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Old 03-22-2014, 01:39 AM   #295
NoSkillz
College Benchwarmer
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: St. Catharines, Canada
Sat. September 10, 2022

Barclays Premier League
Dover (3-0-0, 9 points, 1st) vs. Huddersfield (1-2-0, 5 points, 10th)
Crabble Athletic Ground, Dover, UK

Betting Odds: Dover: 5-4 (Favourites) Draw: 11-5 Huddersfield: 7-4
Past Meetings: 7W 0D 2L

We have had great historical success against Huddersfield Town and look to continue that today as favourites for the first time this year. Huddersfield made it through to Europa League Group play after earning qualification by winning the League Cup last year. They spent £29 million in the transfer window, with the most notable additions being Marino Pervan, a 24 year old right midfielder from Hearts brought in for £6.5 million and Adrien Fahrasmane, a 26 year old right fullback brought in from Fiorentina for £5 million. Overall, Huddersfield spent £29 million and sold off £17 million or so. 24 year old striker Musa Obiero has been lighting it up in Europa League play so far, with six goals in only four matches. He was a spare part last year but has obviously developed into a first choice player for the most part so far. Dennis Lotters is a dangerous midfielder and a player to watch.

We have our first Champions League game coming up in a few days so I'll be mindful of that. Still, I'll be starting close to a full squad although we do have some injuries - Shanon Andrea is actually ready to play but he's a bit fatigued so it will be Said Henni getting his first league action of the year, as he's finally healthy. Also making his first start for Dover is goalkeeper Manuel Perez, as we look to see what the Mexican international can do. Kostas Zagos is also healthy and will be on the bench today. Control mentality at home and as favourites.

Dover: 4-4-2 Control
GK - M. Perez
D - R. Gaucho, C. Contreras, R. Hamon, S. Loucif
M - A. Bamba, , N. Cairney, A. Rocca, G. Bolis
S - S. Henni, Chiquinho
Bench - D. Traore, K. Zagos, S. Spall, Mancini, G. Allan, W. Rooney, S. Andrea

Hudderfield start in a flat 4-4-2 as well with veterans Nelson Oliveira and Paul Lumsden up front. I tell the team to perform well for the supporters and pull aside Perez, Chiquinho and Henni to tell them I have faith in their abilities.

17' - Nothing is being generated on either side. Very disappointing.

18' - And just as I say that, we get our first shot on goal. We have a throw in down the left side in their territory and Cairney gets it. He sends a pass into the box but Huddersfield defender Mathias Jorgensen is there. He's trying to clear but Chiquinho steals the ball from him and immediately shoots past Alex Smithies and it's IN! That's Chiquinho's first Dover goal!!! DOVER GOAL 1-0

19' - Off the ensuing kickoff, we steal the ball at midfield and it's Gianluca Bolis storming up the right sideline. He crosses into the box and Chiquinho latches onto it. He's on a terrible angle but shoots anyway and it goes off Smithies and INTO THE NET! Holy crap - Bolis' speed is ridiculous! Two goals in a minute for Chiquinho and we're up two!!! DOVER GOAL 2-0

27' - We clear a header to safety and it's Claudio Contreras sending a long ball up field to Said Henni. He speeds toward it and sends in a low cross to the box - there's a fight for it with Chiquinho and a Huddersfield defender and the ball squirts loose to Bolis and he pops it home and the rout is on! DOVER GOAL 3-0

28' - I had to open my big mouth. Huddersfield march right back down the pitch and Lotters sends a delicious through ball to Oliveira. Hamon just watches him go by and he's through all alone and he beats Perez with a wicked blast and Huddersfield are on the board. HUDDERSFIELD GOAL 3-1

32' - Chiquinho flops in the Hudderfield penalty area and is called for the dive. Yellow card for that.

37' - Yikes. Come on guys. Oliveira is sent through again and he beats Perez but it's called offsides. Hamon is having an uncharacteristically bad half so far.

45'+2 - We have a free kick deep in their end and Rocca sends it to the middle of the pitch and Cairney, who is just lurking outside the area. His blast hits a Hudderfield defender and somehow Smithies is able to push it behind the net as the referee blows for half.

HALFTIME - Well, it took awhile before we finally got some chances but we've finished pretty much everything we've had so far. We hold a slight possession advantage at 51% and shots are 7-5 (5-3 on target) for us as well. I tell the lads I'm pleased and we'll continue with the same mentality. It would be nice to score one more and maybe get some guys a rest, especially Cairney and Rocca.

56' - Chiquinho steams down the right and cuts in toward the area. From a ridiculously brutal angle, he unleashes a low rocket that Smithies does well to turn aside. I have no clue how he was able to get that on target but that's talent shining through.

59' - We have a corner and Rocca's cross deflects right to Hamon but his blast from in tight hits the post and goes out of play. A sitter missed!

63' - We have some crazy action, as Chiquinho's cross to a wide open Said Henni is deflected and then sent back down field by Huddersfield. They work a counter and it's midfielder Robbie Brady getting loose but Perez makes a great save to keep us in a two goal lead.

Huddersfield have gone to a tight 4-4-2 diamond, with a DMC and an AMC.

70' - I take out Andrea Rocca and bring in Shaun Spall.

75' - We have possession and Chiquinho sends it out wide to Bolis. He attempts a cross and it deflects off a Huddersfield defender and right to Arsene Bamba and he makes no mistake putting it home and we have our three goal lead back! DOVER GOAL 4-1

76' - With a three goal lead, I feel comfortable enough to use my last two substitutions, taking out Gianluca Bolis and Neil Cairney and bringing in Graham Allan and Mancini. We need Bolis and Cairney fresh for our Champions League game this week.

Nothing else worth noting as we hold most of the possession the last fifteen minutes to close them out.

Dover 4 - 1 Huddersfield
Goals - Chiquinho 2 (8.8), Gianluca Bolis (9.2), Arsene Bamba (8.0)
Assists - Gianluca Bolis 2, Said Henni (7.8)
Man of the Match - Gianluca Bolis
Other Dover Notables - Manuel Perez (7.1), Salim Loucif (7.2), Claudio Contreras (7.2), Renato Gaucho (7.1), Neil Cairney (7.3)
Attendance - 21,358

Wow - a huge crowd on hand…maybe our biggest ever? Will have to check that one out. We hold 53% of possession and outshoot them 17-11 (9-5 on target). Great game by Bolis - he's SO dynamic and it's great to see Chiquinho finally score, even if both were kind of ugly goals. We'll take it!

-- Nope, while the 21,000+ was a new record for us for Premier League attendance, the overall record was 22,232, which was for our Champions League quarterfinal home tie against Barcelona last year.

-- The marquee matchup sees Man United beating Liverpool 3-2 while Man City get past Tottenham 2-0 to keep pace with us. We are now in first alone with a perfect 12 points and ahead of City on goal differential.



Dover U18 Update

-- New signing Mwemere Mutesa scores our only goal in a 1-1 draw versus West Ham. Great to see the young centre halfback get on the scoresheet already!



Champions League Odds

-- Barcelona and Manchester City are joint favourites according to Worldsoccer.com at 4-1 odds. Man United is at 5-1, Sampdoria is 15-2 while Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid are at 9-1. We were 33-1 last year but we get more respect in our second attempt, with odds this year of 20-1. Not bad.



Premier League Team of the Week

-- Gianluca Bolis and Arsene Bamba are selected to the Premier League team of the week.



Transfer News

-- We have a deal accepted for a young Mexican midfielder that's contingent on a work permit being granted. We wouldn't take ownership of the 19 year old until the end of the season, as he's currently on loan in France for the year but he's a wonderful prospect and I felt I had to swoop in on him. More details if the permit comes through.



Next Up

-- We welcome Portugal's Porto to Crabble Athletic Ground as we begin group play in the 2022/23 Champions League!
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