ISL 2018-19: What Chennaiyin FC need to do to turn their season around
It hasn't been the best of starts to the new Indian Super League (ISL) season for defending champions Chennaiyin FC.
After four games played, John Gregory's boys are still without a win having lost three with just a solitary point, coming in their most recent game against Delhi Dynamos on Tuesday.
The two-time champions are squarely on the back foot now and have much catching up to do. Along with FC Pune City, they are the only two teams in the competition yet to register a win.
So as the Blues from Chennai look for that elusive first win, we look at what's been plaguing them this season and why the club has had such an underwhelming start to the season.
#1 Taking their chances when they come
Chennaiyin FC have scored four goals thus far in four games. While that might look par for the course, three of those came in one game, in the 3-4 loss to NorthEast United. Gregory's men have gone scoreless in two other games.
And it has not been for a paucity of chances. There have been goal-scoring opportunities floundered, ranging from makeable to 'certain-goal' to one-on-one's with the goalkeeper that Chennaiyin FC are probably ruing at the moment.
Barring their 1-3 loss to FC Goa, Chennaiyin really have had chances to come out victorious in their other three games.
In their season opener against Bengaluru FC, Jeje Lalpekhlua missed two golden chances. On both occasions, he had only the keeper to beat.
The first saw him try to pass the ball to teammate Germanpreet Singh who was completely unmarked only for it to curl away and out of Germanpreet's reach and the second saw him fail to control the ball as it pinballed between his feet and went out for a goal-kick.
Raphael Augusto also missed a wide open header from a corner in that game. Chennaiyin FC had four shots on target to Bengaluru's three and went scoreless.
In yesterday's game against Delhi, they had seven shots on target to just two for Delhi and still couldn't find the back of the net.
While Dynamos keeper Francisco Dorronsoro had a good game, there was really no excuse for Chennaiyin not converting some of the chances that came their way.
Striker Carlos Salom missed an easy one-on-one with Dorronsoro after a three-on-one Chennaiyin FC counter where they looked certain to score. Salom missed another makeable opportunity in the second half as he put his shot wide.
Andrea Orlandi put a good chance high and wide from inside the box while Francisco Fernandes kicked nothing but air after a good cross was fed to him from the left.
In total, Chennaiyin FC have had 19 shots on target to their opponents' 14, but have been outscored four to eight in goals.
Converting their chances in the upcoming games is going to be crucial for Chennaiyin FC going forward. Their strikers are scoreless in four games with Thoi Singh the leading scorer at the moment with two goals.