[NoSkillz]

Sat. January 21, 2023

Barclays Premier League
Dover (16-5-3, 53 points, 2nd) vs. Chelsea (19-2-3, 59 points, 1st)
Crabble Athletic Ground, Dover, UK

Betting Odds: Dover: 13-8 Draw: 11-5 Chelsea: 6-4
Past Meetings: 1W 2D 7L

Chelsea didn't qualify for Europe after a sixth place finish on last year's table and that has allowed them to concentrate fully on the league. They are certainly taking advantage, sitting with a comfortable, for now, six point lead through 24 games. We are fortunate today, as their leading goal scorer, winger Luis Carballo, is injured and won't be playing today. Romelu Lukaku has ten goals in 17 matches and will be their danger man today. Their big offseason signing was winger Tony Nijhuis and he's got 5 goals in 19 appearances so far. One other to watch for is right winger Miguel Sousa. Chelsea beat us 1-0 earlier in the year so we're looking for some retribution today - a win gives us a great chance to contend for the Premier League title. A loss and we'll likely have to be content fighting for Champions League qualification.

Arsene Bamba has left the team to be with his national team so we'll have to play Graham Allan on the left side today. That means Helder Cruz, our new signing, will dress for the first time and be ready on the bench. We're at home so I'll be going with a 4-4-2 control mentality - my advanced scout says Chelsea plays well against the flat 4-4-2 but at home, I'm content to go with my normal formation and make them stop me.

Dover: 4-4-2 Control
GK - I. Wilke
D - R. Gaucho, C. Contreras, S. Loucif, K. Zagos
M - G. Allan, N. Cairney, G. Fanfoni, G. Bolis
S - S. Andrea, Chiquinho
Bench - S. Reed, M. Yilmaz, S. Spall, E. Harvey, H. Cruz, Z. Bardi, P. Moses

Chelsea are in a 4-4-2 DM (4-2-3-1) with Lukaku up front and Rafael Romo in goal. Sousa is on right wing - big signing Tony Nihuis isn't even dressed for some reason. I tell the team to do it for the fans.

1' - Chelsea kick off but we steal possession in our end and start working back up field. Neil Cairney sends one over the Chelsea defence and Chiquinho latches onto it. He's in the clear, reaches the penalty area and shoots low to the near side, past Romo and IN!!! "A nightmare start for Chelsea", says the announcer. BEAUTY!!! DOVER GOAL 1-0

4' - Chelsea have the ball in our area and off a scramble, a shot is directed at goal but Ingo Wilke is there for the key stop.

7' - Kostas Zagos with a takedown and he's given a yellow card.

18' - Salim Loucif botches a header and Chelsea are in the clear with Lukaku. He's in the area and Claudio Contreras tackles the ball away and he's called for a foul. PENALTY?! We surround the referee and he gives out a RED CARD to Contreras! WHAT?!?!?! Our players are FURIOUS as midfielder Andrea Sasso steps up to take the kick. He goes left and Wilke guesses right and MAKES THE BLOODY SAVE!!! WOW!!!

For now, we are in a 3-4-2 formation with three DCs.

19' - We hit Chelsea on the break after another foul and it's Gianluca Bolis streaking down the right. He crosses to the far post and there is Graham Allan, breaking in and hitting a shot with his weaker left foot and it's past Romo and IN! Shocking goal with only ten men and we're up TWO! DOVER GOAL 2-0

38' - We're faring okay so far with only three defenders and we get another chance, as Chiquinho feeds Andrea and his low shot is turned aside by Romo.

45' - Chelsea get off a shot from the outer edge of the area and it's off the goal post.

HALFTIME - Chelsea hold a 54% possession edge and outshoot us 12-10 (5-5 on target). We're doing fine but we need to be careful. I move to a counter attack but maintain my 3 DC backline…for now. I tell the team I'm pleased, especially with only ten men.

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

53' - The lack of a fullback hurts us, as Miguel Sousa gets loose down the right and crosses into the area. It's met by a sliding Romelu Lukaku and it's past Wilke and in. Damnit. CHELSEA GOAL 2-1

60' - We take out Gianluca Bolis and bring in Mohamed Lamine Yilmaz. He drops into defence as we switch to a 4-3-2 formation with 3 MCs.

64' - We show some nice playmaking off a throw in and the ball comes to the dangerous Chiquinho and his rocket is stopped by Romo.

68' - Another error by Loucif, as he tries to clear and it hits a Chelsea player and deflects right to Lukaku. It's a two-on-zero and Lukaku lays the ball off to Nassim Ben Khalifa and he has an empty net to shoot at and scores. Chelsea pulls level and we're coming undone with ten men. CHELSEA GOAL 2-2

Just a disaster. We move to a 4-4-1 formation and I revert back to a control mentality despite being at ten men. I also take out Shanon Andrea and bring in Helder Cruz to play left midfield in his first Dover appearance.

81' - We need some speed up front so I bring in Paul Moses and take out Chiquinho.

82' - Moses gets a great chance off an Allan pass and tries to lob Romo, who is out to challenge but the ball is just over the net!

90'+1 - Wow. Chelsea with a free kick from outside the area and Lukaku's shot deflects off one of our guys, it's past Wilke but hits the crossbar! So lucky...

90'+3 - We gain possession and send a long pass out to Moses at midfield. There are two defenders back but Moses, completely fresh since he just came on, simply BURSTS past them and he's got a partial break. Romo comes out to challenge and Moses shoots from the outer edge of the area and it's past Romo AND IN THE NET!!! Chelsea, for some reason, appeal for an offsides call (huh?) but to no avail. WOWOWOWOW!!! DOVER GOAL 3-2

Chelsea get one more VERY dangerous rush and a cross into the box off the ensuing kick but we clear behind the net for a corner then head the ball to safety shortly thereafter, sealing the crazy win. HOLY MOSES!

Dover 3 - 2 Chelsea
Goals - Chiquinho (7.5), Graham Allan (7.6), Paul Moses (8.0)
Assists - Gianluca Bolis (6.9), Gian Marco Fanfoni (7.0), Neil Cairney (7.6)
Man of the Match - Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea ST - 8.0)
Other Dover Notables -
Attendance - 17,991

Wow. Paul Moses was a man possessed in his 15 minutes on the pitch and almost gains man of the match honours. We had 48% of possession and were outshot 19-18 (7-9 on target). What a phenomenal win after allowing Chelsea to get back into the match. HUGE!!!

-- Claudio Contreras gets a two-match ban for the straight red card. I appeal the decision, as the foul call was dubious at best but I'm not holding out much hope. We're in DIRE STRAITS right now at central defence, with Rayane Hamon and Daniel Traore recovering from long-term injuries and now Contreras is suspended. I'll have to call up one of my U18 youngsters for certain.

-- We pull to within three points of Chelsea and Man City lose a shocker to Sheffield Wednesday. United destroy Middlesbrough 5-1 and Arsenal win as well. I'll post full standings here at the 25 game mark.


BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE - STANDINGS
(ALL TEAMS HAVE PLAYED 25 GAMES UNLESS NOTED)

1. Chelsea - 59 points
2. Dover - 56 points
3. Manchester United - 54 points
4. Manchester City - 52 points
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5. Arsenal - 52 points
6. Sheffield Wednesday - 48 points (after 24 games)
7. Sunderland - 41 points
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8. Aston Villa - 34 points
9. Liverpool - 33 points (after 24 games)
10. Tottenham - 33 points
11. Reading - 32 points (after 24 games)
12. Newcastle - 29 points
13. Middlesbrough - 28 points (after 24 games)
14. Everton - 28 points
15. Huddersfield - 24 points
16. Wolves - 22 points
17. Birmingham - 21 points
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18. Derby - 17 points
19. Burnley - 16 points
20. Stoke - 8 points



FA Appeal Decision

--HOLY CRAP! In a definite first for me, the FA disciplinary committee considered my appeal on the two game ban handed to Claudio Contreras and they rule that I have valid grounds for the appeal and RESCIND THE BAN!!! Wow!!! So the ref DID make a poor decision, like I thought. It almost cost us the game but hey, we got three points AND get Contreras back. Splendid!



International Duty

-- Both Salim Loucif and Arsene Bamba play well for their countries in African Nations play.



Injury Update

-- Daniel Traore is a couple weeks away from returning to full training after straining knee ligaments. Andrea Rocca (hip), Mancini (broken leg) and Rayane Hamon (hip) are still a long way away from returning.



Next Up

-- We head to Wolverhampton for yet another matchup against Wolves. This time, it's the second leg of the League Cup semi finals where we have a slight one goal edge.