Top 5 Defenders in the ISL

The Indian Super League has reached a stage where all the teams are left with only a single match to play in the league stage. The top two teams in the table right have already qualified for the semi-finals while the last two slots are nothing but a mathematical magnet of probabilities, permutations and combinations. Some teams have their destiny in their own hands while others will depend on results going their way.The league has seen a lot of attacking football with 112 goals in just 52 matches; which means that defending has not been easy. Even though it’s been extremely hard to keep clean sheets, some defenders have impressed a lot in the past two months.We take a look at the five of the hardest and the most consistent workers in the back line. Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author and do not reflect those of the website.

#5 Josemi - Atletico de Kolkata

The former Liverpool man has stabilized Antonio Habas’ side at the back, albeit with an overall dip in form in the recent games. The Sourav Ganguly co-owned side has been breathtaking to watch when they have been on their stride.

They have only had a single win in their last nine matches which is predominantly down to attacking failures. Even then, the east Indian outfit sit third with 18 points after conceding the fewest number of goals in the ISL.

Josemi has combined well with Arnab Mondal to keep it tight at the back and restrict dangerous attacks to a minimum. Any team with high aspirations cannot go on with substandard players and produce regular results and this is why a consistently attacking side like Atletico de Kolkata would be in a hopeless situation had they not acquired the services of Josemi.