Ross Barkley is a player who has excelled this season. And with the England squad so desperately in need of some creativity and flair, it’s hard to see why he wouldn’t be in the 23-man World Cup squad. But with so much competition, you never know just who is going to be on the plane to Brazil.

Since making his debut for Everton in August 2011, Barkley has transformed himself into an outstanding attacking midfielder. His early performances were highly praised, with Martin Keown predicting that “Barkley will be one of the best players we’ll ever see in this country.” The Liverpudlian has scored 5 goals in 27 league appearances this season, including a phenomenal solo effort in Everton’s 3-0 win vs Newcastle on Tuesday night. This form was rewarded in early September with his first England cap in a 4-0 win vs Moldova, and he now has 3 caps for his country.

As early as 2011, former Everton teammate Tim Cahill said about the youngster,  “I have played with some great players in my career but I do not think I have ever seen a talent like Ross.”  That talent and technical ability is definitely coming into his game now and has shone throughout this season. What separates Barkley from other talented players his age is his combination of impressive technical ability and standout physicality. His ability to sprint past players as if they aren’t there could be a huge bonus for England at the World Cup.

The midfielder, who has recently been likened to Paul Gascoigne and Michael Ballack by his manager, seems like he is improving every game.  The only thing he needs to do now is keep his head down, keep working, and impress Roy Hodgson enough to make his way into an England squad in need of a player like him to improve the creativity of the team. Having a player of Barkley’s talent and ability will help England compete with the likes of Spain and Germany — teams with plenty of players that will have the same attacking and direct playing style as the youngster.

In my opinion, Barkley is a much better choice for a midfielder spot than Tom Cleverley or James Milner, players who I believe have been getting in the squad through big-club bias or reputation. Barkley would work perfectly in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Gerrard and Carrick behind him and Rooney ahead of him, with the two holding midfielders allowing him to bomb on past Rooney and try to get at goal. Hodgson has a lot of talent to choose from and a lot of decisions to make, but including Barkley in his squad could turn out to be one of his best decisions yet.

Many were surprised when Chelsea announced the signing of FC Basel winger Mohamed Salah, late in the January transfer window. The young wideman, who started his career at Egyptian Premier League side El Mokawloon, joined the Blues for £11million, and will wear the number 15 shirt, after being heavily linked to Chelsea’s Premier League rivals Liverpool.

Salah played his youth football at El Mokawloon, and made his senior debut in May 2010, coming on as a substitute in a 1-1 draw against Mansoura. He became a regular for the side and made 41 appearances for the club, scoring 11 goals between 2010 and 2012. He has also represented Egypt at the U20, U23 and senior levels, plus represented his country at the 2011 U20 World Cup.

After monitoring Salah for some time, Swiss team Basel FC signed him on a four year deal in April 2012 following a friendly between Basel and Egypt U23 where Salah scored twice. His career quickly progressed at Basel and he became known for his blistering pace and exciting flair. He won the CAF Most Promising African Talent of the Year award in 2012. Salah rose to fame when in September 2013, he scored the equalizer against Chelsea in the 2–1 away win during the UEFA Champions League group stage, During the return tie, Salah scored the winner as Basel beat Chelsea 1-0.

During his 47 appearances for Basel, he scored 9 goals. His good form caught the eye of Liverpool, who reportedly sent scouts to watch him throughout the 2012-13 season. Despite their interest, Liverpool narrowly missed out to Chelsea, who supposedly saw Salah as a replacement for Juan Mata, who was sold to Manchester United for £37 million the day before the signing. Manchester United manager David Moyes could have probably done with a Virgin Games promotion code after that signing.

Salah made his debut for Chelsea in the 3-0 win against Newcastle, coming on with 12 minutes to play. He had a couple of chances but good goalkeeping from Tim Krul prevented him from scoring a debut goal. Although I think he may struggle getting consistent game time with the likes of Eden Hazard, Willian and Oscar to compete with, Salah’s directness and pace could prove an asset for Chelsea, and Mourinho will certainly be very pleased with his new signing.

Fact file: 

Full name: Mohamed Salah Ghaly
Date of birth: June 15, 1992 (age 21)
Place of birth: Basion, El Gharbia, Egypt
Height: 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position: Winger

For the latest Chelsea news, analysis and opinion, visit the Chelsea team page.

After enduring a different start to the 2013/14 season under Portuguese manager Andre Villas-Boas, Tottenham seem to have turned their fortunes around under new boss Tim Sherwood.

While Villas-Boas was in charge, Tottenham mainly used a 4-2-3-1 strategy, which left Soldado isolated up front. Although this formation is gaining popularity within England, probably due to the increasing foreign influence in the Premier League, Soldado struggled to cope as a lone striker and failed to produce his best performances, scoring just 4 goals in their first 15 league games, 3 of which were penalties.

Tim Sherwood, being a more traditional manager, has reverted to a more traditional 4-4-2 formation, giving Soldado a helping hand in the form of Adebayor. Previously demoted to train with the reserves by Villas-Boas and almost forgotten about, he has been a vital part of Tottenham’s turnaround in form, scoring 8 goals and assisting 2 in the league under Sherwood.

Sherwood’s side have shown staggering improvements and their 2-1 win away to Manchester United at Old Trafford was a clear indicator of the leaps and bounds they have taken since their 6-0 and 5-0 losses at Man City and Liverpool respectively. Although Sherwood may not be be the best manager technically, his decision to give youth players such as Nabil Bentaleb and Harry Kane more minutes in the first team has paid off and given his squad, which previously seemed so lacking in quality, some depth. Bentaleb has especially impressed, putting in a sold performance on his Premier League debut, appearing on the 50th minute and anchoring an Tottenham midfield with assurance and flair beyond his years.

Despite the improvement of Tottenham’s attack since the arrival of Sherwood, some credit must be given to the defense, who have only conceded 13 in the last 11 league games. This is clearly an area that still needs improvement and I’m sure a new centre back will be a priority for Tottenham in the summer, but the record is still impressive if you consider the previous 7 games — only 11 goals were conceded. Walker and Rose have done well in getting to the byline and supporting the attack as well as defending solidly, and Chiriches and Dawson have formed a formidable partnership at the back that has recently kept the likes of Luuk De Jong, Rickie Lambert and Wayne Rooney from scoring.

Although there is long way to go in the season, and Adebayor — who has been vital for Tottenham — has a tendency to lose form dramatically after a good run, Sherwood will manage to keep his players focused and continuing to flourish from his traditional methods that are clearly working. At this rate, Tottenham are strong contenders for an UEFA Champions League spot.

For more Spurs news, analysis and opinion, visit the Tottenham team page.