norwich City man has been out of action since October already, but a visit to a specialist in London led to quick surgery that means he will miss every match until the end of March at least.

It’s a major blow to the Light Blues, who aren’t exactly blessed with options in the middle of the park, relying on youngsters like Ross McCrorie and Jamie Barjonas in recent matches. While they’ve done well, it’s always a risk to rely on teenagers to provide consistency in long spells.

Dorrans started his Rangers career well, fitting right into the midfield before Pedro Caixinha left the club. Since then Graeme Murty has deployed a diamond midfield formation that would likely play to the 30-year-old’s strengths.

Supporters were gutted to hear the news and took to Twitter to share their thoughts on it all…

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Ever Banega has snubbed the chance to reunite with his former Sevilla manager Unai Emery at Arsenal and elected to stay in Spain, according to Marca via Metro.

What’s the latest, then?

The report says that the Argentine international was a tempting option for Emery because they had worked together before and he has a £17.6m release clause, making him a cheaper option in a window when the Gunners do not have tonnes of money to spend.

It claims that Arsenal will be disappointed in pursuit of the playmaker because he has told Sevilla’s hierarchy that he wants to remain in Spain, where his family is settled.

The major factor in that decision is reported as being Banega’s failed move to Inter two years ago, which has seemingly made him worry about the prospects of success, should he move again.

Who do you think will win the World Cup? Let us know here and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.

Andre Gomes is a younger alternative

Banega’s snub may prove to be a blessing in disguise for Emery; the Argentine is slightly too old to adapt to the pace of the Premier League now and Barcelona outcast Andre Gomes is the ideal alternative.

Reports have emerged in recent days of Emery’s interest in the £30m star, who has lost his way at the Nou Camp and struggled to get past their star-studded cast of midfielders but remains a class act.

Still just 24, he has plenty of time to improve and would add the ability to create higher up the pitch than Banega can. Emery must forget Banega and focus on securing the signing of Gomes now.

It is no surprise that Newcastle United are on the hunt for a striker this summer.

The Magpies only netted 39 times in the Premier League last season, with forwards Dwight Gayle and Joselu only scoring ten goals between them.

It had been previously rumoured that prolific Dutch striker Bas Dost could be on his way to St. James’ Park, but reports suggest he has elected to join Fenerbahce instead.

How far will England get in Russia? Tell us here and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.

Sampdoria striker Duvan Zapata is one of the latest strikers linked with a move to Newcastle following an impressive season in which he scored 11 goals and assisted four in Serie A.

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We asked Newcastle fans in our poll if they wanted to sign the 27-year-old, valued at £18million on Transfermarkt, and it appears the Toon Army are rather fond of the Colombian striker.

73 per cent of those polled said they do want Newcastle to sign Zapata, with 27 per cent clearly reluctant to fork out their precious cash on one player.

The 6ft2 powerhouse can dominate defenders and would be ideally suited for the physical battle of the Premier League, and Newcastle fans seem to agree.

According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds United could step away from a deal for Derby County’s Matej Vydra after balking at the striker’s wage demands.

What’s the story?

It is not exactly a secret that Leeds want to sign Vydra this summer, with new head coach Marcelo Bielsa desperate to improve his forward line ahead of the new campaign.

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Leeds are said to be prepared to meet Derby’s £11m valuation, and it had been suggested that a deal was close to going through.

However, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Vydra’s increased wage demands could make it difficult for Leeds to complete a deal in this summer’s transfer window.

The report claims that the Whites are prepared to pay Vydra in excess of £30,000 a week, but the 26-year-old has now increased his wage demands.

As a result, Bielsa’s team could now walk away from a deal which had seemed very close to completion over the weekend.

Should Leeds pay Vydra what he wants?

There is nothing wrong with Vydra rating himself, especially considering that the forward has scored 65 times in 187 Championship appearances during his career.

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The 20-time Czech Republic international scored 21 times in 40 league appearances for Derby last term, meanwhile, and there is no question that he would improve Leeds.

There is a fine line between rating yourself and being greedy, however, and Vydra needs to be careful that he does not fall into the latter category.

After all, Leeds are offering him the chance to spearhead an exciting promotion challenge next term.

The Whites have thus far been frustrated in their pursuit of a number of strikers this summer, and both parties should do all they can to ensure that this one gets over the line.

Liverpool are looking to build on last season’s successful season, which despite ended in misery in the Champions League final, was a huge step forward for manager Jurgen Klopp and his team.

The Reds are already packed to the rafters with top talent, and Klopp will be confident of challenging next season given he has already signed the likes of Naby Keita and Fabinho, with French winger Nabil Fekir also remaining on the radar.

Last season saw the club splash the cash on key defensive lynch-pin Virgil Van Dijk, and despite the impressive form of Dejan Lovren in the World Cup this summer, there is a feeling more is needed at centre half if the club are to really challenge.

One player who is hot on the lips of everyone lately is England defender Harry Maguire, and we at the Tavern think he should be the number one target for Liverpool for the rest of the summer.

The £22.5m-rated defender was simply superb for the Three Lions over in Russia, and he leaves with his reputation enhanced and surely a chance at getting a move to one of the so called big boys.

With Van Dijk already firmly in place at Anfield, the thought of Maguire being paired with him is something Liverpool fans would be delighted with.

Classy on the ball, dominant in the air, Maguire would be a superb addition for the Reds and would surely help lead them to their first Premier League title.

Liverpool fans, what do you think? How good would Maguire be? Let us know in the comments!