Chennaiyin out of ISL 2016

The defending champions endured a wretched season by just scoring 20 goals and conceding 25. Facing a must-win situation in their last two matches, Chennaiyin faltered for the umpteenth time and conceded the match against NorthEast United (at home) and FC Goa (away) to finish the season with a whimper. The unavailability of John Stiven Mendoza, Elano Blumer and the failure to retain Bruno Pelissari was a bolt for Chennaiyin as they failed to find a player who could fit into their shoes. It was in fact Pelissari who scored the first goal against Goa in the final last year and Mendoza was a live-wire throughout the last season, including a crucial brace in the final in the dying moments. An injury to star Indian striker Jeje Lalpekhlua and the inability of Dudu Omagbemi to find the back of the net compounded Chennaiyin’s problems. 

With a change of the defence in every match, the only constant, Chennaiyin’s rhythm was also affected. Former India junior and Tamil Nadu coach C M Ranjith said the changes coach Marco Materazzi adopted for every match dented the team’s progress. “I don’t think it is good for the team. A coach cannot change five or six players every match and affect the rhythm. Players need to gel and form a good blend during the matches and a winning combination was also affected,” he said. The final nail in the coffin was driven by NorthEast United’s Shouvik Ghosh when he headed a corner deep into injury time to send Chennai out of the league and Ranjith said ‘elementary mistakes’ cost the team dear. 

“No one was marking Ghosh. Conceding a corner in injury time isn’t a good idea and all Chennaiyin players were looking at the ball and failed to mark their counterparts. He had a free jump and that could have easily been avoided,” Ranjith added. Another former TN coach and A Robin Charles Raja said Chennaiyin lacked the intent from day one. “We had many new faces and the entire unit didn’t look cohesive. It was a failure from all players and I wished Chennaiyin showed more fight on the field. Taking the lead and losing matches isn’t a quality of a champion side,” Robin said. The former state coach felt the coach should get back to the drawing board with immediate effect. 

“Marco has achieved a lot but with a unit like Chennai, a better result was expected. It wasn’t that we were drubbed badly. We took the lead, we conceded a goal umpteen times in the final 10 minutes and lost the match and failed to retain our title. Marco needs some change of ideas for the next season,” Robin said.  

Robin pointed out that Chennai boy Dhanpal Ganesh should have got a chance to play. “I mean, he is no ordinary player. He has represented the country at the highest level and I don’t understand how Ganesh failed to fit into Marco’s plans. With so many changes that we have seen in the team every match, Ganesh should have been in the playing XI,” Robin signed off.