[NoSkillz]

Sun. November 7, 2021

Barclays Premier League
Dover (5-4-1, 19 points, 4th) vs. Everton (3-2-5, 11 points, 14th)
Crabble Athletic Ground, Dover, UK

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

Everton are really struggling in the league and already have a few nasty defeats on their record, including a 7-0 bloodbath against Manchester United. They are in Europa League Group Play right now but are coming off consecutive losses to Real Madrid. They've lost 5 of their last 6 in all competitions but did beat Blackburn on the weekend 3-0, a result that got the Blackburn manager sacked. Everton spent over £11 million in the transfer window, with £7 million of it on Cameroon international Henri Atangana, an attacking wide midfielder. He's made little impact so far. Chris Wood is their danger man up front with 7 goals in 15 games. Jack Rodwell is playing at a very high level right now in the midfield. Ekow Mumuni has been their top scorer for a couple years but seems to be a surplus to requirements this year, as he's only seen action in two games as a substitute. This after 34 league goals in the last two years.

Andrea Rocca is back today and will move back into the starting eleven. I've been getting poor play from everyone lately but I'm shaking things up in the midfield a bit, with Rocca and Cairney switching roles. Cairney will move to a box-to-box role and Rocca will move into an attacking role. Andrea and Gesios start up front again and Kostas Kalfas starts at right midfield for the injured Gianluca Bolis. I also insert Claudio Contreras for Tjiuoro.

Dover: 4-4-2 Control
GK - I. Wilke
D - R. Gaucho, C. Contreras, R. Hamon, S. Loucif
M - A. Bamba, N. Cairney, A. Rocca, K. Kalfas
S - S. Andrea, G. Gesios
Bench - J. Kuciak, P. Tjiuoro, Mancini, S. Spall, C. Murray, A. Zubizarreta, Z. Bardi

As expected, Everton are also in a flat 4-4-2. I expect a win today but with morale being relatively low, I tell them to go out and do it for the fans today.

3' - Thankfully, a much better start. We get a good chance with Andrea racing up the field, holding up, then feeding an oncoming Bamba but his shot is high and wide.

4' - Off the ensuing goal kick, Di Capua sends the ball to midfield and we head it back over the defence. Giorgos Gesios wins the race, cuts to his left foot and shoots but Di Capua makes a brilliant save. However, the rebound pops out to Shanon Andrea and he makes no mistake, giving us the early lead! DOVER GOAL 1-0

6' - Wow, Everton strike back right away, as striker Uhrik takes a long pass and volleys it directly into the net. But wait…the assistant has his flag up! Uhrik is called for fouling Ingo Wilke and the goal doesn't count!

8' - We're looking great so far. We win a couple of tackles and move up field. The ball is on the edge of the area and Bamba gets loose on the left side. Di Capua comes out to challenge and forces Bamba's shot wide but it hits Everton defender Antonio and deflects into the empty net! Four minute double salvo! DOVER GOAL 2-0

12' - Now it's Andrea getting sprung on a partial break and Di Capua has to make a great save again.

15' - Uhrik makes some nice moves through the middle of our defence and gets off a shot that hits the woodwork and bounces away.

21' - Everton is making a push, as they get a free kick from distance and send in a cross that is headed toward goal. Wilke is in good position for the save.

23' - Neil Cairney gets a yellow card.

34' - We get a free kick and Rocca sends a great ball that Gesios latches onto. Our struggling striker heads it high over the net. Damnit! We need Gesios to start scoring!!!

HALFTIME - The stats don't necessarily show it but we're playing well here. A modest 51% possession advantage and a 10-8 (4-2 on target) shot advantage. I tell the team I'm pleased.

50' - Gesios with a gorgeous feed into Andrea and he's completely stoned by Di Capua! What a through ball by Gesios.

53' - We work a beautiful counter attack, with Gesios sending a high pass down the left flank to Bamba. Two defenders are drawn in his direction and from the byline, he sends an arching ball into the box to the foot of Shanon Andrea. He's all alone, Di Capua is way out of position and he easily finishes for his second of the game! Beauty! DOVER GOAL 3-0

57' - Gesios wins a ball in the Everton penalty area, gets a left footed boot on the ball but Di Capua is there for the stop.

61' - Double substitution, as Zoltan Bardi comes on for Gesios, who was great today, and Shaun Spall comes on for Andrea Rocca.

71' - Neil Cairney is out and Aitor Zubizarreta is in.

74' - Yellow card for Rayane Hamon.

89' - Andrea has a GLORIOUS chance for his hat trick, as he takes a great feed from Bamba and is two feet from goal but shoots weakly and Di Capua gets into position for the save. Andrea retreats with his hands on his head!

90'+1 - Chris Wood gets off a rocket from way out and Wilke is forced into making a good stop to preserve his shutout.

Good game!

Dover 3 - 0 Everton
Goals - Shanon Andrea 2 (9.2), Antonio (OG)
Assists - Arsene Bamba 2 (8.3), Giorgos Gesios (7.1)
Man of the Match - Shanon Andrea
Other Dover Notables - Salim Loucif (7.9), Rayane Hamon (7.2), Claudio Contreras (7.6), Renato Gaucho (7.5), Andrea Rocca (7.2)
Attendance - 14,805 (Sell-Out)

Now THAT'S better! We hold the ball 56% of the game and outshoot them 23-13 (10-5 on target). A great defensive performance as well and Shanon Andrea continues to impress in his first year with the club, as he hits the ten goal mark already.

-- Everton sack their manager Robert Kelly after the loss and I'm declared as the favourite for the job. I release a statement declining interest in the position.



International Update

-- Eleven of our players are called up for international play. Emmerson Harvey, Jonathan Adam, Louis Read, Gregoire Lambert, Claudio Contreras, Salim Loucif, Zoltan Bardi, Paulus Tjiuoro, Thomas Anderson, Giorgos Gesios and Kostas Kalfas get the call.



-- Shanon Andrea makes it into the Barclays Premier League Team of the Week for his two goal performance.



Dover Reserves Team Update

-- We had almost a month between reserve league games and that has resulted in most of our depth players being less than match fit. I was able to get a full game in for Zoltan Bardi, as we battled Chelsea's Reserves to a 3-3 draw. Abdallaye Kokaina, Aitor Zubizarreta and Paul Moses were the goal scorers. Goalkeeper Youssouf Sylla continues to struggle immensely in his first year at Dover, showing poor positioning and poor decision making. I may actually try to move him at the transfer deadline, as I can't trust him to play a meaningful game at this point.



Next Up

-- We head out to face mid-table Huddersfield Town in Premier League play.