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Everton’s season is threatening to go into a bit of a meltdown given their quality, with some inconsistent performances leaving the Toffees well adrift of any shot at breaching the top four stronghold.

Manager Marco Silva has been afforded the chance to bring in plenty of new players, and the players he has brought in are, on paper, quality additions.

However, things are not quite clicking, and with the January window now in full swing, Silva might well look to move once more to bring in even more players who he feels can take his club to the next level.

One man we at the Tavern believe would fit in with the club is Udinese forward Rodrigo De Paul, who has been having an excellent campaign with the Italian side this time out, with six goals to his name and a host of superb performances to go along with those goals.

Valued at only £18m by Transfermarkt, the Argentinian could well bring that added bit of quality with him to Goodison Park which so often looks like it is missing on a Saturday afternoon.

De Paul can play across all the forward positions and has plenty of quality in the bag to make a huge difference to the club in both the short and long term.

While he has only just broken into the first team for his country, at just 24-years-old, the tricky and pacey wide forward has plenty to offer for the Toffees, and would no doubt only get better with first team experience in the Premier League.

Everton fans, what do you think? Good signing? Let us know!

Arsenal supporters have been making a lot of noise in recent times after seeing their side secure a ninth successive victory in all competitions at the weekend.

Unai Emery’s men went into their clash with Fulham in the Premier League having won each of their previous five league matches, alongside two wins in the Europa League and a 3-1 success over Brentford in the Carabao Cup. And the Gunners made it nine on the bounce at Craven Cottage on Sunday as braces from Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang alongside an outstanding Aaron Ramsey goal sealed a 5-1 victory for the North London giants, thus moving them to within two points of leaders Manchester City.

Thus, there have been many thrilled Arsenal fans up and down the country in recent times, several of whom have taken to Twitter to react to the news that their side almost signed Michael Carrick back in 2004, only for manager Arsene Wenger to opt against it after an excellent midfield display from Cesc Fabregas in the 2004 Community Shield.

And while some of those supporters aren’t overly fussed by their side missing out on the Englishman, what with Fabregas going on to prove his worth to the Gunners, there is little doubting that Wenger made a huge error regarding Carrick given the career the midfielder would then go on to have.

Ultimately, it is undeniable that Spain international Fabregas went on to excel at Arsenal during his eight-year spell in North London, helping them to the FA Cup in 2005, and then to the Champions League final two years later.

However, even during his time at the Emirates Stadium, many still felt that Arsenal lacked that central midfielder who could dominate the middle of the park both on and indeed off the ball – Carrick could well have been that man.

The former England international, now assistant coach to Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, signed for Tottenham that summer before joining United two years later, for whom he then excelled with 464 appearances for the Red Devils, helping them to five Premier League titles, four domestic cups, and indeed the Champions League back in 2008.

In fact, there were few better midfielders in the Premier League than Carrick during his time at United, with the 37-year-old remarkably composed in possession and when under pressure, and thus able to pull the strings and help United dominate the midfield area.

Arguably, Carrick became one of the most underrated midfielders in the division given he wasn’t always chipping in with goals and assists and making the sorts of tackles sometimes associated with a central midfielder – instead, he was effortlessly patrolling the middle of the park to give United a platform from which to perform.

As such, the career the Englishman had, other than being hugely underused by his country, underlines just what an outstanding talent Carrick was, and how much he would have benefited any side in the country, perhaps even in Europe.

And in an Arsenal team that even now are still crying out for a dominant central midfielder, there is no doubting that Wenger made something of an error failing to land the Englishman back in 2004, regardless of how good Fabregas went on to become in North London.

Thus, those Arsenal fans unfazed by the recent revelations are so wrong, as Carrick would have significantly improved the Gunners were he to have moved there back in 2004 – thus, Wenger certainly missed out on a potential transfer masterstroke.

Arsenal fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Winning consecutive trebles and seven league titles in a row, things are running smoothly for the Green & White half of Glasgow. However, if they are going to succeed in Europe, Brendan Rodgers needs to add some serious quality to his Celtic side. 

The Scottish Premiership can no longer be described as a two horse race. Celtic have seriously dominated Scottish football in this decade, but the next stage must be to make an impact in Europe. Cherry picking the best talents in the Scottish League, along with some clever foreign imports is a strategy which clearly had led to great domestic success, but Brendan Rodgers really needs to bring in more exciting young talent with potential to develop to push the Bhoys to the next level.

Celtic should seriously consider trying to bring Razvan Marin (£6.3m-rated by Transfermarkt) to Celtic Park. The 22-year-old midfielder is one of the most exciting midfielders in Belgium. After seriously impressing at native Romanian club Viitorul Constanta from a very young age, he made the switch to Belgian giants Standard Liege for a fee of around €2m.

Marin is one of the brightest talents at Liege, scoring six times in 33 appearances for Les Rouges last season. He is something of set piece specialist, as well as having a great long shot in his locker. His quality of delivery into the box is also a major strength of the Romanian.

Despite being just 22, Marin is already capped eleven times for his country, scoring once.

Celtic should move to sign Razvan Marin. He is the kind of exciting young talent, with potential to improve, which could take Celtic to the next level in Europe. Marin has great pedigree for a 22-year-old, and would add some real technical ability to the Celtic squad, which is required in Europe. An efficient player who will help control games with his passing, he will also provide the strikers with great service.

If Celtic could lure Marin to Glasgow, it would be a real coup for the club. A signing like Marin would signal a change in strategy and approach, looking for players who can make a real difference to Celtic’s European campaigns. All too often in Europe, teams have dominated against Celtic in terms of possession and the Hoops have simply looked to play on the break, signings like Marin would hope to change that.

When speculating on how Premier League rivals may attempt to pluck away their biggest talents, pundits and the press often focus on Tottenham’s English contingent, the likes of Dele Alli and Harry Kane and to a lesser extent Eric Dier and Danny Rose.

Having the best English players in the English top flight always comes with an underlying advantage but Tottenham’s foreign talent is just as impressive, most notably Christian Eriksen who proved to be the difference in attack for Spurs once again as they travelled to Newcastle for Sunday’s 1.30pm kickoff.

The Danish playmaker finished up with the second-most assists of any Premier League player last season and has begun the current campaign in similar form, notching up both set-ups as Tottenham claimed a steady 2-0 over the Magpies, something that was heavily aided by Jonjo Shelvey’s sending off just after half time.

Although there was an element of fortune to the second assist as the ball bumbled through the box and into the path of an onrushing Ben Davies, Eriksen’s pass for the first goal was superb – a ranging ball to Dele Alli, who pealed into the gap between centre-back and full-back to apply a stretched finish from close range.

Those were just two of five created chances the 25-year-old conjured up at St. James’ Park, whilst he also weighed in with the most crosses of any Spurs player, seven, and the most efforts at goal, six – three of which hit the target.

Although Kane and Alli are integral components of Tottenham’s attack, hence the natural interest from top clubs, Eriksen proved once again against Newcastle that he’s just as vital to the Spurs cause. Considering the premium for English players, perhaps rivals should be focusing on how to prise Eriksen from White Hart Lane instead.

As Adnan Januzaj turns 22 he must be wondering where it all went wrong. No more than a bit part player in a team who looked almost doomed to relegation, Januzaj’s fall has been severe. Now playing for the club against whom he made his name, the clamour for his commitment at international level is a distant, alien memory.

While the talent is still there, it is only revealed on the rarest of occasions. Too often invisible, too regularly ineffective or wasteful, the coincidence of sharing his birthday with Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo has proven to be just that. Certainly not an omen, it turns out.

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Januzaj’s career could be rejuvenated during a glorious spell of form, that is the luxury of having the talent. Many players are signed by manager after manager in the hope that they will return to their best form. Sometimes it happens, perhaps we will look back on Januzaj’s Sunderland spell as a blip rather than the norm for his career at the top level.

Many players, however, never quite return to that level. He could return to a Champions League standard winger, but he could, just as easily, end up lingering between the Premier League and Championship. Occasionally showing flashes of his talent and winning a man of the match award twice a season, Januzaj’s career is teetering at the moment. Either path is still possible, but early signs of his post-Manchester United days are not positive. Even in a weak, limping Sunderland squad Januzaj is not lighting up the pitch.

In the crises that have blighted Manchester United since Alex Ferguson’s retirement, Januzaj was one of a very few initial bright points. In reality, though, his performances were inflated. When the positive news is limited, the slightest glimpse of a hero is focused on. Januzaj could have been the saviour for United, but the pressure put on him when only a fledgling young player was crippling.

His development may not have progressed properly anyway, but The Red Devils’ desperation was summed up in their approach to Januzaj. Seen as a beacon of hope in the darkest of times for the club, so much was put on his shoulders as experienced campaigners were underperforming and successive managers were unable to balance the team.

Grasping for any sign that things would turn around at Old Trafford, Januzaj was elevated from a gifted, raw youngster, to a player ready to solve the creative issues in the first team. And now, with the signings made in the summer, he was cast aside into the depths of the Premier League table. He looked every bit a good signing for Sunderland, but his failure to really provide a spark leaves everyone wondering what is next for him.

Happy birthday Adnan Januzaj. Your performances for Manchester United secured your career as a professional footballer, they even secured your financial security for the rest of your life, but there is still so much unharnessed talent.

A waste, perhaps, Januzaj’s demise shows what over-the-top pressure can do to a young player.

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Arsenal are well known as a team fond of picking up nasty habits of making pig ears of games they should be winning comfortably – Monaco, Dynamo Zagreb, Olympiacos, West Bromwich Albion et al quickly come to mind.

The lack of sinew and slackness throughout the spine has been the team’s achilles heel for a long time and has been attributed to such lackadaisical and inconsistent performances.

The tenacity of the team in that position, however, cannot be downplayed since the meteoric rise of “pitbul”Francis Coquelin who made the position his before a knee injury sustained at the Hawthorns, and his partnership with the diminutive Santi Cazorla forced  Arsene Wenger to play Aaron Ramsey on the right wing, a position the Welshman is not naturally suited to.

However, since his return from injury and the Spaniard’s long-term injury layoff, the manager has played Ramsey in his preferred central midfield role alongside the combative, albeit ageing, Mathieu Flamini.

Consequently, the team is evidently playing with genuine width and Ramsey who is more attack minded, seems to thrive. We saw this when he won the ball in the Arsenal half, rose from the tackle, dashed to the Villa penalty area and was teed up by the mercurial Mesut Ozil to score a sublime goal at Villa Park recently.

As a winger, Ramsey had the tendency to drift centrally and, as a result, Hector Bellerin had no one to pass the ball to. The versatility of Joel Campbell on either wing, combined with his defensive attributes, has barely made Arsenal fans miss the indefatigable Chilean in Alexis Sanchez.

The link up play of Arsenal’s full backs, as well as their overlapping runs, has by default been beneficial to big French striker Olivier Giroud to use his physical presence in the oppositions box, and cause panic amongst defenders –  fact well elucidated in his impressive run of six goals in four matches.

The Cazorla-Coquelin axis has not been solely missed, since their replacements have aptly fit in and given the team an extra dimension – a plan B – and as most pundits put it; this season’s title is Arsenal’s to lose by virtue of their current position, cohesion and squad depth.

The fact that the other big guns have been inconsistent is sure enough the impetus to spur Arsenal on to take the title.

This article was submitted via our new Write For Us feature. Think you can do better? Submit your own article via the link below, and make sure you follow @FFC_WFU on Twitter for #RealOpinions…

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Ex-NFL star JJ Watt – who is also a co-owner of Burnley FC – was seen pouring pints for Clarets fans ahead of their match against West Ham Saturday.

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JJ Watt pours pints for Burnley fansEx-NFL star is co-owner of English clubClarets fall to West Ham 2-1WHAT HAPPENED?

A fan posted a video of the former Houston Texans star pouring pints at a bar called . Watt himself posted a picture of the bar on his Instagram story, letting fans know he'd be in town for the match. Since joining the Clarets ownership group in the summer, the 34-year-old had become infatuated with the club, traveling numerous times to support his side.

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Watt's choice to join the ownership group of Burnley is a continuation of the trend of American athletes buying into soccer clubs. From Kevin Durant to Lebron James, superstar sporting representatives from the USA are helping build the brand and culture of the world's game. Watt's visibility on social media, and constant sharing of both his and the Claret's adventures in the Premier League is only going to help grow the sport.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR JJ WATT AND BURNLEY?

The Clarets loss to West Ham on Saturday was a bit of a heartbreaker, with the Hammers netting twice in the final minutes of the match. They'll now take that feeling of disappointment and turn it into ambition, turning their heads to the next match on their schedule: Sheffield United. The Terriers were promoted alongside Vincent Kompany's side, and they'll look at this as a must-win contest in the long-term goals of the 2023/24 campaign.

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Nesta quarta-feira, o Vitória foi mais um time do futebol brasileiro a apelar para as Medidas Provisórias 927/2020 e 936/2020, que dão direito ao clube a suspender os contratos ou optar pela redução da carga horária de trabalho dos funcionários. Os jogadores não estão inclusos na decisão.

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Esta é só mais uma das medidas da diretoria para reduzir os custos que assolam o Leão durante a pandemia do coronavírus. Quando o futebol foi suspenso, o presidente Paulo Carneiro encerrou o time de aspirantes, que disputava o estadual.

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O ESPORTE CLUBE VITÓRIA vem pelo presente tornar público a assinatura do ACORDO COLETIVO DE TRABALHO entre o Clube e o SENALBA – Sindicato dos Empregados em Entidade Culturais Recreativas, de Assistência Social, de Orientação e Formação Profissional, referente a adoção das medidas constantes das Medidas Provisórias 927/2020 e 936/2020 perante seu quadro funcional, salvo seus atletas de futebol profissional.

Além de trazer segurança jurídica a situação de crise, o acordo visa a manutenção do emprego e da renda, bem como o de reduzir o impacto social decorrente da crise sanitária, do estado de calamidade pública provocada pelo Covid-19 (Coronavírus), de modo que que as soluções trazidas refletem adequadamente a continuidade das atividades do Clube, mitigando os prejuízos ora vivenciados.

The Frenchman is under pressure following his side's recent poor form and here is a look at some of the men who could succeed him in the summer

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  Joachim Low

  Real Madrid have long admired the Germany boss and he has been considered on a number of occasions in the past few seasons to coach Los Blancos.

  His commitment to the national team has dashed those hopes up until now and his current contract runs until 2020, but he could consider a move to Real if the position becomes available this summer, after he has led Germany in the defence of the World Cup crown they won in 2014.

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• Antonio Conte

  The Chelsea manager is under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2019, but admitted just this week that "anything is possible" and it looks increasingly likely the former Italy and Juventus boss could be moving on in the summer.

  Having led the Blues to the Premier League title in his first season in charge and won Serie A three times as Juve coach, his stock is high in Spain and he will certainly be one of the names on Madrid's shortlist if Zidane ends up leaving at the end of this season.

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  Mauricio Pochettino

  Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has been a fan of the current Tottenham manager since his spell in charge at Espanyol and the Argentine's impressive work at Spurs has not gone unnoticed by the 10-time European champions.

  Pochettino will be among Madrid's top targets when Zidane leaves the club, be it this summer or further down the line, although the one concern at Real is the fact that the 45-year-old is yet to win a trophy in his coaching career.

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  Unai Emery

  The last-16 Champions League tie between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain could have a big bearing on the futures of both Zidane and PSG boss Unai Emery.

  Failure to make his mark in Europe this season is likely to see Emery replaced at the Parc des Princes in the summer and Madrid could make a move for the Basque, who was considered before Zidane took over in 2016 and is well regarded at the Santiago Bernabeu after winning the Europa League three times in a row with Sevilla.

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Mano Menezes não quis responder se haverá uma reformulação grande no Palmeiras, mas citou pontos que norteiam o planejamento de 2020. O principal é a exigência maior por desempenho a partir desta temporada, seguido por um estilo de jogo adequado ao Allianz Parque, que passará a ter campo sintético.

– A exigência no futebol brasileiro era uma, e para esta exigência o Palmeiras estava muito bem preparado, assim como outras equipes. Isto proporcionou ao Palmeiras nos últimos três anos ganhar duas vezes o Brasileiro. O parâmetro mudou, o Flamengo subiu a exigência e temos de fazer a leitura correta para enfrentar o novo adversário, mais tudo, que é o que estamos vendo no fim da temporada – explicou.

– O torcedor passa a querer outro futebol, a mídia trabalha em cima deste outro futebol. Temos de nos preparar para atender, ou vamos sofrer críticas, seremos cobrados e os trabalhos não terão sequência. É a nova realidade – reforçou.

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Desde que chegou, Mano diz que precisava fazer o Palmeiras jogar melhor tendo a bola no pé. Inicialmente, a equipe deu resposta, mas vive agora um de seus piores momentos no Brasileiro, sem vencer há quatro rodadas – são dois empates e duas derrotas. No domingo, receberá o Flamengo no Allianz Parque.

Esta será a última partida do Verdão em sua arena, e provavelmente a última com campo natural. O clube e a WTorre já têm negociações adiantadas para usar o sintético na arena e em um dos gramados da Academia de Futebol. Por isso, o Palmeiras precisará ter jogadores para um estilo mais rápido e de mais qualidade.

– O gramado sintético também vai estabelecer uma nova maneira de jogar ao Palmeiras e pode influenciar nas características dos jogadores para um jogo mais rápido, de capacidade técnica ainda maior, de controle de bola, de proposta de jogo. São as colocações que temos de atender – pontuou.

Ainda que Mano tenha se esquivado, a expectativa é de uma reformulação considerável para 2020. Fernando Prass, Jailson, Edu Dracena e Henrique Dourado são os jogadores do atual elenco com vínculo só até dezembro. Atletas com desempenho abaixo do esperado devem ser negociados, seja por empréstimo ou de forma definitiva.

Já as contratações serão em menor número, em busca de jogadores que realmente resolvam carências. O grupo será abastecido com cinco jogadores das categorias de base (Esteves, Patrick de Paula, Gabriel Menino, Angulo e Veron), além de outros três que voltam de empréstimo (Vinicius Silvestre, Pedrão e Artur).

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