[NoSkillz]

Sat. September 13, 2025

Barclays Premier League
Dover (3-0-0, 9 points, 3rd) vs. Chelsea (1-1-1, 4 points, 10th)
Crabble Athletic Ground, Dover, England

Betting Odds: Dover: 5-4 (Favourites) Draw: 11-5 Chelsea: 7-4
Past Meetings: 3W 5D 8L

Chelsea is likely the team that gives us the most trouble out of anyone in the world right now, as we only own three measly wins in 16 career matchups. In fact, it’s been almost two and a half years since our last win over them in a FA Cup match in March 2023. They finished 3rd last year right behind us on the table but have dealt with a very difficult early season schedule, with Arsenal, Liverpool and our club among their first four games. Incredibly, Chelsea only brought in four players during the transfer window for a total of £10 million. That’s crazy! Reading’s Gabriel Ochieng was the big purchase for a modest £7.5 million. They have a lot of midfield talent but I wonder where their goals are going to come from, as their strikers are getting way up there in age.

We are coming in to this a bit gassed due to the international fixtures and the fact that we have our first Champions League match coming up in three days and against Real Madrid at that, means we will rotate the squad a bit today. Manuel Lugo starts at striker in place of Chiquinho, Rafinha stays in at left midfield while Mads Pedersen will also be held out until the Madrid game. Gianluca Bolis draws in at right midfield and Mwemere Mutesa is in at centre half back in place of Claudio Contreras.

Dover: 4-4-2 Control
GK - I. Wilke
D - Renato Gaucho, M. Mutesa, R. Hamon, S. Loucif
M - Rafinha, Jose, B. Raab, G. Bolis
S - P. Moses, M. Lugo
Bench - R. Lopez, A. Torres, P. Secchi, N. Cairney, M. Pedersen, S. De la Vega, A. Broomes

Chelsea come out in a tight 4-4-2 diamond formation with no wingers. Romelu Lukaku is up front with Pinga but the man to watch is AMC Miguel Sousa. Danny Udoji is their keeper - he’s a new name to me, as is Pinga. I tell the team to perform well for the supporters and pull aside Paul Moses, Gianluca Bolis and Jose for personal chats.

7’ - Chelsea start a counter attack and this formation looks to be troublesome for us, as Sousa is causing our defence to chase and that’s opening up room in the middle. Chelsea work the ball back to midfielder Ignacio Villa and he POUNDS the ball into the back of the net for the early goal! CHELSEA GOAL 0-1

HALFTIME - We outplayed Chelsea but they have the only goal. We hold 53% of possession and a 9-4 (1-1 on target) shot advantage. We need more.

66’ - Paul Moses is banged up and I pull him off for Andy Broomes. I also take out Jose and bring in Neil Cairney.

67’ - Immediately after the changes, Benedikt Raab sends a corner kick to the near post and there is Rayane Hamon to head it past Udoji and IN! DOVER GOAL 1-1

Chelsea switch to a 4-1-3-1-1 formation.

75’ - We bring in Mads Pedersen and take out Rafinha.

79’ - We have a throw in down the left and Renato Gaucho throws it to Broomes. He takes the ball and just makes a bee line toward the Chelsea area. He cuts in and bends a shot around the defence and into the corner of the net. OH MY GOD! “Magical stuff from Broomes!” DOVER GOAL 2-1

Flat 4-4-2 for Chelsea now.

GREAT comeback!

Dover 2 - 1 Chelsea
Goals - Rayane Hamon (8.0), Andy Broomes (8.1)
Assists - Renato Gaucho (8.0), Benedikt Raab (7.3)
Man of the Match - Andy Broomes
Other Dover Notables - Salim Loucif (7.6)
Attendance - 23,000

We held 55% of overall possession and outshot them 23-5 (4-1 on target). That Broomes goal was simply superb and he will start in our Champions League game coming up in a few days without question.

-- It continues to be a three team race early, as City and United match us with four wins in four matches. Arsenal knock off Hull 3-2 and Liverpool win 2-0 over Sheffield United.



Dover U18 Update

-- The U18s continue to roll, winning 5-0 over Oxford. Fernando Estrada scores two more goals and we get singles from Francisco Lopez, Marcus Sowter and Bakary Kone.

-- Two of the U18s come up with injuries: Juan Jose Culebras will miss a couple weeks with a neck issue while Jonathan Langlet will miss three weeks or so with a twisted ankle.



Champions League

-- So, I’m a complete moron, as I notice that Chiquinho, Jose AND Claudio Contreras are all suspended for our game tomorrow night against Real Madrid. If I had known that, I would have played Chiquinho and Contreras but instead, they’ll sit for a second consecutive game. We are in dire straits at central midfield, with Jose suspended, Emmerson Harvey injured and Paolo Secchi is ineligible due to the fact I had to leave two empty spots on our roster and he was one of the guys I left out of the squad. We essentially have only one other central midfielder on the team and that’s 16 year old Michel Benard - Benard will be on the bench for the Madrid game out of necessity.



Next Up

-- We host Real Madrid, as we begin group play in the Champions League.