CHENNAI: Chennaiyin FC, with time running out, need to start winning matches this season. After their 1-2 loss to home against a wounded Inter Kashi side on Tuesday, Chennai are keen to turn things around in their favour in a tough test against East Bengal on Saturday. They currently sit 11th in the table with five points, four points safe off the relegation spots.
One of the concerns that needs to be addressed is their attacking output.
So far this season, Chennaiyin FC have only scored four goals. Only Kerala Blasters FC and Mohammedan SC — placed 13th and 14th in the league respectively — have scored less goals (3) than CFC. Head coach Clifford Miranda explained why the side were not clinical enough.
"Right now, we don't have many goals to show for our efforts. But that's also because we have not had enough forays into the final third, and I understand the reason why. When I came here, the team was playing more direct football, and I needed time to change the way we wanted to play. My approach is more possession-based, what I call progressive possession-based football. We can go direct if the opponent is pressing us, but if they sit back, we keep the ball. It’s about patient, controlled possession," he explained.
While that was achieved in a way or two, as Chennaiyin FC ended with 66 per cent possession in their last match — one thing that the players need to work on more is to finish chances. "The next step is to help players make better decisions when it comes to going forward," he said.
Miranda also added how mental strength and physical fitness have been key, and a drop in levels of those two have cost them dearly. "Whatever we do, we have to do it consistently over a period of 90 minutes. If we don't do it for one minute we concede. That has happened against Mumbai — the first goal, against Odisha — the set-piece, against Goa — the set-piece and the last game against Inter Kashi, the first fifteen minutes of the second half. We need to be mentally strong to defend and attack well," he said.
'EBFC most balanced side in ISL'
In contrast, East Bengal have been one of the free-scoring sides in the league, racking up 16 goals — the highest so far. "For me, East Bengal are the most balanced team in the division. It’s not easy to play against them because they are very strong in the middle and extremely quick on the wings. They also have one of the league’s best strikers, if I’m not mistaken. It’s a team that is very, very well-balanced, capable of playing possession football as well as going direct.
Youssef Ezzejjari with seven goals to his name has been the star forward for the visitors. He will be expected to put on a similar show against a Chennaiyin side hungry for victory.