[NoSkillz]

Mon. January 1, 2024

Barclays Premier League
Everton (5-6-8, 21 points, 13th) vs. Dover (13-4-1, 43 points, 1st)
Goodison Park, Liverpool, UK

Betting Odds: Everton: 7-4 Draw: 11-5 Dover: 5-4 (Favourites)
Past Meetings: 7W 2D 4L

After a sixth place Premier League finish in 2020/21, Everton are back to their mid-table ways and sit in 13th spot right now. They don’t score many goals and have bulged the twine only 25 times in 19 Premier League matches thus far. 32 year old striker Chris Wood leads the club with 9 goals in 18 matches thus far - he’s still a dangerous player but he would be one of the weaker Premier League starting strikers. Everton held us to a draw at Crabble in the season opener so we hope to play a bit better today.

We just played two days ago and have yet another game tomorrow night and as a result, we’ll rotate the squad heavily for these two games. Andy Broomes will get his first ever Dover start today alongside Paul Moses. Manuel Perez, Rafinha, Saber Nasri, Andrea Rocca and Helder Cruz will all start today. A number of key players won’t even suit up today, as I’ll look to protect them for tomorrow’s home match against Blackpool. Sitting in the stands today are Arsene Bamba, Salim Loucif, Rayane Hamon, Chiquinho, Gianluca Bolis and Jose. Control mentality as slight road favourites today.

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

Everton are just as tired as we are and it’s Wood and Mike Hall up front in their flat 4-4-2 Franco Di Capua is in goal and old friend Daniel Traore starts at DC today. I tell the team they can win this game.

It’s snowing today.

8’ - We have a corner and Rocca goes short to Andy Broomes. It’s sent back to Rocca then delivered perfectly to Neil Cairney, who steps into a blast and rockets it off the crossbar!

17’ - Everton have controlled the last ten minutes and Wood gets a great chance off a Daniel Bentivoglio cross but Perez is in good position to make the stop.

35’ - We have possession at midfield and work it up to Andrea Rocca. He passes to Broomes and the youngster avoids a tackle from old friend Daniel Traore and walks right into the area, shooting low past Di Capua and in! Great goal! DOVER GOAL 1-0

41’ - We work a counter attack up the right sideline with Graham Allan. He streaks toward the byline and sends in a GREAT cross. Paul Moses is there to head it into the net but Di Capua makes an INCREDIBLE diving stop! WOW.

44’ - We send Broomes in again with a great through ball and he’s destined to score but Di Capua stops him. The rebound is right to Rocca and he shoots right away but Di Capua SAVES AGAIN! Holy crap!

45’ - Everton with a free kick and they work a pass into our area. Wood is there but Perez now steals the show with a spectacular save.

HALFTIME - The weather isn’t helping but Everton are doing a great job against us and we’re fortunate to be ahead. They hold 53% of possession and a 10-7 (3-3 on target) shot advantage. I tell the team I’m pleased to be ahead. We have a very tired squad right now - I’ll likely move to a counter attacking mentality at some point soon.

46’ - We win a corner right away and Rocca takes it. His cross is to the far post and Claudio Contreras heads it off an Everton defender and IN! Great start to the half! DOVER GOAL 2-0

50’ - Rafinha with a takedown and a yellow card.

53’ - Rocca with a bullet from distance but Di Capua is in good position and makes the stop.

67’ - Andy Broomes with a yellow card now.

71’ - We have a throw in down the left side and Helder Cruz throws it to Moses just inside the area. He’s taken down and the referee points to the spot - PENALTY! Wow - that’s a weird call there and Everton are ANGRY! Neil Cairney steps up, goes low and right and it’s past Di Capua and IN! DOVER GOAL 3-0

74’ - We make a double substitution, taking out Graham Allan and Rafinha and bringing in Lyubomir Kunchev and Steve Reed.

84’ - Emmerson Harvey is in for the excellent Andrea Rocca, who probably played his best game of the year today.

We hold them off the rest of the way. Good result with a less than full strength side.

Everton 0 - 3 Dover
Goals - Andy Broomes (7.8), Claudio Contreras (8.7), Neil Cairney PEN (7.8)
Assists - Andrea Rocca 2 (8.5), Paul Moses (7.2)
Man of the Match - Claudio Contreras
Other Dover Notables - Manuel Perez (7.2), Rafinha (7.0), Saber Nasri (7.1), Renato Gaucho (7.8), Graham Allan (7.0), Helder Cruz (7.0)
Attendance - 34,625

Everton controlled 53% of possession but we ended up edging them in shots 15-13 (6-3 on target). We were strong in that second half and I’m pleased with the victory.

-- In other Premier League action, Liverpool are SHOCKED by relegation candidates Birmingham 2-1! Middlesbrough, Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester United all win to keep pace with us, as we reach the midpoint of the season while most of the teams are already one game into the second half of the schedule.


BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE - STANDINGS
(ALL TEAMS HAVE PLAYED 20 GAMES UNLESS NOTED)

1. Dover - 46 points (after 19 games)
2. Manchester United - 44 points (after 19 games)
3. Tottenham - 44 points
4. Liverpool - 43 points
----------------------------------------------------
5. Middlesbrough - 39 points
6. Manchester City - 38 points (after 19 games)
7. Chelsea - 34 points (after 18 games)
----------------------------------------------------
8. Aston Villa - 32 points
9. Arsenal - 32 points
10. Reading - 28 points
11. Newcastle - 23 points
12. Huddersfield - 23 points
13. Everton - 21 points
14. Sunderland - 20 points
15. Birmingham - 18 points
16. Wolves - 16 points
17. Sheffield Wednesday - 16 points (after 18 games)
----------------------------------------------------
18. Norwich - 10 points
19. Blackpool - 9 points
20. Fulham - 8 points (after 19 games)


-- We had 44 points at this point last year so we’re ahead of that pace. Our league-leading total of 56 goals is five more than at this time last year but with 19 goals against, we’ve given up two more than we did after 19 games last season. We are fourth in the league in goals conceded.

Here's a look at some Barclays Premier League stat leaders:

GOALS -
1. Paul Moses, Dover, 18
2. Yaya Sanogo, Manchester United, 16
3. Roland Hoxha, Middlesbrough, 15
4. Romelu Lukaku, Chelsea, 14
5. Jean Junior, Tottenham, 12
5. Gerardo Escobar, Tottenham, 12
7. Chiquinho, Dover, 11
7. Hani Megahed, Reading, 11
9. Craig Flett, Sunderland, 10
THREE TIED WITH 11

-- Neil Cairney is tied for 34th with 4 and both Shanon Andrea and Claudio Contreras have 3 to put them in a tie for 50th.

ASSISTS -
1. Jack Wilshere, Arsenal, 14
2. Jose, Dover, 12
2. Tom Cairney, Middlesbrough, 12
4. Miguel Sousa, Chelsea, 11
5. Omar Hernandez, Manchester United, 10
5. Anderson, Tottenham, 10
7. Thorgan Hazard, Middlesbrough, 8
7. Paul Moses, Dover, 8
7. Jonjo Shelvey, Liverpool, 8
THREE TIED WITH 7

- Chiquinho, Andrea Rocca and Graham Allan are all tied for 20th with 5. Arsene Bamba and Neil Cairney are tied for 28th with 4.

AVERAGE RATING -
1. Paul Moses, Dover, 7.94
2. Roland Hoxha, Middlesbrough, 7.79
3. Chiquinho, Dover, 7.72
4. Yaya Sanogo, Manchester United, 7.65
5. Omar Hernandez, Manchester United, 7.54
6. Jean Junior, Tottenham, 7.51
6. Romelu Lukaku, Chelsea, 7.51
8. Jack Wilshere, Arsenal, 7.43
[b]9. Claudio Contreras, Dover, 7.42
9. Miguel Sousa, Chelsea, 7.42

-- Neil Cairney is 12th at 7.39, Saber Nasri is 13th with 7.38, Arsene Bamba is 14th at 7.37, Jose is T19th at 7.30, Rayane Hamon is T24th at 7.28 and Graham Allan is T41st with 7.20.




Premier League Team of the Week

-- Claudio Contreras and Jose make the Barclays Premier League team of the week.



Transfer Window Fun

-- Rafinha continues to be a big target for teams and a couple offer me in excess of £6.5 million for him. Both are rejected - the wonderkid is going nowhere.



Next Up

-- We play in back-to-back days, finally getting back at home after four away league games in a row as we host relegation favourites Fulham.