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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

Aston Villa’s 2-2 draw against Manchester United extended Wesley’s run of Premier League games without a goal or assist to six.

For most strikers, especially big name signings for top tier teams, this would be a pretty disastrous dry spell, putting their place in the team at risk.

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An example of this comes from Sebastien Haller, who was dropped to the bench for West Ham United’s win against Chelsea, having failed to make a goal contribution in five matches.

While the current run will be of annoyance to Wesley, it can be argued that he is still making his mark despite his limited goal threat, leading the line in an unorthodox fashion.

He may not have scored against United, but Wesley was accurate with his shooting at Old Trafford, with one effort going on target and his only other one being blocked.

A lot can be said about his style of play from the amount of battling and defensive work he did, winning two aerial duels, successfully making two tackles and four clearances.

It is this sacrificial work rate that makes Wesley such an important player for Villa, offering something very different to many strikers in the Premier League.

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The suggestion can also be made that his overpowering presence can create space for his fellow attackers, with Jack Grealish’s wonderful goal to open the scoring against United offering an example of this.

While Anwar El Ghazi was running down the right-hand-side, Wesley made a movement towards the front post with Victor Lindelof as company. However, Aaron Wan-Bissaka felt the need to come over to support his defensive partner in a central position.

This meant that when El Ghazi’s overcooked cross fell at the feet of the captain, he had more time to set himself and was eventually up against Andreas Pereira, who he had already beat numerous times in the early stages.

Grealish still had a lot to do, but Wesley’s running into the box certainly helped to make things easier for him – with that and his overall game considered, while the Brazilian isn’t getting goals, he is certainly making an impact for his team.

In other news, Villa are open to selling one of their attackers in January.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Sheffield Wednesday’s season so far has been full of surprises – whether they are good or bad is up to interpretation, but as it stands, they are surpassing the exploits of the two teams that reached the playoffs under Carlos Carvalhal.

So that’s one positive.

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However, off the pitch, uncertainty continues to mount with owner Dejphon Chansiri staring down the barrel of a permanent ban from football while the English Football League could slap the club with a vast 21-point deduction.

Either way, their fate looks sure to be sealed depending on the influence of one key factor – Hillsborough stadium.

On the Chalkboard

Their home ground holds the keys to any form of success this campaign.

Under the stewardship of Garry Monk, the Owls are yet to lose on their own patch – that’s three wins and four draws since the 40-year-old took charge in September.

Overall from ten matches, Wednesday have the ninth-best home record in the division having lost just once when Lee Bullen was in caretaker charge.

It was that 2-1 defeat to Queens Park Rangers that led to the decision to appoint Monk permanently.

Solid form at home is usually a fantastic foundation for promotion – the two teams that finished top in the table last season were both promoted. Norwich City and Sheffield United only lost four of their 23 games, per Transfermarkt.

In addition, it is the dubious sale of Hillsborough that could lead to the messy situation that everyone is fearing.

Wednesday could be made an example of, either through expulsion from the Championship or a hefty points penalty that would see them go from playoff contenders to relegation favourites.

Therefore, their chances of success this season could well hinge on their home comforts, both on and off the pitch.

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In other news, Sheffield Wednesday outcast Jordan Rhodes may still have a future at the club

Former Everton defender Alan Stubbs believes that Duncan Ferguson’s mini-revival at Goodison Park will have played a part in bringing Carlo Ancelotti to the club.

Reports on Thursday suggested that the Toffees remain hopeful that the club can bring the 60-year-old to Merseyside, with talks continuing as they look to find a permanent replacement for Marco Silva.

Ferguson, who has taken interim charge of the club since the Portuguese’s sacking earlier this month, has overseen a four-point haul from fixtures against Chelsea and Manchester United, before being knocked out of the EFL Cup on penalties by Leicester City in midweek.

Speaking to TalkSPORT, Stubbs feels that should Ancelotti finalise his move to the blue half of Liverpool, the feel-good factor left from Ferguson’s stand-in spell will have played a part.

He said: “Duncan has had a short-term impact on the team, he’s given them a bit of life and more importantly he’s given Everton fans a bit of optimism.

“He has shown, with a little bit of razzing up and with a little bit of heart and desire what is possible.

“Duncan has given Ancelotti a better platform to work from than what he inherited from Marco Silva.

“So I would have thought Ancelotti will be very thankful that he’s coming into a club with a bit more optimism about it than there was three weeks ago.”

Stubbs’ assertion that Everton’s hopes of bringing Ancelotti to the club on the basis of their most recent performances sounds a little far-fetched – if not complete guesswork.

Links between the Italian and the Toffees were apparent when he was sacked by Napoli – just days after Everton had been guided to victory over Chelsea by temporary boss Ferguson.

That suggests results almost certainly had no effect on the club’s ambition to pursue the former Real Madrid boss, while someone like Ancelotti – who has also been linked with the Arsenal vacancy – would surely base a decision to join a club outside of European football on more than a mere handful of scorelines.

At most, Ferguson’s promising interim spell may encourage Ancelotti’s beliefs of turning Everton into a success if he agrees to take over, while Stubbs crediting his fellow Scot for the potential incoming of the ex-Chelsea manager is perhaps a little harsh on the ambitious Everton board.

Watch Everton V Burnley Free with Prime on Boxing Day

Celtic fans have been discussing a reported transfer target this week after a fresh update emerged.

It’s believed that the Scottish Premiership champions are keen on AFC Bournemouth winger Jordon Ibe this summer with the player willing to take a pay cut to make the switch north.

And this week fuel has been added to the fire after it was confirmed by manager Eddie Howe that the Cherries wouldn’t be offering the former Liverpool ace a new contract, leaving him free to depart the club.

It’s led to supporters discussing the potential of seeing Ibe at Parkhead.

Some are all for it with bold claims that he’s a better option than Jonny Hayes…

Whilst there are plenty of fans against the potential move.

The 24-year-old has really been an anonymous figure under Howe this campaign, playing just 227 minutes in all competitions, via Transfermarkt.

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In fact, he’s hardly set the ground alight ever since a club-record £15m move from Anfield in 2016 – he’s managed to provide only five goals and nine assists from 92 appearances.

So no wonder that some are advising the club to steer well clear of the wide man.

There were even a few members of the Hoops faithful comparing him to Scott Sinclair, who joined Celtic in similar circumstances before going on to prove himself at Parkhead.

It remains to be seen if Neil Lennon holds any genuine interest in the young attacker, but evidently, his arrival would divide opinion in Glasgow.

AND in other news, Celtic fans slam transfer links to Premier League shot-stopper…

Many Everton fans have been lauding Mason Holgate after a clip emerged from a training game involving the first team squad in which the central defender chased down Richarlison to slide and block a cross from the Brazilian, as the video was posted on the Merseyside club’s official Twitter page.

The Toffees returned to Goodison Park on Saturday to play in an 11-v-11 training match made up of mixed teams as they continued their preparations for the Merseyside derby against bitter rivals Liverpool on Sunday. The highlights of the game have been shared by the club and you can catch up on them here if you have missed out.

One player who seems to have stood out was Holgate, perhaps giving a thought to Carlo Ancelotti to start him against Jurgen Klopp’s men. The 23-year old has won 4.9 duels per Premier League appearances so far in the 2019/20 season, and also averages 3.3 clearances, 1.7 tackles and 1.1 interceptions, according to Sofascore.

These Blues fans seemed to like what they saw from the Englishman, as one Everton supporter even claimed ‘Salah’s got no chance’, referring to Holgate defending against Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah ahead of the derby:

Evertonians, is Holgate your best defender? Comment below with your views!

Key information about Brunton Park

Brunton Park was built in 1908 and is currently the home of League Two side, Carlisle United. The ground is located in the city of Carlisle in Cumbria and is the largest stadium in England that is not all-seated.

Its current capacity stands at 18,202 and the pitch measures 106m by 65m. The field also has a grass surface with no running track surrounding it nor undersoil heating presently installed.

The stadium’s record attendance was set when 27,500 supporters watched Carlisle United face Birmingham City on 5 January 1957.

A history of Brunton Park

Carlisle United’s current ground was built in 1908, four years after the club was officially renamed from Shaddongate United in 1904. Until then, they were playing their football on two different stadiums – first at a ground called Millholme Bank but it was often deemed far too small for their ambitions and increasing crowds so they had to move.

After joining the Lancashire Combination league, they decided to give Devonshire Park a shot but were eventually evicted, forcing them to finally establish Brunton Park and settle there for good in 1909.

And it goes without saying that both the club and its famous stadium have quite a rich history, most of which is marred with accidents, forced renovation, loss and just downright bad luck. At first, everything seemed rosy for Carlisle United and after constructing the stands and finally starting to feel at home, disaster struck.

In 1953 the original wooden grandstand which sat where the Main Stand is now was burned to the ground in a huge fire that was reportedly caused by an electrical fault. Unfortunately for them, this forced the club to sell one of their best players, Geoff Twentyman, to Liverpool for £12,500 so they could fund the rebuild.

With more money now on the way, the new West Stand was constructed and the club would march forward after a rather shaky spell that definitely set them back a couple of years in terms of both on and off the pitch development. But that’s not nearly the end of their misfortune.

In 2005, the rivers Eden, Caldew and Petteril all burst their banks in Carlisle due reportedly as much as 180mm rainfall on the day, flooding some of the areas of the city. And as fate would have it, the worst affected area was indeed Warwick Road, where, you guessed it, Brunton Park is located.

This forced a six-week relocation to Christie Park in Morecambe while repair work took place but they would still manage to tally decent results, even reaching the playoffs in the Conference that campaign while also winning promotion back into the Football League.

Still, the flooding didn’t stop there either as they suffered similar issues in 2009 and 2015 with the latter bringing significant damage and once again forcing them to temporarily relocate. It’s also interesting to note that the matchday car park is flooded at least once every year.

As for their redevelopment of the ground, in 1996 the East Stand was opened and there were even ambitious plans to turn the stadium into an all-seater. However, the departure of owner Michael Knighton and their financial difficulties meant that little was done in their modern history.

In 2011, they did announce they would be leaving Brunton Park for a new 12,000-seat stadium in the Kingmoor area of the city as part of the ‘Project Blue Yonder’ but that has also been scrapped some years down the line.

Tickets to watch Carlisle United at Brunton Park

All tickets to watch Carlisle United at Brunton Park can be found on the club’s official website. The price varies and you will experience an increase in cost if you’re buying on the day of the match but the most expensive seated adult ticket costs £19 in pre-sale.

The club also offers season tickets as a way to save money over an extended period of time. All information can be found on their website.

Related links

https://www.carlisleunited.co.uk/ – Official website of Carlisle United

Journalist Dom Howson, who writes for Yorkshire Live, has tweeted aboutÂcentre-back Julian Borner, which has caused many of the Sheffield Wednesday fans to discuss the player.

The Sheffield Wednesday writer tweeted: “A year ago today, #SWFC completed the signing of Julian Börner. He has had his ups and downs but I think overall he has been a good free transfer signing.”

Since signing for the club, the German defender has made 37 appearances, keeping ten clean sheets and even managing to pick up one goal, per Transfermarkt. Clearly manager Garry Monk sees him as a good quality player as he has started him in a lot of games this season and at the age of 29, he looks like he will be in the starting eleven for a good couple of seasons.

However it seems like fans believe he is hit and miss and whilst some are appreciating his spell at the club, others believe he could have done better. The negative views perhaps come from a frustration at the team sitting 16th in the division with only four games left, per BBC Sport, with the German having played a major part in a largely disappointing campaign.

Here is what fans said following the tweet:

Owls fans, what are your thoughts on Borner? Comment below!

Everton haven’t had the best of seasons, but despite a poor campaign, they seem to be set up for a more successful year next time around.

The Toffees have one of the best managers in history at the helm with three-time Champions League winner Carlo Ancelotti tasked with guiding the Merseyside club back to the top half, but if he’s going to be successful he’ll need a few reinforcements.

Recent reports indicate that Ancelotti could be ready to reunite with one of his former players.

Watch Everton Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Serbian outlet Novosti are reporting that the Goodison Park outfit are interested in former Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic.

The 36-year-old is a free agent after his contract at Zenit expired at the end of the season, and it seems as though he could be on his way back to England.

Now, Nobody is going to claim that Ivanovic is still at the level he was when he was winning league titles and Champions League’s with Chelsea, but the 36-year-old has been there and done it all in England, and that type of experience will go a long way in the dressing room and on the pitch.

Everton lost Phil Jagielka last summer and Leighton Baines has just retired, so players with such a level of experience are no longer abundant in the dressing room.

The fact that Sheffield United are keen kept Jagielka on for another season due to his leadership abilities shows exactly what Everton lost when he left, and they could replace that with a 36-year-old Ivanovic who knows what it takes to play at the very highest level in this country.

Ivanovic may not be a bonafide starter week in, week out at his age, but his presence in the dressing room would be incredibly welcome.

Southampton have signed Kyle Walker-Peters from Tottenham Hotspur, with former Saints captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg heading in the opposite direction.

Walker-Peters, 23, has left north London for St Mary’s for a reported fee worth £12m after initially arriving on loan in January.

The full-back started the last two Premier League games of the season, helping Southampton beat Bournemouth and Sheffield United in the process.

He was famously part of the England U20 international squad who won the World Cup in 2017, but fell out of favour with Spurs boss Jose Mourinho after appearing to take a potshot at the Portuguese in an interview at the start of the year.

Walker-Peters, who is reportedly best friends with Dele Alli, made 24 appearances for his boyhood club, scoring one goal and supplying five assists in all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

He has signed a five-year deal with the Saints, having spent the second half of last season on loan at St Mary’s.

The academy graduate featured for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side in all of their top flight games following the Premier League restart as Southampton surged to an 11th-placed finish.

He told the club’s official website “I’m delighted to have signed here. The last few months on loan have been great for me and a lot of fun too. I’ve really enjoyed my football, the atmosphere here and also the style of play.”

“The club definitely fits the way I like to play, and I hope that people were able to see that during the last month or so of the season.

“I feel like I’ve already developed in the time I’ve been here, and that’s a big part of wanting to stay too. Obviously, it’s a club with a great reputation for improving young players and, personally, I’ve found it really valuable working under the manager, with his ideas on the game and what he expects from you as an individual.

“I think the way we finished the season gives us real optimism about where we’re heading too, and it just feels like a really good place for me to keep developing as a player and make the best out of what I have.”

The Portuguese now has a problem he urgently needs to address, as his departure has left Spurs short of options. Serge Aurier remains the club’s only designated right-back, but his future remains uncertain, amid interest from AC Milan.

While Walker-Peters has played well since the restart, he never managed to impress in the first team at his boyhood club. Daniel Levy can use the much-needed funds to find a suitable replacement in the summer.

Tottenham fans, do you think Levy has made the right decision letting Walker-Peters leave? Let us know down below!

It speaks volumes of just how highly rate Steven Gerrard rates Alfredo Morelos, that the Rangers striker who has been linked with a move away all summer, has started in each and every single Scottish Premiership game of the new season.

The Colombia international has struck two goals and provided a further two assists in his opening four league games, but whilst that return is more than respectable, the simple fact is that Gerrard must surely be planning for life without the 24-year-old.

Lille, one of the clubs who are reported to be interested in him, are said to have bid £16m for him, whilst Football Insider have recently claimed that Morelos’ exit this summer is “almost inevitable”.

Are you a massive Rangers fan? Know everything about the club? Well do you know your Gary Stevens from your Michael Ball? This quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…

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It’s exactly why Gerrard must not waste any time, and unleash of the forwards he brought into Ibrox in the off-season: Kemar Roofe.

The former Leeds man enjoyed a fine year whilst at Belgian side Anderlecht in the 2019/2020 campaign, scoring seven goals in 16 games before a calf injury ended his season short.

His former manager at Elland Road, Thomas Christiansen, waxed lyrical about his abilities, saying: “Kemar is able to push forward, defend with it and still turn up in the sixteen. His height seems a disadvantage, but that is it is not. Kemar is strong and jumps high. He will score with his head. He is a goal-getter. He will score at least twenty. Kemar is cold-blooded for the goal. And he can also finish with his left and right.”

That ability to score off either foot makes him a dangerous striker for defenders to stop, not knowing which way to force him. And plus, being the journey man player he has been – Roofe has already played for eight different clubs all across Europe – he will inevitably be motivated to make sure he can be a success at a massive club like Rangers.

And motivation is something Morelos just seems to be lacking at the moment with all the speculation linking him away with a move, with Alan Hutton claiming after the goalless Livingston draw: “He just looked back to his previous self if you want. Even the way he came off the pitch, it’s been well highlighted that he looked angry, he didn’t look interested, it just didn’t go down well for everybody looking on.”

Roofe may not be similar in playing style to Morelos, but he could similarly rip defences to shreds. His best season at Leeds, in which he netted 15 goals in the Championship, saw him average an impressive 3.1 shots and 0.8 key passes per game. The 27-year-old comes alive in the final third, and with that chip on his shoulder, could see him wreak havoc in Scottish football.