We are now at the business end of the second season of the Indian Super League and it is turning out to be a very tight finish. The football has been quite exciting, the crowds have been impressive, and in a very good development for the sport in this country, quite a few Indian players have performed well. Here are five interesting trends witnessed this season:
No clear favourite
The number one spot has changed hands so many times that it’s been difficult to keep track of the standings. As of November 25, the first and sixth-placed teams in the league were separated by just five points. Teams can win 7-0 one day (Goa against Mumbai) and then crash to a 0-4 defeat the next (Goa against Kolkata). It truly is anybody’s game.
Victory for the conseratives
Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos was never known to be conservative. But under his tutelage, the Delhi Dynamos have pretty much shut shop. With 11 games played and 18 points in the bank, the Dynamos have a very good chance of making the playoffs. And this impressive performance has come despite scoring the least number of goals (11) this season. But they have also conceded the least number of goals (13), a feat shared with Atletico de Kolkata.
Individuals can't hide team failures
Chennaiyin FC have been the most attacking team this season, scoring 21 goals with 84 shots on target. John Stiven Mendoza, a Chennai favourite, is the league’s top scorer with 10 goals. Yet, Chennaiyin have failed to hit the highs of last season, despite Mendoza and Elano being among the league’s top five scorers.
It’s a familiar pattern as four of the top five goalscorers are from teams that have underperformed this year. Sunil Chhetri (Mumbai City FC) and Chris Dagnall (Kerala Blasters) have been scoring freely but their teams lie at the bottom of the table.
No blast off for the Blasters
Kerala Blasters were the in-form team last season and were a trifle unlucky to have lost in the final, but they have been quite woeful this year. They started off brightly with a win against NorthEast United FC but then went on to lose four games in a row. Despite winning two games subsequently, the Blasters have still looked patchy. The mid-season sacking of manager Peter Taylor probably did not help their cause either.
Wooden spoon to silver spoon
NorthEast United FC finished at the bottom last year with six losses in 14 games. It was a disappointing tally, especially considering their passionate and boisterous supporters. It looked like it would be a similar story this year for the Highlanders after they started off with three losses in their first three games. But they have stitched together an impressive comeback, winning four out of their next six matches. With 17 points in the bag and two games in hand, NorthEast are well-placed to clinch a playoff berth and make up for last year’s disappointment.
No clear favourite
The number one spot has changed hands so many times that it’s been difficult to keep track of the standings. As of November 25, the first and sixth-placed teams in the league were separated by just five points. Teams can win 7-0 one day (Goa against Mumbai) and then crash to a 0-4 defeat the next (Goa against Kolkata). It truly is anybody’s game.
Victory for the conseratives
Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos was never known to be conservative. But under his tutelage, the Delhi Dynamos have pretty much shut shop. With 11 games played and 18 points in the bank, the Dynamos have a very good chance of making the playoffs. And this impressive performance has come despite scoring the least number of goals (11) this season. But they have also conceded the least number of goals (13), a feat shared with Atletico de Kolkata.
Individuals can't hide team failures
Chennaiyin FC have been the most attacking team this season, scoring 21 goals with 84 shots on target. John Stiven Mendoza, a Chennai favourite, is the league’s top scorer with 10 goals. Yet, Chennaiyin have failed to hit the highs of last season, despite Mendoza and Elano being among the league’s top five scorers.
It’s a familiar pattern as four of the top five goalscorers are from teams that have underperformed this year. Sunil Chhetri (Mumbai City FC) and Chris Dagnall (Kerala Blasters) have been scoring freely but their teams lie at the bottom of the table.
No blast off for the Blasters
Kerala Blasters were the in-form team last season and were a trifle unlucky to have lost in the final, but they have been quite woeful this year. They started off brightly with a win against NorthEast United FC but then went on to lose four games in a row. Despite winning two games subsequently, the Blasters have still looked patchy. The mid-season sacking of manager Peter Taylor probably did not help their cause either.
Wooden spoon to silver spoon
NorthEast United FC finished at the bottom last year with six losses in 14 games. It was a disappointing tally, especially considering their passionate and boisterous supporters. It looked like it would be a similar story this year for the Highlanders after they started off with three losses in their first three games. But they have stitched together an impressive comeback, winning four out of their next six matches. With 17 points in the bag and two games in hand, NorthEast are well-placed to clinch a playoff berth and make up for last year’s disappointment.
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