[NoSkillz]

Sat. October 7, 2023

Barclays Premier League
Dover (3-2-0, 11 points, 5th) vs. Huddersfield (2-1-3, 7 points, 10th)
Crabble Athletic Ground, Dover, UK

Betting Odds: Dover: 4-6 (Favourites) Draw: 9-4 Huddersfield: 7-2
Past Meetings: 8W 1D 3L

Huddersfield are coming off their worst season since being promoted to the Premier League in 2015, gaining only 40 points and a 15th place finish last year. They didn’t spend much in the July transfer window, with their most notable signing being fullback Andrea Cerri from French club Stade Rennais FC. Top players for Huddersfield include midfielder Dennis Lotters, striker Paul Lumsden and striker David Caldwell. Lumsden is hurt for today’s game.

A number of changes today from our lethargic performance against Bayern Munich in Champions League play. Paul Moses is back in for the ineffective Shanon Andrea and despite his struggles, I’ll give Chiquinho another shot today. Neil Cairney and Gianluca Bolis will rest today and in their place will be Jose and Graham Allan. Rafinha and Mohamed Lamine Yilmaz come in at defence for Renato Gaucho and Claudio Contreras.

Dover: 4-4-2 Control
GK - I. Wilke
D - Rafinha, M. Yilmaz, S. Nasri, S. Loucif
M - A. Bamba, Jose, A. Rocca, G. Allan
S - P. Moses, Chiquinho
Bench - C. Guzman, C. Contreras, G. Fanfoni, N. Cairney, H. Cruz, G. Bolis, Z. Bardi

Huddersfield are in a 4-4-2 as well, with veteran striker Nelson Oliveira up front with David Caldwell. Alex Smithies is in goal. We lost in our last game to Huddersfield and I want a better performance today. I tell the team this is a winnable game and pull aside Chiquinho to tell him I have faith in his abilities.

2’ - WOW. Huddersfield midfielder Robbie Brady annihilates Andrea Rocca, going studs up on a tackle and he’s shown the straight RED CARD after 60 seconds of play! They are down to ten men SUPER EARLY! HUDDERSFIELD DOWN TO TEN MEN

I can already tell Huddersfield are going into a defensive shell, as they take their time over a couple of goal kicks.

7’ - Graham Allan with the first shot on goal but it’s stopped by Smithies.

21’ - I’m grinding my teeth as Huddersfield seem to have a lot of the ball despite being down to ten men but Jose gets possession and sends a pass up to Moses. He’s 25 yards out and decides to shoot and it shockingly is in the far corner of the net! Moses is incredible. DOVER GOAL 1-0

25’ - Rooca with a free kick and Smithies makes the lovely diving stop.

37’ - Dennis Lotters takes down Andrea Rocca in the area and it’s a PENALTY! Neil Cairney is on the bench so up steps the struggling Chiquinho. I already know what’s going to happen and indeed, Chiquinho goes left and the goalie is there to make the spectacular diving save. My God - our big striker is in a HUGE SLUMP again. The play continues and we gain possession again. Rocca delivers a long ball up to Allan and when he reaches the area, he passes back to Rocca. Our midfielder has time and shoots and the ball DEFLECTS OFF CHIQUINHO and goes INTO THE NET! HAHA! What a NUTTY sequence but Chiquinho gets his slump buster and we have a two goal lead! DOVER GOAL 2-0

HALFTIME - Well, it took awhile but we’re in complete control now. 64% of possession and a 14-4 (7-1 on target) shot advantage. I tell the team I’m pleased but pull aside Graham Allan, who is showing signs of over confidence and tell him I’m disappointed in his attitude.

50’ - We head a ball into Huddersfield territory and their defender Antonio Guzzetti has it but his touch back to the keeper is too soft and Paul Moses jumps on it. Smithies makes the point blank save on Moses but there is Chiquinho to gobble up the rebound and he POUNDS it into the back of the net! Two for Chiquinho and we have three! DOVER GOAL 3-0

61’ - With the game well in hand, I take out Andrea Rocca and captain Salim Loucif and bring in Gian Marco Fanfoni and Carlos Guzman.

67’ - Rafinha sends a little touch pass to Gian Marco Fanfoni and his rocket blast is stopped by Smithies but there is CHIQUINHO gobbling up the rebound and he scores AGAIN! A hat trick for Chiquinho!!! DOVER GOAL 4-0

With the huge lead, we go ahead and make our last substitution, bringing in Helder Cruz for Arsene Bamba.

90’+1 - Jose with a corner kick and the cross is to the far post and Mohamed Lamine Yilmaz heads it into the back of the net for his first career goal for Dover!!! Great moment for the young central defender! DOVER GOAL 5-0

That’s a professional win and I’m relieved that Chiquinho broke his slump.

Dover 5 - 0 Huddersfield
Goals - Chiquinho 3 (9.5), Paul Moses (8.4), Mohamed Lamine Yilmaz (8.9)
Assists - Jose 2 (8.8), Andrea Rocca (7.2), Paul Moses, Gian Marco Fanfoni (7.0)
Man of the Match - Chiquinho
Other Dover Notables - Salim Loucif (7.5), Saber Nasri (8.2), Rafinha (8.0), Graham Allan (7.6)
Attendance - 21,314

We hold 62% of possession and a 27-8 (13-1 on target) shot advantage. Great win with a number of key players on the sidelines today!

-- Liverpool knock off Reading 1-0 and United also win over Fulham. Middlesbrough can only manage a draw against Wolves and Chelsea finally get back on the winning track, knocking off Sunderland 2-1 at the Stadium of Light. Man City and Arsenal draw 1-1 in a big Sunday matchup.


BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE - STANDINGS
(ALL TEAMS HAVE PLAYED 7 GAMES UNLESS NOTED)

1. Manchester City - 17 points
2. Liverpool - 16 points
3. Middlesbrough - 16 points
4. Dover - 14 points (after 6 games)
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5. Manchester United - 13 points (after 6 games)
6. Reading - 13 points
7. Tottenham - 11 points
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Dover U18 Update

-- The kids win by the same scoreline as the senior team, taking a 5-0 decision over Portsmouth U18s. Gary Archer bagged a brace while Norberto Vazquez, Steven Miller and Sean Woolley notched singles. Archer also had two assists in a splendid performance.



International Duty

-- We have twenty players called up for international duty next weekend. We’ll report back with caps after the games take place.



Barclays Premier League Team of the Week

-- We place three players on the team of the week, with Mohamed Lamine Yilmaz, Jose and Chiquinho getting the honours.



Injury Update

-- Our only injury is to defender Rayane Hamon, who will still be out a couple of weeks with his fractured arm. Saber Nasri, our new DC signing, has been sensational since coming on for Hamon.



Dover Reserves Team Update

-- We have a reserves match only one day prior to playing Newcastle in the league so I have a squad filled with U18 players and we end up losing our first game of the year to Chelsea’s reserves 2-1, with our only score being a Chelsea own goal.



Next Up

-- Our third home game in a row, as we host struggling Newcastle in Premier League play.