ISL Analysis | Chennaiyin thwart Jamsehdpur’s rejuvenating approach

The buildup to this game was entrenched in debates over Jamshedpur FC’s ability to make it count at the other end of the pitch. The newcomers, under Steve Coppell, have shown tremendous discipline and structure defensively, conceding just one goal in the first six games but the biggest chink in their armour has been their inability to score. They could squeeze in just one goal from open play so far, and even their manager had admitted in the pre-game press conference that scoring was a serious ailment they needed to find a solution for.

Some different tactics were expected from them today and it was seen in Coppell’s offensive shifts every time they got the ball. The plan was simple - to flood the attacking third with players. Jamshedpur had established a constructive defence by now with Andre Bikey and Tiri showing brilliant communication. Today, they were further joined by Mehtab Hossain and Memo who allowed wingbacks, Souvik Chakrabarti and Shouvik Ghosh, to further act as wingers.

However, Coppell’s adventurous vision also meant a thin defence at the back that Chennai kept testing at every counterattack before eventually forcing Jamshedpur to concede a penalty in the 41st minute. Though they squandered a chance to level points right at half-time when Belfort missed a penalty, the new setup couldn’t contain throughout the game as Jamshedpur had to resort to their defensive nature in the second-half.

Any diligent manager in the league would be shocked by Jamshedpur’s start today. The hosts showed tremendous pace in the opening half, which was definitely not what Chennaiyin had in their mind coming into the game. A quick look at their last five games and one would get a reflection of a conservative side, who have always liked to sit deep and attack, if and only there was an ample window of opportunity.

Hardly any side in the ISL possesses a staunch and determined defensive leader amidst them, a role that has proved to be of tremendous importance this season. A passionate player with good vision at the back could go a long way for any team in the league and Chennaiyin have been reaping the fruits of it this season. The qualities in question are all accumulated in Henrique Sereno.