ISL 2017/18: Kerala Blasters do not play football under David James, says Delhi Dynamos coach Miguel Portugal

Delhi Dynamos head coach Miguel Angel Portugal was not impressed with the Kerala Blasters, who registered a 3-1 victory over the capital side on Wednesday.

Delhi, who are currently placed at the bottom of the ISL 2017 table, have now gone eight matches without a win, after getting a 3-2 victory at FC Pune City in their first match of the season.

Kerala Blasters had taken the lead with a 13th-minute strike from their star striker Iain Hume. However, the Dynamos struck back with a goal from India international Pritam Kotal, just ahead of halftime.

The Blasters came back strongly though, as Hume scored two more goals in the space of five minutes to win it for the away side.

Despite the loss, Dynamos manager Portugal felt that it was his side that played better football in the match.

"Kerala Blasters may have won the game, but I think we had enough opportunities. Not only did Delhi create enough chances to get a draw, but I think we could have easily won the game," said Portugal after the match.

When asked whether he felt there was any difference between Kerala Blasters under former boss Rene Meulensteen, and under current head coach David James, Portugal expressed his anguish saying that the Kochi-based side "didn't play football" under either manager.

"I don't see any change in Kerala's football because they don't play football," said Portugal. "Even with David James here, Kerala just played long balls. There was only one team playing football, and that was Delhi."

Portugal's side had shown some promise after they earned a 2-2 draw against the highflying Chennaiyin FC in Chennai last week, giving some wind to their revival hopes. These hopes got stronger after Kotal brought the Delhi Dynamos back in contention for the match. However, their defensive problems seem to have surfaced again in the second half, when they conceded two late goals to lose their seventh match of the season.