Can a tightened defence help Chennaiyin FC make amends?
An integral part of any football team is the defence. Chennaiyin FC would know.
Marco Materazzi’s boys were caught in this problem against Kerala Blasters FC in the first leg of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) semi-finals and paid dearly for it, conceding three goals to put their opponents in command of the tie.
When Alessandro Nesta was inducted into the squad for an injured attacking midfielder John Stiven Mendoza Valencia, many wondered if Chennaiyin had made the wrong move. The belief was that the team was already strong in defence with Mikael Silvestre, Bernard Mendy and, when necessary, Materazzi himself.
Maybe it was just not Chennaiyin’s day but the Kerala players had more room to negotiate and release passes. The fire power that the Blasters showed was admirable. Hume was at his usual best. Then there was the momentary brilliance from both Ishfaq Ahmed and substitute Sushanth Mathew. As Hume, the team’s biggest success story, put it, “We are going to enjoy but we are not going to let ourselves get arrogant.”
If the attackers did the job, it must also be admitted that the Kerala defence did not give in much to the rivals. Elano Blumer’s ineffectiveness is a testimony to the tight work that Mehtab Hossain had done. Known for his ability to break rival attacks, he also distributed astutely. The entry of Pelissari for Elano didn’t bother Mehtab either.
The lone warrior for Chennaiyin was Mendy, who made his usual runs down the right. His efforts even earned praise from Hume for being the ‘thorn in the Kerala end’. But the Frenchman’s efforts failed to get a single goal for Chennaiyin.
Indeed as Materazzi believes, all is not over. Can the famed defence get back the robustness needed to sink Kerala’s dreams of making the final? It will not be easy but won’t be improbable either.