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With people across the globe currently suffering from World Cup fever, it’s a great time to discuss the most highly anticipated football game of the year, FIFA 15. But with its annual release cycle, the FIFA franchise is often criticised for not making significant progress with each new edition.

Having said that, FIFA 15 is set to be the latest and greatest FIFA yet, and it seems as though its developers have really listened to fan feedback this time around. And even though FIFA 15’s official release date isn’t until the end of September, you can still guarantee yourself a copy by pre-ordering online:

FIFA 15 Ultimate Team Edition with Pre-Order Pack exclusive @GAME – £67.99

(includes football, t-shirt, collectors tin)

FIFA 15 Ultimate Team Edition @ Amazon – £52

FIFA 15 @ Tesco – £45

Despite not being released yet, there’s still enough substance already to identify the five following most called for changes:

More emotion

FIFA’s developers want gamers to get a true feeling of emotion when playing FIFA 15. They’re trying to recreate the feeling that football fans get when they watch their favourite sport on the TV.

To achieve this, every player in the new game has their own set of emotions and characteristics that can be seen on the pitch. Apparently, there are more than 600 reactions that can be witnessed in a single game.

Context-sensitive artificial intelligence

This innovation is potentially massive and means that FIFA 15 could be a truly ground-breaking title. Imagine playing a game of football where your computer opponents adapt their style and tactics automatically depending on the situation.

For example, if you are losing and there’s not long to go, you can expect your opponents to sit back and defend till the cows come home. However, turn that situation around and you’ll see them throw everything at you, including the kitchen sink!

Improved tackling

As in real life, tackling is now much more balanced and doesn’t always favour the attacking player in one-on-one situations. So, if you’re a defensive maestro who likes to lock down the pitch and keep a clean sheet, FIFA 15 is definitely for you.

If, however, you like to play attacking football and run at defensive line with world-class players like Messi, you should expect that the defensive side will get the upper hand more often than they did in previous FIFA titles.

Fitter players

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FIFA 14 was criticised by many for its bulky, shapeless player models. FIFA 15’s developers have definitely reversed this and the bodies of players in the latest instalment are far more muscular and athletic.

After all, real-life footballers are elite athletes and should be represented this way in any football-based games that are released, right?

Visible pitch wear and tear

FIFA fans will testify that no matter what the weather; no matter how intense the game; the pitch condition in previous versions always remained constant – not in FIFA 15.

Now, every slide tackle, miskick and footprint makes a visual impact on the playing surface. So much so that at the end of big games the surface is totally unrecognisable and would need a world-class grounds man to fix it!

Sylvain Distin is adamant that Everton are not distracted by talk of Champions League qualification and will only consider the possibility after Christmas.

The Toffees moved above Tottenham into fourth place the Premier League table, following their 2-1 victory over the Londoners at Goodison Park.

This has led to talk that the Merseysiders could make a sustained push to nick the final qualification spot for Europe’s top club competition for the first time since 2005.

But, Distin says that the squad are not distracted by the possibility:

“It doesn’t mean a lot to us now,” he is quoted by SkySports.

“It is obviously better to be there than in the bottom four but it is too early.

“The more time goes and more you stay in this position then the more you start to believe.

“But we have to get through the Christmas period and see where we are and then we can start dreaming.

“But I can’t see any easy games. Every game is important and we are really focused on what we want to do.”

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The French defender went on to say that Everton are playing the best football he has seen since joining the club in 2009.

Tottenham fans are not convinced by their move for Wilmar Barrios, after reports claimed they have submitted an official bid for the Colombian.According to Di Marzio, Tottenham have submitted an official offer for Boca Juniors midfielder Barrios.The tough tackling Colombian has 10 international caps, and is seen as a possible replacement for Mousa Dembele. The Belgian fan favourite is expected to leave the club this summer.Barrios is an absolute beast in the middle of the park, averaging three tackles and nearly three interceptions per game last season.[brid autoplay=”true” video=”257647″ player=”12034″ title=”Three reasons we love to hate… Brazil and Argentina”]He is not particularly technically gifted though, and fans aren’t completely on board with a move for the 24 year-old.He is certainly still young enough to develop more of an attacking threat, but fans are eyeing up bigger, more expensive moves, with Tanguy Ndombele and Mateo Kovacic both on fans’ minds.Ndombele has been heavily linked as a replacement for Dembele, and a move for the want away Kovacic would certainly ruffle a few feathers around the league.You can find some of the best reactions to Spurs’ bid for Barrios down below, as fans are hoping for bigger and better things…

Teetering just inches off the drop zone prior to Saturday’s game at Bournemouth, the Magpies desperately needed a win.

When the referee blew to end the first-half, it looked as if Newcastle were on the verge of accomplishing just that as a Dwight Gayle brace gave them a 2-0 lead.

The Cherries barely threatened the Magpies goal, with Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka’s brilliant save to deny Steve Cook on 75 minutes the only meaningful scoring attempt by the visitors prior to the last 10 minutes.

Substitute Adam Smith pulled one back on 80 minutes, however, when he sent home a scorching strike off the underside of the bar.

The comeback was completed with one minute remaining in normal time, when Dan Gosling netted from close range following a pass from Nathan Ake.

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What will frustrate Newcastle is that is this was a largely perfect performance undone by mistakes at the death. But which players can hold their heads up high, and who were the biggest culprits behind the Magpies squandering a two-goal lead? Let us know by taking part below and giving each player an individual performance rating out of ten…

Probable Lineups…

Chelsea (4-5-1): Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Fabregas, Matic, Willian, Oscar, Hazard, Costa

Despite playing 90 minutes against Sporting Lisbon in midweek, injury-prone striker Diego Costa is set to lead the line when Chelsea face the Gunners at Stamford Bridge this weekend. Jose Mourinho and his men currently lead the Premier League with 16 points out of the possible 18 and look favourites for the league title at the moment. The Blues have no major injury concerns and are set to roll out their strongest team, with Cesar Azpilicueta returning to slot in at left back in place of Filipe Luis who played in the midweek fixture. Cesc Fabregas will be facing his old club for the first time since he departed to Barcelona back in the summer of 2011.

Arsenal (4-5-1): Szczesny, Chambers, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Flamini, Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Sanchez, Welbeck

The Gunners have just come out of a 4-1 win over Galatasaray in midweek and will be full of confidence heading to Stamford Bridge to face the league leaders. Danny Welbeck scored a hat-trick against the Turkish outfit and will be expected to trouble the Blues back-line that has already shipped in seven goals despite their top-of-the-table position. Arsene Wenger will however be without several key players including captain Mikel Arteta, midfield goalscorer Aaron Ramsey, right-back Mathieu Debuchy, and long-term absence Olivier Giroud. Arsenal are in fourth, six points behind Chelsea and will need a victory to have any chance of catching up with Mourinho’s men.

What the fans are saying…

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//www.youtube.com/embed/W4SQMTe68nM

There was a time when Cesc Fabregas was playing in the colours of Arsenal, even getting into a heated fight with none other than Chelsea legend Frank Lampard!

James Tomkins believes that West Ham must recover quickly from their Premier League defeat at the hands of Tottenham, as they prepare to face Manchester United this week.

The Hammers slipped to a 3-1 loss at White Hart Lane, missing their chance to move back in to the top six.

The young defender hopes that his team-mates can put the loss behind them and focus on their trip to Old Trafford:

“We didn’t play at our best but we need to put it behind us quite quickly because we have another big game at Manchester United in a couple of days’ time and the games are coming thick and fast.” He is quoted by SkySports.

“We don’t need to dwell on the result because we have the points on the board and it’s vital we go to Old Trafford with our confidence intact.

“We have to make sure we go to Manchester United 100% mentally.”

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The East Londoners have been in fine form since their return to the top flight, notching impressive victories against the likes of Newcastle and Southampton in recent weeks.

Kevin Nolan has been key for Sam Allardyce’s men, linking well with summer arrival Andy Carroll and weighing in with some important strikes.

Ajax playmaker Hakim Ziyech impressed for Morocco in their 1-0 defeat against Portugal on Wednesday that saw them eliminated from the 2018 World Cup, and Everton fans have urged their club to sign the 25-year-old, who is rated at £22.5m by Transfermarkt.

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The silky attacker has tended to play as a central attacking midfielder for club and country in recent times, but he started out on the left-hand side against the Euro 2016 winners on Wednesday, and he made a big impression despite his nation failing to get on the score-sheet.

According to WhoScored.com, he had four shots and made four key passes, while he also successfully completed three dribbles to suggest that he could be a good addition to the Toffees frontline alongside the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson, Theo Walcott and Cenk Tosun this season.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255857″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Everton’s opening fixtures for the 201819 Premier League season”]

Everton supporters, who hate the idea of signing a 26-year-old attacking target following his opening World Cup performance, were quick to have their say on Ziyech’s latest display via social media, and while one said “Ziyech could be the new Mahrez”, another said “throw a load of money at Ziyech please”.

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Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino is on Paris Saint-Germain’s wishlist of potential replacements for Unai Emery, according to The Mirror.

What’s the word?

Pochettino has managed to transform Spurs into genuine title contenders since his move from Southampton in 2014.

In the last two seasons, the North London outfit have finished third and second in the Premier League.

In the current campaign, the club are in the battle for a top-four spot as Manchester City are running away with the crown having taken a 16-point lead at the top.

According to The Mirror, PSG have been noticing Pochettino’s progress with Tottenham, and have placed him on a list of potential candidates, which also includes Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho.

The report claims that PSG’s hierarchy have been left disappointed by the club’s recent 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Despite the fact that the club have a 12-point advantage at the top of Ligue 1, Emery’s job could still be in trouble.

What should Pochettino do?

Most managers would jump at the chance to take charge of a European heavyweight, and nobody could blame Pochettino for considering it.

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However, Tottenham are at a very important stage of their development.

Next season, the club will move into a new state-of-the-art stadium, which can compete with the dominant Premier League clubs.

Given how instrumental Pochettino has been in transforming the team on the pitch, the former Southampton boss should be the man in the dugout when the club begin their new chapter next season.

When Liverpool confirmed the signing of Rickie Lambert from Southampton, running parallel with the positivity from the majority of Liverpool fans delighted at what they felt was a shrewd piece of business by Brendan Rodgers, was a fair share of belittling, largely from Manchester United fans.

And whilst a £4 million transfer for a 32-year-old Englishman – who worked in a beetroot packaging factory and a part-timer at Macclesfield, before working his way up the English football ladder – may not feel the most glamorous for a club aspiring to the Premier League title, the deal makes perfect sense.

Partly for his physique, and partly due to his football background, Lambert often isn’t given the credit he deserves. But any notion of him simply being a ‘big man’ is so far wide of the mark. Two seasons in the Premier League have notched up 28 goals and 15 assists, and his all-round play is finally beginning to receive the type of praise it is worthy of.

All season long, the thought of Liverpool being without both Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez was a nightmare scenario. With just Iago Aspas as back-up, the side would have lacked any killer instinct up top.

Even with Lambert there, the absence will damage the effectiveness of the side. But his presence lessens the impact of such possibility. If the impact of European football begins to take its toll on the squad, then Lambert may just quench Liverpool’s thirst as they plumb the depths of their well.

WANT MORE? >> Liverpool transfer news | Latest transfer news

When you observe the way Lambert plays, it is his ability to vary his game and adapt which is most impressive. And it is this variation which will have been a crucial factor in Rodgers’ decision to bring him back to his boyhood club.

Lambert’s stature and physical presence is something Liverpool weren’t blessed with in attacking positions prior to his arrival. But his ability to win aerial duels, and bring the ball down with his back to goal is a key feature of his game, and something which Liverpool were previously unable to bring to the table.

Having won 65 aerial duels last season, to that of Suarez and Sturridge’s 12 and 2, respectively, Lambert can provide something drastically different. Whilst you wouldn’t expect Rodgers to adapt his side’s style of play – one which saw them come agonisingly close to lifting their first Premier League trophy – with Lambert in the side, they now have the ability to make a more direct tactical switch if called upon.

What’s more is that Lambert’s ability on the ball, and the fact he is accustomed to playing a more expansive style of football, should allow him to fit seamlessly into Liverpool’s side. Under Mauricio Pochettino, Southampton have always tried to get the ball on the ground, dominate possession, and play attractive football.

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And under the Argentine, Lambert has excelled. His link-up play with the likes of Adam Lallana and Jay Rodriguez has been phenomenal at times – with a particularly notable performance against Tottenham. With the like of Suarez and Sturridge, as well as Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho, to work with, who’s to say that Lambert can’t reach even greater heights.

Liverpool weren’t crying out for star quality in their attack. They already possess it in abundance. But Lambert’s addition seems right. He can provide something different to their current squad, and he should have no worries about having to adapt to their style of football. He may not cost have cost the earth, and may not yet have international recognition, but Lambert could just prove the shrewdest signing of the summer.

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Everton defender Phil Jagielka has praised fellow team mate Marouane Fellaini after his two goals helped Everton come away with a point against Fulham on Saturday.

Despite the Toffees conceding a last minute goal to prevent them from coming away with all three points at Craven Cottage, Jagielka has described the Belgian midfeilder’s performance as “special.”

The England international also claims that Fellaini’s ability to control the ball with his chest can make him a handful to play against.

He told Everton’s official website: “Felli scored with two fantastic finishes. First half I thought he was good, but second half he was special.

“Right from the first minute, he brought it down on his chest and you know that he is going to be a handful. He proved that because his first goal was good but his second was even better.

“He manages to kill a ball quite well. If you have ever tried to control a 40-yard pass from me on your chest it’s not the easiest thing in the world. But he manages to pick up the flight really well and cushion it down.”

Jagielka also went on to admit that he is disappointed Everton couldn’t kill the game off to ensure Fulham’s final minute equaliser wouldn’t affect the final result.

“I thought we played ok first half but in the second we played very well,” he added.

“We showed signs of how well we have been playing for most of the season. We took control of the game and got the two goals.

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“We could have got a third goal, which would have killed the game off. It feels like two points lost.”

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