[NoSkillz]

Sat. November 11, 2023

Barclays Premier League
Dover (7-2-1, 23 points, 3rd) vs. Chelsea (4-3-2, 15 points, 8th)
Crabble Athletic Ground, Dover, UK

Betting Odds: Dover: 6-4 (Favourites) Draw: 2-1 Chelsea: 13-8
Past Meetings: 3W 2D 7L

Chelsea really struggled out of the gates this year as they attempt to defend their Premier League title. At one point, they were winless in six straight games but they have battled back and now have strung together five straight wins in all competitions. As usual, they spent freely in the July transfer window, spending £65 million on 8 players, with the biggest signing being our very own Kostas Zagos for £21.5 million. For all that money, Chelsea have only given Zagos 2 league starts and five overall. They also spent £14.5 million on 28 year old Juventus DC Igor Hlavac. Chelsea traditionally play with only one man up front and Romelu Lukaku, at 30 years young, still leads the club in goals with 8. Winger Miguel Sousa is a former huge signing and will need to be watched closely. Luis Carballo is also super dangerous at AMC.

We only make one change from our Palermo squad, with Rafinha coming in for Renato Gaucho. We have another big game on Tuesday against Arsenal and we’ll need to rotate the squad a bit over the coming few games. Control mentality at home and as favourites.

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

No surprises for Chelsea, as they come out in their 4-2-3-1 formation with Lukaku up front, Carballo playing AML and Sousa playing AMR. Barosz Salamon is playing AMC and Kostas Zagos is in the lineup today at right fullback. Rafael Romo is in goal. Lets play attractive football for the fans today!

11’ - Helder Cruz burns past Zagos and dribbles down the left. His cross is excellent and right to Moses but his shot from in close is saved beautifully by Romo! Great chance.

14’ - Moses is feeling it today, as he takes a pass at the midfield line and just STORMS through the Chelsea defence but his hard blast is saved well by Romo, who always plays well against us.

16’ - And a sight we simply didn’t need to see, as Graham Allan comes up limping on a challenge and he has the cross of death above his name. He can stay on for now but with Gianluca Bolis on the shelf with a long-term injury, our only other right midfielder is 19 year old Lyubomir Kunchev, an untested youngster. Oh boy…

30’ - Allan is still in the game and his corner kick is headed toward goal by Claudio Contreras but a Chelsea defender, protecting the post, clears just as it’s about to cross the goal line! Soo close!

31’ - Chelsea have possession but an ill-advised pass is stolen by Jose and he quickly passes up field to Chiquinho. He’s behind the defence, cuts into the area and rips a shot past Romo and into the net! Classic goal by Chiquinho! DOVER GOAL 1-0

35’ - Moses and Chiquinho are on a two-on-two and Moses bares down on goal but his shot is weak and right at Romo. He should have passed there…

HALFTIME - Chelsea are beating us at the possession game, holding 53% of the ball but we outshoot them 10-8 (5-1 on target). Moses with a 6.0 rating in the first half…rough rating. Allan likely won’t make it through this whole game but he’s okay for now. I tell Moses I have faith in him and encourage the team in the dressing room.

51’ - Moses gets through and is stopped by Romo then Helder Cruz gets off a shot destined for the top corner and Romo is there again. This guy always plays well against us…

54’ - Chelsea earn a corner and Carballo’s kick is headed by Salamon and it’s into the net. Crap. CHELSEA GOAL 1-1

56’ - We are pressing after giving up the goal and pass it around nicely, with Cairney springing Cruz into the area and Romo again with a SENSATIONAL stop. Wow.

60’ - Off a throw in, we pass it around and it’s Neil Cairney, silent for too many games, with a great pass through into the area and it’s MOSES, hitting it off the goalpost and IN! Great pass and great finish and we’re ahead again! DOVER GOAL 2-1

70’ - Lukaku finds Carballo at the outer edge of the area and his shot is just deflected aside by Wilke.

74’ - Unbelievable. Carballo with a corner and it’s headed in again, this time by substitute striker Ben Khalifa and Chelsea pull level. Two goals off corners for the Blues. CHELSEA GOAL 2-2

I take out Graham Allan and Jose and bring in Lyubomir Kunchev and Gian Marco Fanfoni. Chelsea are now in a flat 4-4-2 as they must smell blood.

82’ - It’s all Chelsea right now and a Sousa cross is headed toward goal by Carballo but Wilke is there for the fine save!

84’ - Shanon Andrea comes in for Chiquinho, as we hope to utilize his fresh legs in the last ten minutes.

90’+2 - Chelsea have a throw in and a cross ends up hitting the head of Miguel Sousa and it’s IN THE NET. But WAIT! OFFSIDES?! There is no replay as Wilke kicks up field and Moses gets it. He sends a pass up and it’s SHANON ANDREA on a breakaway. He’s in on goal and ROMO MAKES THE SAVE! You have to be kidding me!!!

The whistle blows immediately. Oh god. We blew this game and should have won it.

Dover 2 - 2 Chelsea
Goals - Chiquinho (7.6), Paul Moses (7.6)
Assists - Jose (6.8), Neil Cairney (7.4)
Man of the Match - Luis Carballo (Chelsea AML - 8.1)
Other Dover Notables - Helder Cruz (7.2)
Attendance - 20,987

It’s a dead heat in possession and we outshoot Chelsea 23-15 (10-5 on target). Romo was sensational, as usual, against us.

-- Terrible news, as Graham Allan strains his groin and will miss at least two weeks. With both Allan and Gianluca Bolis injured, we will now have to rely on 19 year old Lyubomir Kunchev, a scary proposition. DOVER INJURY: Graham Allan (Groin - 2 weeks)

-- We get a bit of help in the standings, as Liverpool drop a 1-0 decision to Aston Villa and Middlesbrough shock Arsenal 3-2. United win to pull level on points with us, Spurs get past Huddersfield and City beat Sheffield Wednesday to move into first place.


BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE - STANDINGS
(ALL TEAMS HAVE PLAYED 11 GAMES UNLESS NOTED)

1. Manchester City - 27 points
2. Liverpool - 25 points
3. Dover - 24 points
4. Manchester United - 24 points
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5. Tottenham - 21 points
6. Arsenal - 19 points
7. Middlesbrough - 19 points
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Dover U18 Update

-- The U18s destroy Eastleigh 5-0, with Jim Ryan bagging a brace and we get singles from Adam Betts, Damian Thorne and an Eastleigh own goal. Felix Hernandez bagged two helpers and won man of the match honours.



International Update

-- We have 18 players called up by their national teams, with two guys being called up for the first time in my recollection. U18 player Adam Betts gets the call from England for their U20 club while Helder Cruz gets his first ever call up from Portugal. Hopefully they get him in a game!



Injury Update

-- We have three injuries and all of them are to our key wide midfielders. Gianluca Bolis is out for at least another month and a half with a dislocated shoulder while Arsene Bamba (elbow) and Graham Allan (groin) will miss about a week or so.



Next Up

-- The tough games keep coming, as we face Arsenal at Emirates Stadium.