Tranmere Rovers 2014-15... Sky Bet League 2 Champions and FA Cup WINNERS

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Awards:

FIFA awards:
World Golden Ball 2017: Lionel Messi (still at Barca), Suarez second, Aguero third.
World Player of the Year 2017: Sergio Aguero (Man City), Suarez second, Hazard third.
European Golden Boy 2017: Gabriel (!!) - 19 goals in 25 games, 22 with Tranmere and the other three must be the U20s.

Premier league awards, December 2017:
Player of the Month: Gabriel, Towell second (bit surprised by both of these)
Young player of the month: Roberts (Villa), Schatzschneider third
Manager of the month was Villas-Boas from Man U, not surprising since they won six from six - more surprising that they didnt dominate individual awards.

I wonder what would happen with truly world class players in these amazing "beautiful play" tactics. My players are absolutely dominant but none of them are the finished product really going by my own coaches opinions. Gabriel is 4.5 stars now which is pretty close but he's still only "potentially" world class; my midfield players have 3.5 - 4 stars (the top teams are basically full 5 stars). if you used this tactic with a rich City/Barca type team you must absolutely annihilate everyone.
 
"Can I speak with you for a moment?" Joao Teixeira runs up to me at training, a determined look on his face.

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Teixeira has been in top form this season, really matured into a leading light. At the age of 24 he is also one of the older players in the team! "Hi Joao, what can I do for you?" I ask, expecting the inevitable pay rise question.

"Well, you know Newcastle has been making noise about taking me. I've been thinking about moving to a bigger club for a while, and I want you to let me talk to them if they make an offer during this transfer window."

I didnt expect that from Teixeira. I hadnt got the feeling from him that he was at all unhappy here, or interested in moving on. Couldn't he see the potential of the young talent we'd put together?

"Joao, I really don't want to lose you. What will it take to keep you here if they do come knocking?"

It doesn't take him long to think of a response. "I want to win trophies, and, unfortunately for you, that isnt something I feel I can realistically achieve here."

Unfortunately for me? What? Is he saying that it is unfortunate for me that he doesnt want to stay, or unfortunate that I'm not up to pushing us to trophy standard? I'm flummoxed, and not sure how to respond initially. I think he might mean that it's unfortunate that we won't perform to his expectations. I think. In any case what he is saying is pretty down on the team. I need to remind him that he's not the only talented youngster around.

"Joao, look around you. It might not seem realistic at the moment, but look at the fantastic young players coming through. You are playing opposite Torrano every week, and he's just getting better and better. We have youth and depth in almost every position - you really think that we aren't as good as Newcastle?! Give me a season to bring these youngsters through and we'll more than match your ambition."

He looks satisfied with that, and agrees to wait a year to see what happens. That's sorted that out for now, it's a worrying sign though - a couple of losses and the rats are already looking to leave the ship. Newcastle indeed.
 
1 Jan 2018. Hugo Carabali arrives today. He's the Colombian striker I picked up from the U20s World Cup after he was PotM in a game and I put in a bid - I had thought it was free, but looking it up I actually paid 325k. Still cheap. He's been playing in the Colombian First Division, with an average rating of 6.7 - not great. He is relatively slow compared to Gabriel, but has great finishing and long shots - should be a good player in the future.

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Problem is I have no space for him in the team right now. And it pushes Stockton further down the order - realistically if I have an opening in the team, I'd rather give this lad some game time to mature than Stockton who might improve slightly, but not heaps.

Strategically, it may be worthwhile putting this kid out to loan for now, put Stockton in for a few games this season and then sell Stockton when I can for the highest amount of money he will draw. Then Carabali becomes my second choice next season. Sounds like a plan.
 
Looking at options to fill my short term fullback problems, my scouts flagged a young Greek (regen) player at PSG with a 4.5 star current rating, value 3M. Sounds good. I put in an offer. Return: 182M. OK, I think this kid will be something special!

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Options I'm looking at:
Alberto Amici - decent enough right back from Bologna
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Not a glowing endorsement.

Carl Jenkinson
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So-so

Darijo Srna
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He's still good, but he's 35 - I guess I only need him for a year. If I can get him for less than 2m it is probably worth it.
 
Seem crazy that teixeira wants to jump ship when your likely to qualify for europe in the first season back! If he wants to go to newcastle id let him, tranmere are a club on the up, in 2/3 yrs the team will be winning trophies every season, why would he not want to be part of that??
 
Have a look at elliot hewitt he is a decent youth prospect at rb when the game starts in 14/15,
 
Hewitt does look good, I have a scout report from March 2017 in my system. I wonder why he doesnt show up as a viable option? I've sent the scouts out for an updated report.

List of targets now for right back:

Elliot Hewitt
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Carl Jenkinson (above)
Javi Manquilo (Atletico)
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Juanfran (Atletico C - loan? His wages too high for me right now)
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I put in a bid for Srna, his salary needs were beyond me. I might try for a loan there too but I'm guessing both Liverpool and Atletico will ask for 100% wages which I cant afford. Hewitt looks the best option - thanks scout Tracz :).

What's this in my inbox?
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Man U and Man City after him? He must be good. I don't need a DC right now, but clearly there is something special about this kid. I pick up the phone. Half way through dialling my chief scout Tomlinson I stop. Why bother scouting? The Manchester clubs would not both be after this youngster unless he was the real deal. I call Steve Coppell instead.

"Steve, did you get that email alert about Kevin Gibson - the kid both Man Utd and City are after?"

"Wait, let me see... oh yes that's interesting. Never heard of him myself, do you want me to get Lyndon to go have a look?"

"No Steve, their scouts have done that job for us. I just want you to put in an offer. I know if I speak to the agent they'll jack up the prices, but maybe you can pick him up cheaply."

"Sure thing, I'll get onto it right away."

Two days later... Hibs have accepted bids from us, Man City, Man Utd and Spurs. Well you never know.

Three more days later...

*ring* "Hi, it's Steve. I'm here in Edinburgh and young Gibson is putting pen to paper. Are you ok with the contract details I just emailed you?"

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I check. I don't know why he signed for us ahead of any of the big clubs! Steve's done pretty well with the fee and wages

"Yep, we can afford that. Is he worth it Steve, now you've had a look?"

"Oh yeah, he's a future talent. Not first XI quality yet but he will be great in a couple of years".

Once he's actually in the club, Phil Cannon greets him and sends me a report:
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Promising. I can see why the big clubs were after him, this kid will be special. Another coup for Tranmere - although it drains our transfer budget a bit. We paid 875k, still have 1.3M available. Now to sell off those players we don't need and we couldnt get rid of in July - how to generate interest?
 
Juanfran: offer accepted, "my client isn't interested in entering discussions with your club - you don't have the finances to even get close to what he wants". Atletico wants a 50% wage contribution if we take him on loan, I can only afford 0%!

Hewitt: transfer rejected. They asked for 16M. And apparently we can't afford him and he is not available for loan.

Maquilo might be an option, but I dont have the salary budget for it - need to offload a few players.
 
I cast an eye over the training session. Stockton is doing well, but not well enough - now we have Carabali as a young backup he's slipped down the pecking order. He is still a better option for now, but we don't want to put too many resources into developing him into a better player as it's clear that his peak will be well below where we need it to be.

"Cole, come over here" I brace myself for a difficult conversation. "Your whole career has been here at Tranmere, and you've been instrumental to getting us into the Premier League. But being at this level is different to getting here - the defences are quicker, stronger and better at closing down our attacking players. You've struggled to get free when you've played."

Stockton nods his assent, but looks glaringly at me. "I can improve, I know it. There isn't a player alive that will work harder than me on the training ground. I will be a good player at this level, for sure."

I ponder my options. Stockton had agreed to a new contract as a backup in October. He's accepted that he is not the first XI striker, and he is continuing to improve... but I need some salary space. I let him down gently.

"I've decided to make a private offer to some Championship clubs that are looking for a striker. You will thrive again at that level, and it will be better for your development at this stage to get regular first team time." Stockton looks disappointed, but accepts this. He really is a good professional - I'll throw him a lifeline. "If we arent successful, I'll try to sort out a loan for you to get the same game time, and while I can't promise you regular game time here, I will try to use you more as a substitute."

He's ok with that, and moves off. His value is 2.4m, I would like to spin that into a right back, but sentimentality is getting the better of me!
 
With no movement on other players not wanted in the club, I put them out for loan too. Dan Dickinson, the American without a permit, accepts a mutual termination which will put some relief on the wages bill, but he wasnt paid much in the first place. The player I really want to drop is Nico Chafer. He is a good enough midfielder, will do very well for a League 1 or Championship side, or perhaps back to Spain, and he's valued at 700k. His wages are 6k, I'd love to offload him at value, but failing that, just moving him off the books would be satisfactory. Unfortunately his contract has 2 years to run, and he's been on the unwanted list for almost 12 months with no result. Offering him now at value, then half value, then for free similarly fails to attract interest.

After that failure I turn my mind back to our fullbacks. I have around 1m in the transfer kitty, and a little bit of salary space - if I can get someone cheaper than that I can adjust enough to offer say 15k - enough to get a decent player.

All the options I identified failed, so I turn to my scout reports. They have a few decent options listed from their travels around Europe, including Srna (unaffordable) and Diogo Figueiras, a Portuguese player currently playing with Sevilla. Sevilla is trying to sell him or loan him out so he is available at half price - 1.5M. He looks decent - above any of our current right backs including Fabio.

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Getting his club to agree on a transfer fee is a bit of an issue as I don't have 1.5M available, and I will need some of what I do have to put into his salary. After a few attempts they accept an 800k payment now, with 800k after he makes 20 appearances. This puts the second payment into next year's budget and I have some breathing space now. They accept, and I'm in contract talks! He asks for 14k with healthy increases each year. I haggle him down to 12k with a 5% increase, and an offer to increase it to 16k if he gets 5 caps for Portugal. That's possible but something to worry about down the track.

His report card looks quite good from Phil Cannon:
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He is a "current international" but has never actually made an appearance so his salary may go up sooner than I'd like. Oh well. At least that gap is plugged.
 
I'm writing this summary at the end of April, so there's a bit to catch up on. This will be a bit of a condensed summary - I got a bit overexcited with the game progress last night, and didn't want to break to write the story!

Anyway, the team progressed very well throughout the second half of the season. January started poorly though - after a fairly ordinary December we lost 2-0 away to West Brom on New Year's day, and lost 1-0 to Liverpool at home as well. I took the team aside after that game and told them not to let their heads drop - we were at risk of sliding down the table, and our forwards were out of form.

They took the team talk as I had hoped. From that point we went particularly well, and have been unbeaten at home. Highlights include a 2-0 win over City and a 5-2 win over Arsenal. Arsenal was ahead 2-1 at half time in that game, and I gave the team a roasting. They were undone by two quick goals in the middle of the second half, and then they went looking for an equaliser, leaving huge defensive gaps which we exploited to score another two.

We have only lost once in the Premier League since January, a close 1-0 game to Everton away. We drew 2-2 against Chelsea as well. To be honest the teams we've played have been easier than in the first half of the season - of the big teams, we have beaten City and Arsenal, but lost to Liverpool and drew with Chelsea. Man U has been the best team in the game at the moment, and we havent had to play them yet. But overall it has been an excellent run.

In the cup we've had a relatively easy run compared with previous years:

4th round vs Brentford (Championship team) - we easily won 4-1
5th round vs Everton - a harder game, Everton actually dominated possession and shots taken, but we were more accurate with our chances - they had 3/10 on target, we had 4/8. Stockton scored the winner in the 89th minute - a bit of a let off really.
6th round vs Norwich - the first game was a 1-1 draw away. We had many more shots on target - 7 to 2, and they played with 10 men for 30 minutes, but we couldn't find a winner. The replay was in Prenton Park where we have been unbeatable, and so it worked out here - we won 2-0, with 11 shots on target vs 4, and we had 57% of possession.

The semi-final was against Newcastle. They are 7th in the Premier League.



The game started brightly, as usual, for Tranmere. In the 13th minute we had a corner which Da Silva took, a short one to Torrano in the 6 yard box.
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Torrano lofted a pass in to Galloway at the spot
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Galloway nodded it down to Gabriel sitting right in front of him - easy shot from there, 1-0
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(side note - the patch notes suggested that corners should be harder to score from - I'm still getting most of my goals this way)

15 mins, Macleod found himself just outside the box in a 3 on 3 situation. Gabriel and Kent are closely marked in front of him, but he is in some space
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He plays to Gabriel in front of him, who can't shake his marker. He pushes the ball back to Galloway, who spreads it right. The Newcastle defence has not tracked back with the Tranmere wide players, and Tranmere has an overlap.
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The ball falls into Torrano's path, who plays a lovely weighted pass into the space between Gabriel and the keeper. The Newcastle defense cannot keep up with Gabriel so it is a foot race to the ball between Krul and Gabriel.
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For some reason, Krul does not even move so Gabriel finds himself with the ball all alone.
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Bit of a strange one, in the end Krul would have had to move about 2 steps forward to get the ball. Anyway Gabriel does not miss from there, 2-0.

39 minutes, Tranmere free kick. Da Silva send it into the crowded area.
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Newcastle defenders got to the ball and headed it clear, and the midfield charged out. The ball only made it to a Tranmere player, and a few passes later Galloway found Torrano in a much cleared out box - half of the Newcastle defence had moved out in counter attack.
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Three defenders collapsed onto Torrano, leaving Galloway free to make a run into the box... uh oh.
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Yes that Newcastle defender realises his mistake and rushes back to close off Galloway. He's too slow though, and an unmarked Galloway has no trouble beating Krul from there - 3:0 Tranmere, and not even half time!
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49 minutes, Newcastle corner at the same end. The fans down this end certainly got their money's worth! Aarons sends it in to the box.
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The near post crowd rose for the ball, but it drifted over them
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Da Silva was marking his man very tightly...
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Boakye hits the turf.
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But the ball bobbles into the path of Caceres, who has a shot - goal!
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3:1. Newcastle saw an opportunity and kept pushing, but on 57 minutes Galloway found Torrano in some space at the edge of the penalty area
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Newcastle defender Emanuelson didnt like the look of that, and took Torrano out with a slide tackle from behind.
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Penalty! Should have been a red in my opinion, but he only got a yellow card. Da Silva makes no mistake from the spot. 4:1 Tranmere.

62 minutes, Newcastle is now throwing everything into desparate attacks. Cleverley (now a Newcastle player) finds himself in a good position.
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He feeds a clever pass to fellow former Man U player Nani who is loosely marked by an injured Man U reject Fabio just outside the area.
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Nani unleashed from there, a speculative shot at best
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It was a rocket though, and beat our young keeper Glover at the back post. The score is 4-2, and 20 minutes left. Surely we can still close this out?

Just after the kickoff, Sweeney tried to find Gabriel with a long pass.
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For some reason Gabriel retreated from the ball and it found Coates instead
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He belted a great long ball forward, and found Ings with heaps of space.
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Looks like he will be one on one with the keeper, but Ake is speeding back and he will need to hit it quickly.
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Ake does a brilliant sliding tackle to block the shot, and it goes for a corner.
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Tranmere dealt with the corner easily. In the 82nd minute they put it beyond doubt. Huge holes appeared in Newcastle's defence as they desperately sought goals, and Kent scored off an overlapping wide run - a straight forward goal to make it 5-2, and a big win for Tranmere.

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No surprise that Gabriel is PotM. Stats were also very one sided.
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Chelsea beat Man U in the other semi, to set up a cracking final, a replay of last year's game but we have a stronger team now... could go either way.
 
Here's our complete schedule
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After our winning run in the league, we're very well positioned - way way better than I expected at the start of the year.
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Man U have been incredible, but Chelsea is not far back in 2nd place - 5 points back with a game in hand. We play Man U next - if we win this game, it could give Chelsea a chance at winning the Premiership.

Gabriel and Falcao are in a race for golden boot. Our players dominate most of the other stats.

Awards by month:
January:
Player of the month was Townsend from Swansea, no Tranmere players feature
Young player was Galloway, with Gabriel second
Manager of the month - Rodgers (Liverpool), I was third

February:
Player of the month Da Silva, Sweeney third
Young player was Torrano, Gabriel second
Manager of the month: Rijkaard (has worked miracles at Everton), I was second

March:
Player of the month Ozil (still Arsenal), Gabriel second
Young player: Gabriel, Schatzschneider second
Manager of the month: Villas-Boas (dominating with Man U), I was third

April:
Player of the month Gabriel, Teixeira second
Young player: Jack Stobbs (Hammers), Skokic second.
Goal of the month - a long range shot by Gabriel. To be honest I've seen better, I dont know how they pick this award.
Manager of the month: Lopetegui (took over from a retired Wenger at Arsenal), I was third again.

Only three games left including the FA Cup Final. I have an hour to play the three, will just breeze through the remaining EPL games and do a detailed summary of the Cup. We have a guaranteed spot in the Champions League next year so the last couple of league games don't matter, I might play a weakened team to ensure stars are ready for Chelsea.
 
An easy win to close out the season.

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Macleod scored a cracking goal, a volley from outside the box that smashed into the top right corner of the goal. Fantastic shot.

In better news, Gabriel agreed to a new contract. Yes, I had to basically sacrifice our entire transfer budget for next year to get it... I'll worry about that later. His agent sucks - I had to pay him a 2m fee in negotiations :(

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It's a pretty costly contract overall. I had to beat them down from a 105k wage and ended up coughing up a lot of bonuses.
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Will come back to end of season awards, and focus on getting this Cup Final played. I have 30 mins... will need to rush it if I'm going to write it up as we go!
 
The team gathers in the dressing rooms, deep in the heart of Wembley. It's been three years since we won the incredible final in 2015, and very few of the players are still in the team.

It's a warm and sunny day, full crowd in Wembley. There'll be plenty of Chelsea supporters in the crowd, but I hope the neutrals will join those that have travelled down from Merseyside to cheer us on!
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Our lineup:
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Ake is out of the team, as a Chelsea player still. He has just a month to go on his contract and I'm pretty sure we'll get him on a free at the end of the season, but he can't play them now which is disappointing for the lad. Sweeney and Haroyan will form our centre defence. Our defence is weakened, with Schatzschneider off on international friendly duty, and Figueiras injured we have Fabio at DR, with no backup. Sweeney will move across if he is injured. On the left Barbosa is also injured, but Skokic has been playing well so I'm ok with him out there. Again, we have no backup.

Da Silva is the rock in DM, with Macleod and Towell ahead of him. Galloway is reserve today. Teixeira starts wide on the left, Torrano on the right, with Kent in reserve for either side. Gabriel is of course first choice striker.
 
The teams:

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No Fabregas or Willian for Chelsea. Very solid in midfield and up front. But they are still a bit weak on the right back, we'll look to exploit that.
 
23 mins

Towell collects a loose goalkick in midfield, and passes ahead to Torrano
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Torrano finds Gabriel, marked very tightly
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He takes on his defender, and makes a storming run to the right corner of the box
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He runs the ball out to Fabio, who is positioned to take a first time cross into the box
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Cahill meets the ball and heads away
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Oscar collects the ball outside the box and holds it up while the Chelsea players bust forward
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He plays it safely across to Nkoulou.
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Nkoulou can't see anyone for an easy pass, and Macleod moves in to close him down.
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Not just close him down - Macleod tackles! Oops!
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The ball knocks out towards Chalobah
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Straight past him into the path of Gabriel, who shoots!
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Brilliant save by Courtois, corner
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