[NoSkillz]

Sat. October 28, 2023

Barclays Premier League
Dover (6-2-0, 20 points, 1st) vs. Birmingham (1-1-6, 4 points, 18th)
Crabble Athletic Ground, Dover, UK

Betting Odds: Dover: 1-6 (Favourites) Draw: 5-1 Birmingham: 10-1
Past Meetings: 4W 0D 1L

We are MONSTER favourites against relegation candidates Birmingham City, who surprised in their first year back up in the top flight last year, finishing 17th and surviving. They were decent spenders in July, spending £5 million on midfielder/fullback John Broome from Manchester United and £4.6 million on 27 year old Everton midfielder Pierre Anton. Neither player looks like a difference maker so perhaps some poor decisions there. This isn’t a great club and we humbled them both times we faced them last year.

Games are coming fast and furious and with another game in three days against Derby, we’ll be playing a lot of backups today, with Manuel Perez, Rafinha, Helder Cruz, Jose, Gian Marco Fanfoni, Graham Allan and Zoltan Bardi all playing. I’m also giving a start to unfit Rayane Hamon, as we don’t have a reserves game coming up for another week and a half and I need to get him some playing time.

Dover: 4-4-2 Control
GK - M. Perez
D - Rafinha, R. Hamon, S. Nasri, S. Loucif
M - H. Cruz, Jose, G. Fanfoni, G. Allan
S - P. Moses, Z. Bardi
Bench - C. Guzman, M. Yilmaz, N. Cairney, E. Harvey, L. Kunchev, A. Broomes, S. Andrea

Ugh. Birmingham are coming out in a very defensive looking 4-2-1-2-1 formation, with two DMCs and only young Joe Mason up front. Edwin Leferink is in goal. They are going to play close to the vest tonight and I will hope to score early in order to break them out of their shell. We’ll be ready to switch to an attacking mentality if we’re slow to get on the board. Only Graham Allan shows overconfidence but I tell the team I expect a win today.

2’ - We have a free kick around midfield and Fanfoni touches it to Jose, who then immediately sends a through ball into the area. Helder Cruz latches onto it and shoots from an awkward angle and the ball is off Leferink and IN THE NET! There is the fast start I wanted!!! DOVER GOAL 1-0

19’ - No real chances since our goal, as Birmingham is still content to sit back and look for the counter. Cruz gets a ball into Moses and he left foots it on goal but it’s an easy stop for Leferink.

40’ - We earn a corner and Jose’s kick is headed toward goal by Rayane Hamon. The ball bounces off a Birmingham defender and pops out to Graham Allan and his quick shot is off another Birmingham defender protecting the post and goes IN. Allan’s first of the season! DOVER GOAL 2-0

HALFTIME - Birmingham didn’t even TRY to go on offence as we hold 52% of possession and an 8-0 (4-0 on target) shot advantage. I am guessing they will try to open it up a bit in the second half…or maybe that’s just what I’m hoping for! I tell the team i’m pleased thus far - not much else to say when Birmingham is giving us nothing and keeping all of their men behind the ball. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for a formation change on their part.

52’ - Birmingham continue to sit back but we get a great chance, with Moses touching a ball into Allan and he misses WIDE on a complete sitter. Great opportunity wasted there!

64’ - Helder Cruz with a yellow card, as we continue to struggle breaking them down.

Zoltan Bardi is a bit banged up so I take him out and bring in Shanon Andrea, hoping he can break his season-long slump.

77’ - Allan streaks down the right wing and sends a great, low cross into the area to Andrea. He’s got the net at his mercy…and shoots right at the Birmingham keeper. UGH. Come on Shanon!!

80’ - Emmerson Harvey comes in for Jose, who was great today.

Man, Birmingham BLOW. Even down two goals, they were only sending three men up field when they had the ball. Enjoy the Championship next year guys.

Dover 2 - 0 Birmingham
Goals - Helder Cruz (7.5), Graham Allan (7.6)
Assists - Jose 2 (7.6)
Man of the Match - Jose
Other Dover Notables - Salim Loucif (7.0), Saber Nasri (7.4), Rayane Hamon (7.1), Rafinha (7.0)
Attendance - 20,407

We dominate but only score twice due to Birmingham’s negative tactics, holding 58% of possession and a 21-2 (7-0 on target) shot advantage. Our strikers couldn’t get anything going with six guys back in the middle but we’ll take the three points.

-- Other winners include Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool but Manchester City can only manage a draw against Sunderland.


BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE - STANDINGS
(ALL TEAMS HAVE PLAYED 9 GAMES UNLESS NOTED)

1. Dover - 23 points
2. Liverpool - 22 points
3. Manchester City - 21 points
4. Manchester United - 20 points
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5. Arsenal - 16 points
6. Middlesbrough - 16 points
7. Tottenham - 15 points
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Barclays Premier League Team of the Week

-- Midfielder Helder Cruz makes the team of the week after scoring against Birmingham.



Next Up

-- We have a fourth round League Cup match against Championship side Derby.