Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - FM – From Semi-Pro Minnows to Champions League Glory: Dover Athletic FC

NoSkillz · 07-12-2014, 09:46 PM

Sat. April 20, 2024

Barclays Premier League
Dover (26-6-2, 84 points, 1st) vs. Sheffield Wednesday (8-7-19, 31 points, 16th)
Crabble Athletic Ground, Dover, UK

Betting Odds: Dover: 1-2 (Favourites) Draw: 13-5 Sheffield Wednesday: 9-2
Past Meetings: 9W 3D 4L

Sheffield Wednesday finished inside the top seven last year and qualified for the Europa League this year. They made it to the quarter finals, just getting knocked out by FC Bayern 5-2 on aggregate but that energy spent on continental play has proved disastrous in the league, as they sit perilously close to the drop zone. They should be safe but what a poor season they are having. We are comfortable favourites but they still have a great strike force in Steve Pates (19 goals) and Darijo Jukic (16 goals). Wide midfielder Eugenio Balestra is also excellent.

Well, this is it - one point from our first ever Premier League championship. All of our main starters will be in today - they deserve it! Plus, I’m sure to have all of our main backups/veterans dressed on the bench so they can enjoy a hopeful championship celebration on the pitch after the game. Still, we can’t be complacent - this is a dangerous squad despite their poor standing. Back to a two striker formation and a control mentality.

Dover: 4-4-2 Control
GK - I. Wilke
D - Renato Gaucho, C. Contreras, R. Hamon, S. Loucif
M - A. Bamba, N. Cairney, Jose, G. Bolis
S - P. Moses, Chiquinho
Bench - Rafinha, S. Nasri, A. Rocca, E. Harvey, G. Allan, Z. Bardi, S. Andrea

Sheffield are also in a flat 4-4-2 with Pates and Jukic up front, as expected. Balestra is at right midfield and Fernando Cardoso is in goal. LETS TAKE THEM DOWN and WIN THE LEAGUE FOR THE FANS!!!

4’ - Aaannd. We come out flat to start, as Sheffield have four straight minutes of possession that culminates in Pates getting free but Wilke makes the great stop with his fingertips.

23’ - We’re doing NOTHING right now and Sheffield almost score off a corner but Salim Loucif is protecting the post on a header by Pates and we safely clear.

28’ - We have a free kick deep in their end and our cross is cleared all the way back up field. We’re not defending at all and Pates gets behind the defence and is in on a break, shooting low past Wilke and IN! This is unfathomable right now. SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY GOAL 0-1

39’ - Rayane Hamon with a yellow card as smoke starts coming out of my ears. They get a free kick and it’s Pates taking it from just outside the area - his curling blast looks destined for the far corner but WILKE with a monster save. COME ON GUYS!!!

45’+1 - Now Paul Moses with a yellow.

HALFTIME - This is an absolute embarrassment. Sheffield have 54% of possession and a 10-5 (4-0 on target) shot advantage. How can we not show up on a day we can clinch the title??? I question their passion to win and storm out of the room…lets see what happens…

50’ - We finally get a shot on target but it’s a weak Moses effort and Cardoso easily saves and holds on.

54’ - We work a nice passing play and it’s Chiquinho turning on a defender, bolting in and shooting one but Cardoso makes a great stop on the low blast. Chiquinho is slumping in the WORST way right now.

62’ - Sheffield Wednesday with a corner and Wilke is forced to make a great save on a header.

69’ - Moses with a nice through ball to Chiquinho but his shot is weak and right at Cardoso.

73’ - We continue to push and it’s Moses weaving through the defence and shooting but Cardoso makes the save. Chiquinho is there for the rebound but he pushes a man down and gets called for the foul.

74’ - NOOO! Moses with ANOTHER great through ball to Chiquinho and Cardoso ROBS HIM again! Holy crap!

75’ - Time to make changes. Jose and Gianluca Bolis are coming off and Andrea Rocca and Graham Allan come in. We move to an OVERLOAD mentality.

83’ - With one of their men being tended to on the sidelines, we have a throw in and Salim Loucif gets the ball back. He delivers a hard pass into the middle to Moses and through traffic, he sends a low shot that Cardoso should have but it’s underneath his body and INTO THE NET! We draw LEVEL! DOVER GOAL 1-1

We immediately move back to a control mentality.

88’ - Graham Allan wins a tackle, injuring one of their players but he keeps going, getting off a low shot that Cardoso just turns behind the goal.

90’+2 - Four minutes of extra time and it’s Balestra getting loose down the right but Wilke is well positioned to make the save on his low shot.

90’+4 - Contreras with the yellow card.

That’s it!

Dover 1 - 1 Sheffield Wednesday
Goals - Paul Moses (7.4)
Assists - Salim Loucif (7.4)
Man of the Match - Ingo Wilke (8.1)
Other Dover Notables -
Attendance - 20,144

We just poured on the pressure in the second half and we finally break through in the last ten minutes. Overall possession ended in our favour with 52% of the ball and we outshot them 18-14 (6-6 on target) so a much better second half. Ingo Wilke deservedly gets man of match honours.

But the most important news is this…

DOVER HAS WON THE BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP!

Media Fun

-- Lots of fun press afterwards, as fans celebrate our double (League Cup and Premier League title) and the media predict “the fans of Dover will be nursing hangovers tomorrow after the team brought home the Premier League trophy”. Also, our secretary states that my “skill and success as a manager would put many of my contemporaries to shame.” Fun. The board is obviously delighted by this “surprising win” and Salim Loucif “lived the dream of many a supporter as he lifted the Premier League trophy!”

BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE - STANDINGS
(ALL TEAMS HAVE PLAYED 35 GAMES UNLESS NOTED)

1. Dover - 85 points
2. Tottenham - 75 points
3. Manchester United - 74 points
4. Manchester City - 70 points
----------------------------------------------------
5. Chelsea - 65 points
6. Liverpool - 61 points
7. Arsenal - 58 points
----------------------------------------------------
8. Middlesbrough - 57 points
9. Reading - 54 points
10. Aston Villa - 51 points
11. Sunderland - 46 points
12. Newcastle - 45 points
13. Everton - 41 points
14. Wolves - 33 points
15. Huddersfield - 32 points
16. Sheffield Wednesday - 32 points
17. Blackpool - 25 points
----------------------------------------------------
18. Birmingham - 24 points
19. Fulham - 20 points
20. Norwich - 19 points

Next Up

-- Now we move our FULL attention to the Champions League, as we host Manchester United in the first leg of the semi finals.

07-12-2014, 09:46 PM	#475
NoSkillz College Benchwarmer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: St. Catharines, Canada	Sat. April 20, 2024 Barclays Premier League Dover (26-6-2, 84 points, 1st) vs. Sheffield Wednesday (8-7-19, 31 points, 16th) Crabble Athletic Ground, Dover, UK Betting Odds: Dover: 1-2 (Favourites) Draw: 13-5 Sheffield Wednesday: 9-2 Past Meetings: 9W 3D 4L Sheffield Wednesday finished inside the top seven last year and qualified for the Europa League this year. They made it to the quarter finals, just getting knocked out by FC Bayern 5-2 on aggregate but that energy spent on continental play has proved disastrous in the league, as they sit perilously close to the drop zone. They should be safe but what a poor season they are having. We are comfortable favourites but they still have a great strike force in Steve Pates (19 goals) and Darijo Jukic (16 goals). Wide midfielder Eugenio Balestra is also excellent. Well, this is it - one point from our first ever Premier League championship. All of our main starters will be in today - they deserve it! Plus, I’m sure to have all of our main backups/veterans dressed on the bench so they can enjoy a hopeful championship celebration on the pitch after the game. Still, we can’t be complacent - this is a dangerous squad despite their poor standing. Back to a two striker formation and a control mentality. Dover: 4-4-2 Control GK - I. Wilke D - Renato Gaucho, C. Contreras, R. Hamon, S. Loucif M - A. Bamba, N. Cairney, Jose, G. Bolis S - P. Moses, Chiquinho Bench - Rafinha, S. Nasri, A. Rocca, E. Harvey, G. Allan, Z. Bardi, S. Andrea Sheffield are also in a flat 4-4-2 with Pates and Jukic up front, as expected. Balestra is at right midfield and Fernando Cardoso is in goal. LETS TAKE THEM DOWN and WIN THE LEAGUE FOR THE FANS!!! 4’ - Aaannd. We come out flat to start, as Sheffield have four straight minutes of possession that culminates in Pates getting free but Wilke makes the great stop with his fingertips. 23’ - We’re doing NOTHING right now and Sheffield almost score off a corner but Salim Loucif is protecting the post on a header by Pates and we safely clear. 28’ - We have a free kick deep in their end and our cross is cleared all the way back up field. We’re not defending at all and Pates gets behind the defence and is in on a break, shooting low past Wilke and IN! This is unfathomable right now. SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY GOAL 0-1 39’ - Rayane Hamon with a yellow card as smoke starts coming out of my ears. They get a free kick and it’s Pates taking it from just outside the area - his curling blast looks destined for the far corner but WILKE with a monster save. COME ON GUYS!!! 45’+1 - Now Paul Moses with a yellow. HALFTIME - This is an absolute embarrassment. Sheffield have 54% of possession and a 10-5 (4-0 on target) shot advantage. How can we not show up on a day we can clinch the title??? I question their passion to win and storm out of the room…lets see what happens… 50’ - We finally get a shot on target but it’s a weak Moses effort and Cardoso easily saves and holds on. 54’ - We work a nice passing play and it’s Chiquinho turning on a defender, bolting in and shooting one but Cardoso makes a great stop on the low blast. Chiquinho is slumping in the WORST way right now. 62’ - Sheffield Wednesday with a corner and Wilke is forced to make a great save on a header. 69’ - Moses with a nice through ball to Chiquinho but his shot is weak and right at Cardoso. 73’ - We continue to push and it’s Moses weaving through the defence and shooting but Cardoso makes the save. Chiquinho is there for the rebound but he pushes a man down and gets called for the foul. 74’ - NOOO! Moses with ANOTHER great through ball to Chiquinho and Cardoso ROBS HIM again! Holy crap! 75’ - Time to make changes. Jose and Gianluca Bolis are coming off and Andrea Rocca and Graham Allan come in. We move to an OVERLOAD mentality. 83’ - With one of their men being tended to on the sidelines, we have a throw in and Salim Loucif gets the ball back. He delivers a hard pass into the middle to Moses and through traffic, he sends a low shot that Cardoso should have but it’s underneath his body and INTO THE NET! We draw LEVEL! DOVER GOAL 1-1 We immediately move back to a control mentality. 88’ - Graham Allan wins a tackle, injuring one of their players but he keeps going, getting off a low shot that Cardoso just turns behind the goal. 90’+2 - Four minutes of extra time and it’s Balestra getting loose down the right but Wilke is well positioned to make the save on his low shot. 90’+4 - Contreras with the yellow card. That’s it! Dover 1 - 1 Sheffield Wednesday Goals - Paul Moses (7.4) Assists - Salim Loucif (7.4) Man of the Match - Ingo Wilke (8.1) Other Dover Notables - Attendance - 20,144 We just poured on the pressure in the second half and we finally break through in the last ten minutes. Overall possession ended in our favour with 52% of the ball and we outshot them 18-14 (6-6 on target) so a much better second half. Ingo Wilke deservedly gets man of match honours. But the most important news is this… DOVER HAS WON THE BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP! Media Fun -- Lots of fun press afterwards, as fans celebrate our double (League Cup and Premier League title) and the media predict “the fans of Dover will be nursing hangovers tomorrow after the team brought home the Premier League trophy”. Also, our secretary states that my “skill and success as a manager would put many of my contemporaries to shame.” Fun. The board is obviously delighted by this “surprising win” and Salim Loucif “lived the dream of many a supporter as he lifted the Premier League trophy!” BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE - STANDINGS (ALL TEAMS HAVE PLAYED 35 GAMES UNLESS NOTED) 1. Dover - 85 points 2. Tottenham - 75 points 3. Manchester United - 74 points 4. Manchester City - 70 points ---------------------------------------------------- 5. Chelsea - 65 points 6. Liverpool - 61 points 7. Arsenal - 58 points ---------------------------------------------------- 8. Middlesbrough - 57 points 9. Reading - 54 points 10. Aston Villa - 51 points 11. Sunderland - 46 points 12. Newcastle - 45 points 13. Everton - 41 points 14. Wolves - 33 points 15. Huddersfield - 32 points 16. Sheffield Wednesday - 32 points 17. Blackpool - 25 points ---------------------------------------------------- 18. Birmingham - 24 points 19. Fulham - 20 points 20. Norwich - 19 points Next Up -- Now we move our FULL attention to the Champions League, as we host Manchester United in the first leg of the semi finals. __________________ MY CURRENT FM19 DYNASTY - FM19: "Ludere causa Ludendi - To Play for the Sake of Playing" - Queen's Park FC (Scottish League Two) MY OLD FM11 DYNASTY - FM11: From Semi-Pro Minnows to the EPL - Dover Athletic FC My Personal Blog - Now on the Tee - Golf, Sports, Poker, Life 2006 GOLDEN SCRIBE AWARD WINNER FOR BEST 'OTHER SPORT' DYNASTY - EHM2005: Sharpening Swords in Buffalo Last edited by NoSkillz : 07-12-2014 at 09:49 PM.