ISL statistics: Dominant top four, abysmal chasing pack, rock-solid Lucian Goian

With each team having played at least 5 matches in the ongoing Indian Super League, the fourth edition of the FSDL-run league approaches its one-third mark.

FC Goa and new entrants JSW Bengaluru FC have set the early season pace and are first and second in the table. Goa in particular, have scored 18 goals at a blinding pace and their Spanish striker Ferran Corominas seems to be scoring for fun, notching 8 goals in their 5 games already.

Here’s a look at all the important statistics from the opening weeks of the ISL:

Top four taking clear shape

It’s still early days in this edition of the ISL and fifth-placed Mumbai FC are only three points adrift of Pune in fourth, yet in terms of play and team balance, the current top four of Goa, Bengaluru, Chennaiyin and Pune City seem miles ahead of the rest of the pack.

In all of their matches against the chasing pack, they have lost only three, Goa’s 2-1 loss to Mumbai City and Chennaiyin’s 1-0 loss via penalty to the same opposition, as well as Pune’s 2-3 opening day loss to the Dynamos.

On the other end, they have drawn none and have beaten the sides in the other 12 matches that have taken place between the top four and the rest, outscoring them 30-8.

The quartet have also contributed to over 70% of the goals scored in the league so far – 53 out of a total of 74. Interestingly enough, the only two sides of the top four that are yet to meet are leaders Goa and Pune City. It could be a long season for the rest of the sides.

Kattimani is the weak link for Goa

Despite all of Coro’s heroics in front of goal, Goa remain vulnerable at the back. On days where the attack doesn’t fire as expected, as in the 2-1 loss to Mumbai City, the defence can be expected to leak goals, which is exactly what they have done over the first five games.

Barring their last match against Delhi Dynamos, they have let in at least two goals in their remaining four matches, but remarkably have possessed the firepower to overcome their defensive deficiencies.

Chief among the culprits has been keeper Laxmikant Kattimani, whose howlers have cost his side at least three goals, if not more. The Goa-born keeper hasn’t been outstanding in his saves-to-shots faced ratio as he has made 11 saves, while letting in 10 goals.

For a true indication of how poor their defence has been, consider this: only bottom-placed Dynamos have conceded more goals than the Gaurs, with 14. With Naveen Kumar and Bruno Colaco for backup, keepers who have no ISL experience, Sergio Lobera will be hoping that his side’s policy of “score one more than the opposition” holds up or go shopping in January, if the former ISL finalists hope to go one better this time.

Bottom six and the lost art of goalscoring

After an extensive pre-season under their belt, the number of goals that have been scored by the bottom six from open play are as follows: Mumbai City (4 in 6 matches), Jamshedpur (1 in 6), Kerala Blasters (4 in 5), ATK (4 in 5), NorthEast United (2 in 5) and Delhi Dynamos (3 in 5).

In terms of their longest dry streaks in front of goal (open play), the numbers for all teams apart from Mumbai City, make for interesting reading: Jamshedpur (331 minutes), ATK (207), Kerala Blasters (194), NEUFC (248) and Delhi Dynamos (358).

In the matches that these teams have played among themselves, only once has a team scored more than once against another – NorthEast United putting two over the Dynamos. In terms of shots taken, these teams haven’t shied away either.

Goa’s shot tally is as expected higher than the rest but NEUFC’s (2 goals from 58 shots) and ATK’s conversion rates (4 from 50) are abysmal, due to a lack of clinical finishing up top. The less said about Jamshedpur FC (1 from 46), the better.

Interestingly, four of the six lead the average crosses attempted table with Delhi (18 per game) top of the charts. Goa, the highest scorers in the tournament, are the lowest (6.4 per game).

Lucian Goian, one of the best ever to play ISL

Of all the defenders who’ve graced the league, there’s very little to choose between Cedric Hengbart, Aaron Hughes and Lucian Goian. As far as this season goes, the Romanian centre-back has continued in the same rich vein of form that saw Mumbai concede only seven goals en route to topping the league table last year.

Anointed club captain this time around, Goian has seen his side already ship in seven goals in the first six games but the Romanian can take very little blame for his side’s mid-table obscurity. There was a reason that the management and head coach Alexandre Guimaraes were desperate to bring back the ex-Perth Glory defender to the club.

Goian leads the league in tackles (37), ranks second in interceptions (11) and leads his side in touches (308), besides being Mumbai’s third-highest pass-maker (201). Last season, Goian had finished the league as highest in both tackles and interceptions.

Along with Gerson Vieira and Amrinder Singh, Goian will hope to keep things tight at the back while hoping the forwards start firing on all cylinders. Mumbai look the team most likely to break into the top four, and Goian remains central to that ambition.