JOIN USBengaluru FC up against arch-rivals Chennaiyin FC
Perhaps the clash against Chennaiyin FC is exactly what the doctor ordered for Bengaluru FC. The two former champions face each other in one of the more organic rivalries of the Indian Super League on Friday at the GMC Stadium having had contrasting fortunes in the season so far.
On one side is Chennaiyin -- with a new coach and foreigners -- who look like a team that is learning and improving. No, they are not the finished article yet but they are heading in the right direction.
On the other side is Bengaluru, who have had a less than ideal start to their campaign with two draws and looked pedestrian in their last match against Hyderabad FC.
On paper, BFC are the underdogs. But write Sunil Chhetri’s men off at your own peril. The Men in Blue have shown time and again that they have the fortitude and the force of will to rise to new challenges. And in Chennaiyin, they have just that.
For Carles Cuadrat, it’s important to get back to winning ways. The team has struggled to bring forth the attacking prowess of Chhetri and Cleiton Silva to the fore, both having cut rather lonely figures on the field. Yes, the potential return of Dimas Delgado should give them control in midfield but creativity in the final third still remains a doubt.
“The team has been showing consistency with clear patterns, in the way we play in the defensive structure. We have to improve the way we arrive at the other end and we’ve been working on that. We are not winning a lot of duels or one on ones, (not making) good decisions with the last pass. With a bit more physical and mental freshness, we can get that last pass. We are working on that,” the coach said on the eve of the clash.
Having relied on set-pieces to get the goals, Hyderabad ensured they didn’t give away too many freekicks in the final third against BFC and that might be a blueprint for more teams to follow.
Meanwhile, Csaba Laszlo’s Chennaiyin, while wasteful, have ensured that they create chances. The creativity of Rafael Crivellaro meshed with the pace and power of Esma have gelled well with Lallianzuala Chhangte and Jakub Sylvestr. The defence also looks solid. Most importantly, Anirudh Thapa has been given more responsibility and freedom to get into the attacking areas from midfield and the Indian star looks like he could potentially be looking at a transcendent season.
On any other season, this clash would be a crowd puller. While this time it will be played in the backdrop of silence, it could very well be the match that sets the tone for the season.