[NoSkillz]

Wed. April 2, 2025

FA Cup - Quarterfinals Replay
Liverpool (10th in Premier League) vs. Dover (2nd in Premier League)
Liverpool Stadium, Liverpool, UK

Betting Odds: Liverpool: 7-4 Draw: N/A Dover: 5-4 (Favourites)
Past Meetings: 7W 4D 10L

This is our fourth game against Liverpool this year and we own a 1-1-1 record against them but the addition of manager Tony Mowbray has certainly reinvigorated the club. They are undefeated in five matches and are coming off a big league win against Man City this past weekend.

We have a HUGE game this weekend against league leaders Manchester United and then a game four days later against OM in Champions League play. That said, I made it a goal at the beginning of the year to win the FA Cup so I’ll be fielding the best lineup possible today but injuries are a concern. We are without Andy Broomes, Arsene Bamba, Renato Gaucho and obviously still missing Paul Moses so we’ll be relying in second teamers in a big way. We’re also going to switch up our tactics, playing with one striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation in hopes of beating Liverpool for the first time in three games. Zoltan Bardi is in at AMC, Mads Pedersen is at AML, Rafinha stays in at left fullback and back in goal is Manuel Perez.

Dover: 4-4-2 DM (4-2-3-1) Control
GK - M. Perez
D - Rafinha, C. Contreras, R. Hamon, S. Loucif
M - B. Raab, Jose
AM - M. Pedersen, Z. Bardi, G. Bolis
S - Chiquinho
Bench - Emerson, S. Nasri, A. Rocca, N. Cairney, F. Hernandez, G. Allan, M. Lugo

Tony Mowbray has always favoured a 4-2-3-1 formation with three central attacking mids, a very aggressive formation that I have difficulties with. I’m hoping my different tactics today will help break them down. Oliver Hammeri is alone up front and Chris Dunn is in goal today. Leading scorer Piotr Parzyszek is on the bench. I realize I’ve made a big error here in starting Claudio Contreras, who is just returning from injury. He’s only at 82% and “very tired” so I likely will only get a half out of him today. Ugh. Dumb!

3’ - Liverpool has the ball in their end and Jose steals it. He touches a pass to Zoltan Bardi and from a few steps outside the box, sends a rocket into the top left corner of the net, past a diving Chris Dunn! What a start!!! DOVER GOAL 1-0

37’ - This tactic is great for generating chances against Liverpool but not so great at defending, as we’re essentially playing man coverage with six players back against their six attackers. That said, we still lead when Bardi, on the left side near the byline, sends a pass back to Rafinha. The young defender crosses into the area and Chiquinho hits it on the volley and it’s in the net! Beauty! DOVER GOAL 2-0

Liverpool spread out their attacking mids and are now in the exact same formation as us, something that makes me a bit more comfortable, to be honest.

40’ - Liverpool work into our area and we clear it out to Bardi. He passes up to Chiquinho at midfield and our striker avoids TWO TACKLES and dribbles in on goal. Dunn comes out to challenge but Chiquinho’s shot is past him and IN! MAGICAL goal from Chiquinho, his second in three minutes and we’re way ahead!! DOVER GOAL 3-0

HALFTIME - SUPERB! We only held 48% of possession and actually were outshot as well, 11-7 (4-6 on target). As you can see though, we were effective with our shots and we are comfortably ahead! I’m pleased!

Liverpool are in a flat 4-4-2 now.

56’ - Liverpool comes at us on a counter and the ball is out wide to the left. The cross comes in and it’s leading scorer Parzyszek, in as a substitute, slotting the ball past Perez and it’s in! LIVERPOOL GOAL 3-1

64’ - We are just about to bring on Saber Nasri for Claudio Contreras but Zoltan Bardi gets taken down and has the cross of doom above his head. My GOD! These STRIKER INJURIES are killing me! He can stay in but the cross remains and he’ll need to be re-evaluated after the game. UGH!

We also move to a flat 4-4-2 and a counter attacking mentality.

79’ - Out comes the excellent but injured Bardi and in comes Manuel Lugo.

Liverpool took it to us in the second half but we hang on and move to the semis!

Liverpool 1 - 3 Dover
Goals - Chiquinho 2 (8.8), Zoltan Bardi (8.7)
Assists - Zoltan Bardi, Rafinha (7.9), Jose (7.4)
Man of the Match - Chiquinho
Other Dover Notables - Manuel Perez (8.4), Salim Loucif (7.0), Claudio Contreras (7.1), Mads Pedersen (7.1)
Attendance - 58,864

Liverpool dominated the stat sheet, with 55% possession and a 17-12 (8-7 on target) shot advantage but we make the most of our chances in the first half then just sit back and held them off in the second half. We’re on to the semis! Bardi was great today but lets hope he’s okay…

-- Fantastic! No adverse effects for Zoltan Bardi after the game!!

-- We earn £367,000 for the victory.

-- Manchester City defeats Reading 2-1 in their replay and we’ll be facing them in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium later this month.



Next Up

-- A most pivotal Premier League matchup, as we face Manchester United in a 1 vs. 2 battle. A loss would likely eliminate us from repeating as league champions but a win will propel us right back into the race.