World Cup qualifiers preview: Will India stay true to new style or look to deliver results?

When Igor Stimac lost his first match as India football coach, a 1-3 defeat against Curacao at the King’s Cup in June, the Croatian had made his intentions clear right away.

“There is no fear of getting results at this time. Results may suffer at the start but what is important is that we have a positive environment,” he said.

At that point, the process was more about identifying the right set of players and imbibing his philosophy into the team, even if that meant if results took a beating in the short-term.

In his three-month tenure so far, the statistics from the games he has managed are not impressive: 5 matches, 13 goals conceded, 7 scored and just one win.

But despite a tough start, he received plaudits for the style of play he adopted.

With young faces blooded into the team, the Croat’s playing style has been a stark contrast to the orthodox and safety-first approach that predecessor Stephen Constantine employed.

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Now, there is a greater focus on possession, building from the back and also movement off the ball. The long-ball strategy has been abandoned but pressing higher up the pitch, taking more risks and showing courage on the ball in dangerous areas has been encouraged. The struggles were evident at first and Stimac paid the price - a few heavy losses - but he has persisted with his style.

And with India’s 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign starting on Wednesday, the time has arrived for Stimac to start delivering. A delayed domestic season and lack of training time may have affected his preparations but for now, Stimac seems to have his priorities right - on delivering results.

“Results are important now and they are our priority. We have used the last few months wisely. I feel we are ready for the challenge,” he said ahead of the opener against Oman.

While the Intercontinental Cup was an apparent acid test for his philosophy, it remains to be seen what approach Stimac adopts as he focuses on the big picture. Will India go back to the Constantine way or will Stimac compromise on his approach to achieve results or will Stimac’s new tactics now get results too?

The Blue Tigers have been pitted alongside Qatar, Oman, Afghanistan and Bangladesh in Group E and two tough opening games may require Stimac to come up with a different tactical approach before facing their lower-ranked Asian neighbours Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

For Stimac, adaptation is the key as he embraces his biggest challenge as India coach.

“I’m not implementing the Croatian idea into Indian football. I’m building up from Indian players into Indian style. You cannot bring something from your country and try that out here. Football is the same everywhere in the world, it’s a communal game. Everyone loves to play technical football with lots of passing, possession and creating lots of chances. But when there is a strong opponent, you cannot do that. You need to defend well and build counter-attacks,” Stimac, who guided Croatia to the 2014 World Cup, said during the pre-match press conference in Guwahati.

“We are developing different styles of play because in a few days we will face Qatar, who are the best team in Asia. What do we do there? Insist on possession on the ball? I don’t think so. We need to be clever so we just cannot focus on this technical aspect (building from the back), ball possession and all that. We need to be ready to adapt to different styles of the game depending on our opponents, form and the fitness of our players,” he added.

Stimac has already declared Oman as favourites for the clash but with home advantage, an upset for the hosts could be a huge psychological boost before their trip to Qatar.

Team news

India

Stimac is likely to stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation he has used in all his games so far. Sunil Chhetri is set to lead the line flanked by Lallianzula Chhangte and Udanta Singh. However, doubts still linger over two key positions - in central midfield and defence.

With 18-year-old Amarjit Singh Kiyam ruled out due to a hand injury, Vinit Rai and Rowllin Borges will contest for his spot. One of them will be accompanied by the creative duo of Anirudh Thapa and Sahal Abdul Samad.

There is also uncertainty on whether who will partner Sandesh Jhinghan at the heart of defence with Adil Khan, Anas Edathodika and Rahul Bheke available options.

Oman

Like India, Oman also has a new coach in Erwin Koeman, who also prefers a 4-2-3-1 setup.

With goalkeeper Ahmed Al Rawahi and forward Jamil Al Yahmadi ruled out for the clash, young striker Arshad Al Alawi has been handed a call-up, who is coming on the back of an impressive AFC Under-16 Championships. The Dutchman, who is yet to taste defeat as Oman manager, has already figured out his playing eleven.

Koeman is set to opt for the same defence the one his predecessor Pim Verbeek stuck with during the Asian Cup 2019. Ahmed Mubarak and Ibrahim Saleh will form the base of the midfield with Mohammed Al-Ghassini spearheading the attack.

Head-to-Head

Form Guide

India: D-L-L-W-L

Oman: W-W-W-L-W

Ranking

India: 103

Oman: 87