[NoSkillz]

Sat. November 12, 2022

Barclays Premier League
Newcastle (4-5-3, 17 points, 11th) vs. Dover (8-1-3, 25 points, 3rd)
St. James' Park, Newcastle, UK

Betting Odds: Newcastle: 5-4 (Favourites) Draw: 11-5 Arsenal: 7-4
Past Meetings: 3W 1D 2L

After going down to the Championship for the 2019/20 season, Newcastle are back for their third year in the Premier League, where they are common midtable finishers. They made one big splash in the offseason, spending £7,500,000 on DC Fraser Baxter from Blackpool. This is a team that plays a pretty tight style so we may have to be content trying to score one goal and winning by a narrow margin. Their danger man is striker Stanislas Vigneau, who has 9 goals in 13 matches.

We actually have a full week off after this game before the two-a-weeks start up again so we can go with a full strength side today, including having Arsene Bamba back in the starting eleven. We'll go with a counter mentality on the road as underdogs.

Dover: 4-4-2 Counter
GK - I. Wilke
D - R. Gaucho, C. Contreras, R. Hamon, S. Loucif
M - A. Bamba, N. Cairney, A. Rocca, G. Bolis
S - S. Andrea, Chiquinho
Bench - D. Traore, K. Zagos, G. Fanfoni, S. Spall, G. Allan, S. Henni, Z. Bardi

Newcastle are in a 4-4-2 DM (4-2-3-1) formation with Vigneau alone up front. Tough goalkeeper Jak Alnwick has always had big games against us. I tell the team to express themselves for the travelling supporters and pull aside struggling strikers Chiquinho and Andrea, along with the returning Bamba, to say I have faith they'll work themselves out of their slumps.

10' - Disaster for Newcastle and aforementioned defender Fraser Baxter. He gains control of the ball and tries to fire a pass to fellow defence partner Frederic Begue but the pass is past him and in the open field. Shanon Andrea jumps all over the miscue, heads in on Alnwick and fires low into the near side and it's in! Great start! DOVER GOAL 1-0

27' - We're doing fine but no real chances on either side until we cause a turnover and Shanon Andrea bursts down the field. He has half a step on the defenders as he enters the penalty area and his shot is past Alnwick but hits the post! Andrea pounces on the ball again and with Alnwick getting back into position, Andrea BACK HEELS a pass to an oncoming Arsene Bamba and that new angle is all our returning midfielder needs to deposit the ball into the net for the two goal lead! Great play Andrea! DOVER GOAL 2-0

28' - Right off the ensuing kick, Newcastle get a free kick and it's a lob to the top of the area. For some reason, Ingo Wilke chooses to attack the ball and Newcastle midfielder David Maclennan wins the header and it's lobbed toward the empty goal and it's in. BIG mistake from Wilke there - he didn't need to go after that ball and Newcastle strike back immediately. Ugh. NEWCASTLE GOAL 2-1

35' - This is all pretty incredible, as every shot on goal seems to be going in so far. We get a free kick and from 30 yards out, Andrea Rocca delivers his trademark, curling ROCKET that bends around the Newcastle wall and into the top right corner of the net. Devastating shot from Rocca and our two goal cushion is restored! DOVER GOAL 3-1

43' - And so it continues. Newcastle work the ball into the box and despite being covered closely by Claudio Contreras, danger man Stanislas Vigneau avoids the tackle, turns and fires and it's past Wilke and IN. Horrendous defence today on both sides. NEWCASTLE GOAL 3-2

HALFTIME - So much for the tight game I guess! And yeah, every shot on target has entered the net. We edge them in possession with 52% of the ball but they outshoot us 13-5 (2-3 on target). I realize I have a somewhat frail team right now with the three losses in four games so I tell them I'm pleased so far. Wilke had a poor half (5.8) so I tell him I have faith in his ability.

Newcastle switch to a 4-4-2 diamond formation to start the half.

57' - Wilke with perhaps the first save of the game, albeit on a shot from considerable distance. Then down the other end seconds later, Alnwick returns the favour on a curling blast from the edge of the area by Shanon Andrea!

60' - Alnwick is in good position in the net for yet another free kick from Rocca.

66' - Great. Rocca is hurt AGAIN and needs to come off. We bring in young Gian Marco Fanfoni.

78' - I take out Chiquinho and bring in Zoltan Bardi.

80' - We show some fine offensive movement and it culminates with Fanfoni breaking into the area but his shot is weak and Alnwick is there for the routine stop.

89' - We try to milk the clock and bring in Daniel Traore for Renato Gaucho.

We'll take the win.

Newcastle 2 - 3 Dover
Goals - Shanon Andrea (8.5), Arsene Bamba (7.9), Andrea Rocca (7.5)
Assists - Shanon Andrea, Chiquinho (6.9)
Man of the Match - Shanon Andrea
Other Dover Notables - Neil Cairney (7.4), Ingo Wilke (5.8)
Attendance - 33,794

We locked it down pretty well in the second half, holding 52% of overall possession but they outshot us 19-12 (5-8 on target). A bit too loose in the first half but we did a good job defensively in the last 45 minutes. Shanon Andrea was fantastic after a few poor games in a row.

-- Thankfully, Andrea Rocca is fine with no lingering effects of the injury suffered during the match.

-- United beat Everton 4-0, Arsenal destroyed Birmingham 6-0, Sheffield Wednesday continue to play well in a 3-0 away win at Burnley and Chelsea knock off Huddersfield 2-0. In essence, everything went according to script today, with the possible exception of Liverpool battling Man City to a 1-1 draw. That allows both us and United to pass City in the standings. We're actually in great shape at this point, as our schedule will really start to soften over the next month, with games against relegation candidates like Birmingham, Stoke, Derby and Wolves all on the sked.



BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE - STANDINGS
(ALL TEAMS HAVE PLAYED 13 GAMES UNLESS NOTED)

1. Chelsea - 34 points
2. Dover - 28 points
3. Manchester United - 27 points
4. Manchester City - 27 points
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5. Arsenal - 26 points (12 games played)
6. Sheffield Wednesday - 25 points
7. Sunderland - 22 points
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Dover U18 Team Update

-- The U18s throttle AFC Wimbledon 5-0 behind a brace from Pete Smith. Jay Doyle, Phil Whitbreak and Eddie Robinson scored singles. Young wide midfielder Lyubomir Kunchev had three assists in the contest.



International Break

-- We have 19 players called up by their respective countries for international duty.

-- Getting youth caps were Steve Reed (England U21s), Emmerson Harvey & Louis Read (England U20s), Hans Briers (Belgium U20s) and Marcel Quade (Austria U20s).

-- Senior caps go to Kostas Zagos (England), Chiquinho (two goals for Belgium), Neil Cairney & Graham Allan (Scotland), Said Henni & Salim Loucif (Algeria - Henni with a goal), Zoltan Bardi (two goals for Hungary) and Mwemere Mutesa (Rwanda).



Injury Update

-- Reserve left midfielder Steve Ingram is out a week after straining a wrist lifting weights. He will never play in a game that matters so no harm done. We get news that on loan striker Giorgos Gesios broke his foot playing for Sevilla and will miss 3 months. That won't help his value in the transfer market...



Next Up

-- We host 13th placed Middlesbrough in Premier League action at Crabble Athletic Ground.