[NoSkillz]

Sat. November 5, 2022

Barclays Premier League
Liverpool (4-2-4, 14 points, 12th) vs. Dover (7-1-2, 22 points, 3rd)
Liverpool Stadium, Liverpool, UK

Betting Odds: Liverpool: Evens (Favourites) Draw: 11-5 Dover: 11-5
Past Meetings: 3W 2D 8L

Liverpool brought in only two players in the offseason but one of them was a major target of mine: young 6' 6" striker Cheikh Bocande from Sporting CP. He's been excellent so far for Liverpool with 7 goals in 12 matches. We'll have to keep a close eye on that 23 year old. Liverpool also spent £9.75 million on DR/MR Chanda Mbesuma from Derby but he's been pedestrian at best so far. Liverpool are struggling in the league so far but playing very well in Champions League play so perhaps their attention is elsewhere so far. They aren't a super deep club so that might be one reason for their issues.

We get Rayane Hamon back and it's a good thing too, as Claudio Contreras will miss today's game due to suspension. I'm changing tactics and going with a 4-4-2 DM formation (4-2-3-1) with Shanon Andrea alone up front and with Zoltan Bardi in behind. Said Henni will play AML for the injured Arsene Bamba. Gian Marco Fanfoni is back in at central midfield.

Dover: 4-4-2 DM (4-2-3-1) Control
GK - I. Wilke
D - R. Gaucho, D. Traore, R. Hamon, S. Loucif
M - N. Cairney, G. Fanfoni
AM - S. Henni, Z. Bardi, G. Bolis
S - S. Andrea
Bench - C. Guzman, K. Zagos, S. Reed, S. Spall, G. Allan, Chiquinho, P. Moses

Liverpool are in a flat 4-4-2 with Piotr Parzyszek and Bocande up front and Chris Dunn in goal. I tell the team they can win today.

10' - Shanon Andrea gets a yellow card.

15' - Things are pretty even but again, no shots for us. Liverpool get the first chance and it's the ever-dangerous Parzyszek but his rocket is saved well by Wilke.

34' - I'm already thinking about my team talk at half, as once again, we've generated NOTHING but as I'm pondering it, 18 year old midfielder Gian Marco Fanfoni steals the ball at midfield and storms up the pitch. He makes a little bit of space for himself and hits the ball WITH FURY as he enters the area and it's past Chris Dunn and into the top corner of the net for the brilliant strike! That's Fanfoni's first goal for Dover!!! DOVER GOAL 1-0

39' - Bardi with a delightful through ball to Andrea and our top striker is in all alone but Dunn makes the great save. Crap!

42' - We are starting to play with confidence after that goal and we work another counter with Andrea making a great move at the byline, cutting back to the goal and shooting but Dunn does well to turn it behind the net.

45' - Bocande gets a header off a corner but it's off the crossbar and out of play.

45'+2 - Henni gets the ball down the left and crosses in and there's Fanfoni again but Dunn makes a SPECTACULAR save from in tight. I thought that was a sure goal!!

HALFTIME - We're doing well so far. 53% of possession in our favour and a 6-4 (4-1 on target) shot advantage. I'm tempted to go to a counter attack mentality but I'll hold off for now. I tell the team I'm pleased. Fanfoni has been fantastic.

53' - Yikes. There's some sloppy play in the Liverpool box after a throw in and Henni goes down. The ref calls a PENALTY! Neil Cairney has a lot of practice this year and hasn't missed yet. Fingers are crossed as he steps up to take the kick - he always goes to the right and I'm screaming for him to shoot to the left. Of course, he goes right, Dunn guesses correctly but the ball gets by him anyway and is IN! Another penalty goal for Cairney and we lead by two!! DOVER GOAL 2-0

54' - We steal possession but then gift it right back when the completely ineffective Zoltan Bardi coughs it up. That allows Parzyszek to get away but Wilke absolutely stones him to keep us in a two goal lead.

64' - Double substitution, as I'm not pleased with Zoltan Bardi's performance. I take both him and Shanon Andrea out and bring in Paul Moses and Chiquinho. We move to a flat 4-4-2 and change to a counter attacking mentality. Lets hold them off boys!

83' - Liverpool score off a throw in but the scorer, substitute winger Axel Parisot, is blatantly offsides. No goal!

85' - We use our last substitution, bringing in Kostas Zagos to play left fullback for Renato Gaucho.

MUCH better!

Liverpool 0 - 2 Dover
Goals - Gian Marco Fanfoni (8.3), Neil Cairney PEN (7.0)
Assists - Said Henni (7.7)
Man of the Match - Gian Marco Fanfoni
Other Dover Notables - Ingo Wilke (7.2), Salim Loucif (7.6), Rayane Hamon (7.4), Daniel Traore (7.4), Renato Gaucho (7.5), Gianluca Bolis (7.1), Zoltan Bardi (7.2)
Attendance - 52,970

We hold 51% of overall possession and outshoot them 11-10 (5-4 on target). Everyone in our starting lineup except for Shanon Andrea gets a rating over 7.0. Efficient game and GIan Marco Fanfoni is named man of the match in a great performance. Solid road win after a couple of dud performances.

-- Well, I guess it's not just us! Aston Villa, a week after knocking us off, shock table toppers Man City 1-0. Tottenham get blasted 5-0 for a second consecutive week (!!) by Chelsea and that allows the Blues to move to the top of the table. United win 3-0 over Birmingham.



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

1. Chelsea - 28 points
2. Manchester City - 26 points
3. Dover - 25 points
4. Manchester United - 21 points
----------------------------------------------------
5. Sheffield Wednesday - 21 points
6. Arsenal - 20 points (10 games played)
7. Sunderland - 19 points
----------------------------------------------------



Premier League Team of the Week

-- Young 18 year old loanee Gian Marco Fanfoni parlays a great game against Liverpool into a Team of the Week honour!



Next Up

-- The games are coming fast and furious, as we head home for the first time in four matches to host Arsenal in Premier League play.