[NoSkillz]

Sat. February 6, 2021

Barclays Premier League
Dover (17-3-6, 54 points, 3rd) vs. Liverpool (12-4-10, 40 points, 6th)
Crabble Athletic Ground, Dover, UK

Betting Odds: Dover: 5-4 (Favourites) Draw: 11-5 Liverpool: 7-4
Past Meetings: 1W 1D 6L

We are starting to earn the respect of not only opponents but the odds makers, as we are favourites against powerful Liverpool. We have a bleak overall record against them but we shocked the world with a 4-2 away win earlier this season, perhaps our finest ever performance against a big club.

Liverpool started poorly then had a very solid run during the tail portion of the season's first half. Now that the schedule has turned, they are once again on a poor run of form with four winless games in succession against Arsenal, United, Sunderland and Reading. They are still comfortably in a Continental qualifying position and are still alive in this year's Champions League, having qualified first in their group as they prepare to face OM (Olympique de Marseille) in the two leg 1st knockout round.

Their leading scorer, with 9 goals, is new striker signing Piotr Parzyszek and fellow forward Rafael Flores is second with 9 goals. Veteran striker Edinson Cavani, now 33 years old, is third with 8. I'll also have to watch cultured midfielder Jonjo Shelvey, a constant thorn in our side, with 6 goals this season in 34 appearances.

In our last game, I had success using a flat 4-4-2 counter attack but I'll use a control philosophy today at home, at least to start. We managed the players well this week and despite playing Wednesday, I feel comfortable going with the same lineup as three nights ago, with the only addition being regular right back Salim Loucif taking over from second choice fullback Jozef Kuciak. Loucif was tired on Wednesday due to competing for Algeria in the African Cup of Nations.

Dover: 4-4-2 Control
GK - I. Wilke
D - R. Gaucho, C. Contreras, P. Tjiuoro, S. Loucif
M - A. Bamba, A. Rocca, N. Cairney, G. Bolis
S - G. Gesios, Z. Bardi
Bench - J. Varga, J. Kuciak, D. Pratley, Mancini, C. Murray, P. Kostal, P. Simek

Liverpool will start with a flat 4-4-2 as well, a bit different from the 4-4-2 diamond formation they used in our last contest. Parzyszek and Flores are up front and Shelvey is in the middle but he's tired and I will tell our group to tackle him hard to try to take him out of the game early. I tell the lads that we can win this game and pull aside Gesios (pick up where you left off), Bardi and Cairney (I have faith in your abilities) for personal chats.

7' - They get a great chance off a corner, as the ball squirts loose after Wilke makes a save on a header but we are able to clear from danger.

14' - There is about a four minute period of highlights, with a couple of LIverpool corners followed by a counter back up the field by us. Liverpool get the ball back and throw in to Rafael Flores down the right side. He doesn't have much pace but our players are laying off him. He cuts to the middle then makes a great move back to his right foot at the top of the box to gain a step on our defenders and seemingly surprises Wilke with a shot that goes into the right side of the net. Loose defending and Liverpool leads in a game they are controlling so far. LIVERPOOL GOAL 0-1

15 - Off the kick off, we work the ball from Bamba to Gesios and he cuts in nicely, working from his left foot to his right but his shot is saved by Chris Dunn, the Liverpool keeper.

19' - Neil Cairney and Giorgos Gesios work a lovely give and go, with Cairney's pass sending Gesios into the box. He has half a step but their defender Zargo Toure slides and takes Gesios down! PENALTY! Toure is given a yellow card and it's Cairney stepping up to take the kick. He slots the ball perfectly into the right side of the net for the equalizer! DOVER GOAL 1-1

22' - Cairney is really starting to show his great skill, as he sends a gorgeous killer ball through the middle of the pitch to Bardi. Our striker moves in toward the outer edge of the area but his low blast is saved well by Dunn. Good chance and great pass!

28' - It's Cairney again with a perfect touch pass through the middle but Dunn charges out and holds the ball JUST before Gesios got there. Great vision again!

40' - We continue to control play in the second portion of this half and Bamba gets the ball to Gesios around midfield. Gesios goes on an inspired run through the Liverpool defence, cuts in and sends a low, hard shot to the left corner of goal but a diving Dunn makes a spectacular effort to push the ball wide. Fantastic effort by both striker and goaltender.

43' - GREAT chance again, as we win a free kick and Rocca's cross into the box meets the head of 6' 4" left back Renato Gaucho but Dunn AGAIN dives to make the save. He's been sensational in the first half.

45'+1 - We win a corner and Rocca sends it to the far post. Bamba gets a great kick on the volley but it's blocked out by the Liverpool defence. We work the ball back into the middle to Cairney and he sends a curling blast from outside the area that rockets off the crossbar! Oh my! So close again! The whistle blows right after.

HALFTIME - Liverpool looked to have a significant possession advantage through the first 20 minutes but we must have dominated the second portion of the half. Still, Liverpool held the ball 53% of the time but we outshot them by a large margin, 12-6 (7-3 on target). Dunn has been outstanding for them in goal. I tell the players I'm pleased thus far and pull aside Claudio Contreras (6.1 - I have faith), Gesios (6.9 - I have faith) and the quiet Gianluca Bolis (6.2 - Prove a point) for individual talks.

62' - There were absolutely no highlights for the first 12 minutes or so but the first one shows Contreras getting banged up on a tackle attempt. He's going to be okay but he's dinged up enough that I bring in Mancini to play centre back in his place. This isn't a familiar position for Mancini, as I immediately regret not having a true DC on my bench today.

71' - Not a lot happening in this half, as Liverpool look to have gone into more of a defensive shell. We work the ball into Bolis around the outer right edge of the box and he makes a nice move to cut into the area but his low, far corner attempt is just wide.

77' - We work some give and go stuff around midfield and Cairney ends up laying the ball off for Rocca. From about 10 yards outside the box, he unleashes a howitzer that JUST curls wide. I make a substitution in an attempt to find a goal, bringing on Petr Simek for Zoltan Bardi.

89' - There is nothing happening. Gesios gets a yellow card on a harmless looking tackle. I change to a Counter Attack philosophy and take out the ineffective Bolis for Petr Kostal.

3 minutes of extra time but there are no more highlights. Boring second half after lots of excitement in the first.

Dover 1 - 1 Liverpool
Goals - Neil Cairney (7.4)
Assists - Giorgos Gesios (6.9)
Man of the Match - Neil Cairney
Other Dover Notables - Salim Loucif (7.0), Paulus Tjiuoro (7.0)
Attendance - 15,750 (Sell-out)

Liverpool decided to sit back in the second half and possession would end up all even, with us outshooting them 19-9 (7-3 on target). We've come a LONG way if we're drawing teams like Liverpool and coming away slightly disappointed. Their goaltender Chris Dunn was given a 7.3 but that should have been higher in my opinion.

-- Chelsea lost in a shocker to lowly Derby so we are now in third place all alone. City won and United, our next opponent, lost so City now leads the league by 6 points with eleven games left in the season.

-- Here's a look at the abbreviated standings. All teams have played 27 games:

1. Man City - 70 points
2. Man United - 64 points
3. Dover - 55 points
4. Chelsea - 54 points
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5. Arsenal - 45 points
6. Everton - 42 points
7. Reading - 42 points
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8. Liverpool - 41 points
9. Huddersfield - 37 points
10. Newcastle - 34 points

-- As an aside, 63 points was good enough for the Europa League last year and 72 points was good enough for the Champions League. Good targets for us to shoot for.



Dover U18 Update

-- Once again, it's young Italian striker Carlo Cerbone leading the way, scoring a goal in our 3-0 win over Kingstonian. Chris Patterson and Matt Hewitt also notched singles.



Dover Reserve Team Update

-- I start a very weak side due to having a number of players away on international duty and we draw versus Aston Villa 1-1. Reserve striker Dennis Kunz scores our only goal and on-loan winger Martin Prochazka gets the assist and man of the match honours.



Next Up

-- We head to Old Trafford to take on 2nd placed Manchester United