[NoSkillz]

Sat. February 15, 2025

Barclays Premier League
Dover (18-5-3, 59 points, 2nd) vs. Liverpool (8–10-9, 34 points, 12th)
Crabble Athletic Ground, Dover, UK

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

Liverpool has been “manager hell” for quite some time but especially in the last five years or so, as it seems like they are sacking their skipper at least once a year. The traditional powerhouse is mired in mid-table this year and this is an aging squad that looks destined for it’s first season outside the top ten in over FIFTY YEARS! Crazy. James Efmorfidis leads the club with 12 goals from 25 matches, tied with veteran striker Piotr Parzyszek.

I’m still in disbelief over the second torn calf muscle injury for star striker Paul Moses, essentially ending his season. What a loss that will be. We’ll rely on Andy Broomes to continue his fine form and also need the services of Manuel Lugo at some point - like Moses, he’s spent most of the year on the injury list and we’ll be very careful with him. For today, we have a few players tired after international duty but this is an important game so they’ll need to soldier on. Changes from our last game include Ingo Wilke, Benedikt Raab, Arsene Bamba and Broomes coming in.

Dover: 4-4-2 Control
GK - I. Wilke
D - Renato Gaucho, C. Contreras, R. Hamon, S. Loucif
M - A. Bamba, B. Raab, Jose, G. Bolis
S - A. Broomes, Chiquinho
Bench - Rafinha, S. Nasri, E. Harvey, N. Cairney, M. Pedersen, G. Allan, M. Lugo

Liverpool are in a 4-2-3-1 formation and have Oliver Hammeri alone up front. Never heard of the guy! He’s in his first year with the club after coming over from Lazio for £19.25 million - he has only 2 goals in 15 matches thus far. Chris Dunn is still their keeper. I want a good performance today.

8’ - Liverpool get a free kick just outside our area after a Rayane Hamon foul, which temporarily knocks Hammeri out of the game. We clear the kick and start a counter attack with Gianluca Bolis racing down the right flank. Andy Broomes is WIDE OPEN in the middle and Bolis’ pass is perfect - Broomes makes no mistake and we’re on the board early! Great goal! DOVER GOAL 1-0

31’ - On an innocent looking possession, Liverpool cross into the box and with four defenders draped all over him, Salvador de la Torre heads the ball past Wilke and IN! Wilke should have had that one. LIVERPOOL GOAL 1-1

HALFTIME - We held 57% of the ball and an 8-4 (4-3 on target) shot advantage but a weak goal has Liverpool level. They are playing Tony Mowbray’s tight formation with 3 AMCs and it always seems to give us trouble, all the way back to his Middlesbrough days. I tell them to keep going.

46’ - I’ve NEVER SEEN this before but Liverpool streak down the field and de la Torre gets loose in the box but is taken down by OUR GOALKEEPER! That’s a PENALTY and de la Torre converts. Holy crap…we’re losing!?!? LIVERPOOL GOAL 1-2

52’ - My goodness, when it rains, it pours. Gianluca Bolis is taken down and has the cross of doom above his name. He can stay in for now.

63’ - OH MY GOD. Liverpool with a corner and it’s Hammeri heading it past Wilke and IN. LIVERPOOL GOAL 1-3

We switch to an overload mentality. Liverpool switch to a flat 4-4-1-1.

74’ - Graham Allan and Manuel Lugo come on while I take out Gianluca Bolis and Andy Broomes.

Ooh boy…

Dover 1 - 3 Liverpool
Goals - Andy Broomes (7.2)
Assists - Gianluca Bolis (7.2)
Man of the Match - Salvador de la Torre (Liverpool ST - 8.8)
Other Dover Notables - Rayane Hamon (7.0), Ingo Wilke (5.8), Chiquinho (5.7)
Attendance - 23,000

The stats were definitely in our favour, with 57% possession and an 18-8 (4-5 on target) shot advantage but we lose by two goals at home. Disastrous result and I shudder to think of the rest of the season without Paul Moses.

-- Gianluca Bolis suffered a twisted ankle and will miss three weeks. Wonderful. DOVER INJURY: Gianluca Bolis - Twisted Ankle (Three Weeks)

-- In other action, United win 2-1 over Wolves, City win 2-0 over Derby, Arsenal and Chelsea battle to a 1-1 draw, Newcastle defeat Burnley 1-0 while Sheffield Wednesday get upset by Reading 3-1. We fall eight points back of United but hold onto second spot.


BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE - STANDINGS
(ALL TEAMS HAVE PLAYED 28 GAMES UNLESS NOTED)

1. Manchester United - 67 points (after 27 games)
2. Dover - 59 points (after 27 games)
3. Manchester City - 58 points
4. Chelsea - 58 points
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5. Arsenal - 49 points
6. Newcastle - 48 points
7. Sheffield Wednesday - 46 points
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Injury Update

-- So we’re back in injury hell, with Paul Moses likely out for the year and Zoltan Bardi is also on the long term injury list with his sprained ankle. Gianluca Bolis will miss three weeks with a twisted ankle.



Manager Milestone

-- I get noted in the newspapers as I’m about to reach 800 games in management. Pretty cool!



Champions League Update

-- The round of 16 has begun and Real Madrid and Club Brugge battle to a scoreless draw while United defeat Schalke 3-2 on the road. We face Atletico Madrid next week in Spain.



Next Up

-- We finally get our makeup game in against Everton, where we’ll be slight underdogs.