"We showed remarkable character in the last 2 games" - Chennaiyin FC head coach Owen Coyle
A week after their dominant 5-1 victory over Punjab FC, Chennaiyin FC are set to welcome FC Goa to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Sunday.
Chennaiyin FC encountered a rocky start to their season, suffering three consecutive losses in their first three matches. However, Owen Coyle and his men have bounced back to secure back-to-back victories to position themselves back into contention for a playoff spot.
However, FC Goa will certainly prove to be a difficult test as they are currently unbeaten in their opening four games, with 10 points to their name. Manolo Marquez’s men haven’t had the best of starts, but the quality they possess, combined with their clinical approach has seen them grind out positive results.
Coyle acknowledges the task at hand, emphasizing in his pre-match press conference that Chennaiyin FC must maintain their standards to compete against FC Goa.
“Everybody in the country wants to be in the playoffs, but that will only be decided after 22 games. But what we want to do is continue the run of form we are in and maintain the performance levels," Coyle said.
"We know if we can perform at the level we did against Punjab FC, we are capable of winning matches. FC Goa are a very good side. It’ll be nice to get the three points, but that would not decide anything after six games. The important thing is to continue the momentum, and the better you play, the more chances you have to win," he added.
Significant improvements have been evident in both the offensive and defensive aspects of Chennaiyin FC’s performance in the past month.
The team also looked physically and technically competitive, while being clinical in front of goal. When asked about the potential areas for further improvements, Coyle replied:
"There’s room for improvement everywhere. The more we work together, the better we become. There are players who came late, so there are players who we have to continue to work with and look to improve."
"Even last week, we were more annoyed that we conceded a late goal when we shouldn’t have; but that’s what will happen if you relax for a moment in this league. For us, it’s about looking to do better defensively, and in terms of movement and attacking threat," he added.
Coyle heaped praise on his players for their ability to come back from a challenging situation to show their potential in the last two games. However, he also stressed the importance of solid defense against the Gaurs, who possess a strong attacking lineup.
"Even before the last game, we had the most final third entries and put the most crosses in the box. So there’s a lot of things we are doing right. But we have to defend well against this FC Goa side as well. So, it’s very much a collective effort. We believe we have very good individual players, but they have to work as a team. When we do that we can stand toe-to-toe with the best teams," he stated.
"We showed remarkable character in the last two games and great quality as well. We want to capitalize on the fact that we are at home again. The only way we can get three wins in a row is by playing well from the first whistle to the last, but we are more than capable of doing that," Coyle continued.
Rafael Crivellaro has a very important part to play – Chennaiyin FC head coach Owen Coyle
Chennaiyin FC have had a few injury woes in the first few games, prompting Owen Coyle to utilize the versatility within his squad.
Rahim Ali, for instance, has taken on roles both as a central striker and a wide player, while Connor Shields has shown a similar adaptability. Coyle’s experimentation with Ankit Mukherjee in the right wing-back role was also successful against Hyderabad FC.
When questioned about the potential advantage this flexibility might offer in important matches, particularly the upcoming one against FC Goa, Coyle stressed that it introduces healthy competition and, consequently, enhances the overall quality of the squad.
"It certainly helps us in terms of the squad. In the last few games, I played Rahim Ali as number nine and he’s done very well. People look at strikers and say they have to score goals. Of course, when you score goals there is elevation to another level. But the most important thing is bringing others into play and Rahim has added that to his game. That’s allowed Connor to play anywhere across the pitch as you have seen. So can Jordan Murray, " Coyle stated.
"We have some real competition. We almost have the full squad available which we never had previously. Everybody will have a role to play at the right time. What we want to build is a squad that can be competitive with each other and can add quality when they come into the game," he added.
Rafael Crivellaro, who joined his head coach during the press conference, became a focal point of discussion. The Brazilian playmaker has played a pivotal role in the team’s recent performances, contributing to five of their seven goals in the last two matches.
Coyle opened up about Crivellaro’s importance and expressed his belief that he will continue to improve with more games under his belt.
"Rafa (Crivellaro) has a very important part to play and we certainly know the quality he has. The more games he plays, the more he continues to get stronger in terms of performance," he siad.
"As a head coach, when he gets the ball, I get excited because I want to watch wonderful players. We have, of course, scored from the chances Rafa made, but there have been numerous other chances as well. All the boys have played their part. With and without the ball, Rafa has been doing a lot of work to help the team, so we are delighted to have him and there’s more to come from him," Coyledadded.
Crivellaro himself acknowledged his value to the team but revealed that the team’s overall performance is the key factor. He also shared that his connection on the pitch with players such as Connor Shields, Rahim Ali, Farukh Choudhary, and Jordan Murray has noticeably strengthened over the past month
"Ultimately, it’s important that the team perform.The players around me have helped me a lot. Now, I can score or assist, but maybe in the game against FC Goa, there can be another player," he said.
"In the first three games, all the players were new in the squad, so it was difficult," Crivellaro added. "After some games, you see the connections are better, we are improving. But now the game against FC Goa is huge, as they are a top team and we have to show the quality to be at the top."
Chennaiyin FC will be without Ninthoi Meetei for the game against FC Goa, while Coyle mentioned that there are a couple of other players dealing with minor injuries who will be assessed ahead of the game.
With momentum behind them, the Marina Machans will hope to go into the international break on a high note.