[NoSkillz]

Sat. November 23, 2024

Barclays Premier League
Dover (8-2-3, 29 points, 4th) vs. Middlesbrough (8-2-3, 26 points, 5th)
Crabble Athletic Ground, Dover, UK

Betting Odds: Dover: 4-5 (Favourites) Draw: 2-1 Middlesbrough: 3-1
Past Meetings: 8W 2D 4L

Middlesbrough are in their 14th straight year of top flight play and are coming off one of their finest seasons yet, finishing 8th last year with 61 points. Roland Hoxha has really come into his own and already has 15 goals and 4 assists in only 13 games. That’s exceptional form. The club spent £18.75 million in the transfer market including £7.5 million on veteran striker Robert Stoll (from Valladolid) and £6.5 million on defender Jorge Galeano from Koln in Germany. Middlesbrough are tied on points with us and will be a tough matchup.

We have a few tired players in the squad due to the international break. Notably, we’ll be starting 18 year old midfielder Felix Hernandez, who has been sensational for our U18 club - Mads Pedersen is on the bench today. We’ll play a 4-2-3-1 formation with Andy Broomes up front and Zoltan Bardi in behind. Chiquinho, very much out of form at the moment, will be on the bench if needed. Benedikt Raab will play midfield and Ingo Wilke is in goal for the flu-ridden Manuel Perez.

Dover: 4-4-2 DM (4-2-3-1) Control
GK - I. Wilke
D - Renato Gaucho, C. Contreras, R. Hamon, S. Loucif
M - B. Raab, Jose
AM - F. Hernandez, Z. Bardi, G. Bolis
S - A. Broomes
Bench - Rafinha, S. Nasri, N. Cairney, A. Rocca, M. Pedersen, G. Allan, Chiquinho

Middlesbrough are playing a 4-2-3-1 with three AMC’s. Hoxha is alone up front and Mark Robinson is in goal - he must be new. I want to see a good performance for the home fans today.

24’ - We are NOT playing well here but have held them off so far. We have a throw in deep in their end and the ball comes to Zoltan Bardi. He sends a touch pass through the area and our leading scorer Andy Broomes runs in, makes a little move and easily slots the ball past Robinson and in! DOVER GOAL 1-0

32’ - We move the ball up to Broomes at midfield and he puts on a SUPERB DISPLAY of skill, weaving through four defenders, getting into the area and shooting with his weaker foot past Robinson and IN. WHAT A GOAL! DOVER GOAL 2-0

Middlesbrough are forced into an early change and switch to a flat 4-4-2 looking for goals.

35’ - You simply can’t stop him! We have a free kick and Bardi touches a pass to Benedikt Raab. He touches a pass to Broomes, who moves back to his left again and RIPS ANOTHER LEFT FOOTED SHOT into the top corner past a sprawling Robinson! HAT TRICK FOR ANDY BROOMES!!! DOVER GOAL 3-0

HALFTIME - A simply ridiculous first half performance from Andy Broomes! He was everywhere and actually had two other great chances. We held 55% of possession and outshot them 11-5 (4-2 on target). We have a Champions League game in a few days but will be playing almost exclusively backups in that game so we don’t have to be too careful here. I’m pleased after a rough start…

56’ - YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME! Andy Broomes gets slugged down from behind and has the cross of doom over his head. NOOOOOOOOOO!!! He can stay in the game for now but this is NOT GOOD.

59’ - We take Broomes out, move Bardi up to striker and bring in Andrea Rocca to play AMC. Please be okay Andy!

80’ - Jose is exhausted so I move Felix Hernandez to the middle and bring in Rafinha to play AML.

90’ - Middlesbrough work up field and our defence leaves acres of space for Martin Marosi to run down the left flank. He cuts in and sends a pass into the middle to a completely unmarked Zeli Ismail and he easily slots the ball past a non-moving Ingo Wilke to get Middlesbrough on the board. Disgusting defence. Ugh. MIDDLESBROUGH GOAL 3-1

90’+1 - We have possession off the kick off and Rafinha sends a ball up to Bardi. He avoids a tackle and runs in on goal, slotting one into the far right corner past Robinson to restore our three goal cushion. Okay, I feel better now. DOVER GOAL 4-1

Please don’t be hurt Andy!!!

Dover 4 - 1 Middlesbrough
Goals - Andy Broomes 3 (9.6), Zoltan Bardi (8.4)
Assists - Ingo Wilke (7.6), Benedikt Raab (7.6), Zoltan Bardi, Rafinha (6.9)
Man of the Match - Andy Broomes
Other Dover Notables - Salim Loucif (7.2), Rayane Hamon (7.7), Claudio Contreras (7.4), Renato Gaucho (7.3)
Attendance - 21,689

We hold 53% of possession and a 23-9 (8-4 on target) shot advantage. Broomes was absolutely “Moses-Like” in this game, with incredible burst and vision.

-- THANK GOODNESS! Andy Broomes suffers a bruised rib on that challenge but will only miss about five days. WHEW! I wasn’t going to play him against Hibernian in the Champions League anyway so he should be fine for our next league match. DOVER INJURY: Andy Broomes (Bruised Rib - Five Days)

-- We don’t get much help throughout the league, as Man City beat Liverpool 4-1, United wallop Everton 5-0 and Chelsea beat Burnley 1-0. That said, Arsenal continue their shocking free fall, dropping their fourth straight league game in a 3-1 loss at Emirates to Sunderland. Crazy. Arsenal were in first a month ago and now are barely holding on to 7th.


BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE - STANDINGS
(ALL TEAMS HAVE PLAYED 14 GAMES UNLESS NOTED)

1. Manchester United - 35 points
2. Manchester City - 30 points
3. Dover - 29 points
4. Chelsea - 29 points (after 13 games)
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5. Newcastle - 26 points (after 13 games)
6. Middlesbrough - 26 points
7. Arsenal - 24 points
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Premier League Team of the Week

-- Making the team of the week are Zoltan Bardi and Andy Broomes.



Dover Injury Update

-- Andy Broomes (bruised rib) will be ready to return in our next league game. Arsene Bamba is a couple weeks from returning from his sprained ankle. Paul Moses (torn calf muscle) and Manuel Lugo (broken foot) are still at least a month or so away.



Next Up

-- We head to Scotland to face Hibernian in Champions League Group C action. We’ve already guaranteed our place in the knockout stages so this game will see plenty of reserves playing.