[NoSkillz]

Sat. September 17, 2022

Barclays Premier League
Sheffield Wednesday (3-0-1, 9 points, 5th) vs. Dover (4-0-0, 12 points, 1st)
Hillsborough, Sheffield, UK

Betting Odds: Sheffield Wednesday: 6-4 (Favourites) Draw: 2-1 Dover: 13-8
Past Meetings: 5W 1D 4L

Sheffield Wednesday were one of the surprise packages in the Premier League last season, finishing 8th after holding a continental position for most of the year. There are off to a roaring start once again this season, with wins against Newcastle, Derby and Stoke, admittedly weaker teams but a good start nonetheless. They were sellers for the most part during the transfer window, most notably getting £15.75 million for former Dover striker Gerardo Escobar in a deal with Tottenham but they also moved Kostas Zagos to our club in a £9 million deal.They did pick up English international Darijo Jukic from Arsenal in a £2.7 million bargain buy and he already has two goals in his first two games for Sheffield. They also picked up former Dover loanee Simon Woodman, a 22 year old defensive midfielder from Arsenal for £1.9 million. Steve Pates is still their most dangerous player but he's scoreless in their first four games. I loaned Kostas Kalfas to Sheffield for the season but he's ineligible for today's game. That said, he hasn't even suited up for them in a game yet.

We're a bit tired but I'm going with mostly a full strength side today - we have a League Cup match coming up midweek and that will give me an opportunity to utilize some of our backups. Zagos will be on the bench today against his former team. We'll be using a counter attacking mentality to start on the road and as slight 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, S. Spall, Mancini, G. Allan, S. Henni, Z. Bardi

Sheffield is in a flat 4-4-2 as well with Pates and Jukic up front. Saber Nasri is on defence and has been a transfer target of mine in the past and Erwin Mulder is in goal. My assistant says to go out there and perform for the travelling supporters and I pull aside Chiquinho (Pick up where you left off) and Rocca (I have faith) for personal chats.

10' - It's been all Dover on the highlights and we've had four chances at goal but nothing on target yet. A good start though.

23' - Sheffield have a free kick deep in our end near the left sideline and the cross into the area is in traffic and Wilke is forced into a nice save.

24' - Now it's the lethal Steve Pates getting off a piledriver from distance and Wilke dives headlong for the brilliant save!

29' - Sheffield are looking the more dangerous team right now and it's new striker Jukic unleashing a curling blast that hits the crossbar and bounces out. They have dominated the last ten minutes of possession but we're not giving them much other than outside shots.

35' - We hit them on the break and Chiquinho sends it up to Bamba. He runs in and crosses through the box and Andrea Rocca is there. His first shot is saved by Mulder and he gets a second crack but he again shoots it at Mulder and it deflects off him, then the post and finally behind the net. What a glorious chance! We do nothing with the corner.

44' - Bolis is forced to take a man down after a horrible pass from Chiquinho is intercepted and he gets a yellow. On the ensuing free kick, the ball is sent through to Pates but he shoots wide.

HALFTIME - Not our best half but possession is dead even and we outshoot them 13-7 (3-4 on target). I want a bit more possession so I switch to a control mentality to start the second half. I tell the players I'm pleased generally with their play and reinforce to my two strikers that I have faith in their ability to score.

47' - Rayane Hamon with a yellow card. As he's running back to his position, Sheffield Wednesday are able to take the free kick and they immediately send it up to Pates. Hamon is still way back trying to get in position and Pates lobs Wilke and it's in and I'm FURIOUS. That's bullshit that he's not allowed to get back into his position before they take the kick after a card. SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY GOAL 0-1

54' - We have a throw in down the right and Chiquinho gets it to Bolis. He attempts a cross into the middle and Bamba is there with two Sheffield defenders. Mulder makes the save then it pops off Bamba, then Saber Nasri and off Mulder and barely across the goal line but IN. We pull level on an own goal for Mulder. DOVER GOAL 1-1

56' - We almost strike again, as Andrea gets a shot off that's deflected and it's sitting in front of the open net. Chiquinho is ready to pounce but Sheffield's defence clears behind the net just in time. Rocca's corner hits Chiquinho and it just dribbles past the post and out of play.

60' - We're putting incredible pressure on them now and Rocca's shot from outside the area is saved in fine fashion by a diving Mulder.

68' - Rocca again with a shot that is bobbled by Mulder but he scoops it up just as Bolis was about to jump on it.

71' - I bring in Said Henni for Shanon Andrea.

79' - Now I bring in Zoltan Bardi and Shaun Spall and it's Arsene Bamba and Andrea Rocca coming to the bench. Henni moves to left midfield and Bardi is up front with Chiquinho now.

We get a decent chance in injury time off a corner kick but can't get it in the net. We just couldn't break them down but we'll take the draw.

Sheffield Wednesday 1 - 1 Dover
Goals - Erwin Mulder OG
Assists -
Man of the Match - Steve Pates (Sheffield Wednesday ST - 7.5)
Other Dover Notables - Neil Cairney (7.1), Arsene Bamba (7.0), Andrea Rocca (5.9)
Attendance - 35,063

We had a good second half but just couldn't get that second goal. We held 54% of possession and outshot them 22-15 overall (6-6 on target). Rocca gets a poor rating, as he took 10 of our shots, with four going on target. A bit of a rough rating in my opinion, as he was dangerous all game.

-- Sunderland manage to battle City to a 1-1 draw as well so we remain at the top of the table. Chelsea win 4-0 over Derby and Spurs beat Everton 2-0. United also knock off Arsenal 3-0 and they are now in third place.



BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE - STANDINGS
(ALL TEAMS HAVE PLAYED 5 GAMES UNLESS NOTED)

1. Dover - 13 points
2. Manchester City - 13 points
3. Manchester United - 12 points
4. Chelsea - 12 points
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5. Sheffield Wednesday - 10 points
6. Tottenham - 9 points
7. Arsenal - 9 points
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Future Transfer IN

-- I'll hold off on the screen shot until he actually arrives at our club but we gain a work permit for 19 year old Mexican midfielder Rafael Ramirez and that completes a £5.25 million transfer from OM in France. I may be overspending a bit on this 1.5/3.5 prospect but he has great ratings in key areas and I think he'll fit in very nicely as a rotational player a la Mancini or Shaun Spall. Ramirez will join us at the end of the season.



Next Up

-- We begin our march in the League Cup with a 3rd round tie at home versus fellow Premier League club Reading.