Basil Sylvester Pinto
PANAJI
The ground reality has hit Zico real hard. While all teams have got their campaign underway in the third season of the Indian Super League, the Gaurs are yet to awaken to notch their first points after three games. Two weeks into the tournament, they are the only side not to win a game.
Zico's men could well take heart from their slow starts in the previous two seasons, but who would remind their fans to believe in the Gaurs? Will Zico tinker with the personnel with some of his sidelined stars like Robin Singh and Gregory Arnolin expected to make a return at least to the bench?
Zico is likely to follow cue from fellow coaches of the slow starters of the tournament -- Chennaiyin FC and Kerala Blasters -- who have reaped rewards after overhauling their line-ups. Chennaiyin FC coach Marco Materazzi made the hard choice by enforcing five changes in the starting XI against FC Goa with captain Bernard Mendy sacrificing his armband to Mehrajuddin Wadoo. Kerala Blasters also similarly copped off their sham of reeling off seven successive losses starting from the last edition with new manager Steve Coppell deploying an ultra-aggressive outlook to his side which responded with a hard-fought 1-0 win against Mumbai City FC in front of their roaring home fans on Friday. Their saviour was Michael Chopra, who was handed his first start in the tournament and the former Cardiff City star must be relieved after scoring his first ISL goal.
While Chennaiyin and the Blasters have tasted their first successes in their third and fourth games respectively this season, FC Goa can take solace it is not too late yet. Being handicapped by injuries to some of his key players, Zico’s ploy to depute Reinaldo or Júlio César alongside Rafael Coelho has lacked the teeth and cohesion. Reinaldo and César have looked disoriented on the field in the given opportunities thus far.
Without taking any credit away from CR Flamengo player Rafael Dumas, who has been slotted in the back-wall, the inspiration and overwhelming presence of Arnolin does expose few chinks in their defence. And whenever given the odd eye between their hides, the Gaurs have been skinned with the ball kissing their nylons.
Their first-choice custodian Laxmikant Kattimani, after an early blemish in their opening game, seems to have lost confidence in his abilities. That aside, he did not get the opportunity to effect any good saves to regain his composure and esteem in the goal. Interestingly, Subhasish Roy Chowdhury -- the other option in goal besides rookie Sukhdev Patil, seems to have recovered from a leg injury and was slotted in the reserves list against Chennaiyin. Post the ignominy of three straight defeats, the Bengal goalkeeper has emerged as a clear-cut candidate to take over the gloves from Kattimani in the away contest against Atlético de Kolkata on Sunday. But overcoming three losses on the bounce looks an uphill task especially with stats not in favour of the visiting Gaurs who are yet to register a win against ATK after six encounters over the two previous seasons.
Meanwhile it is learnt that Arnolin has been passed fit to play and will look to shoulder responsibility in defence with Goan lad Keenan Almeida, who has shown his ability to lend a hand in attack previously, stepping in to likely replace Raju Gaikwad, who looked ineffective in the last game.
Robin also appears to be in the pinketh to sear across the verdant greens to break defences along with Rafael Coelho upfront. The Gaurs are really hurting and will go all out to register full points and a first win over the Kolkata giants on Sunday. With Zico tinkering his starting XI given circumstances and availability of key players for the next game, the fans could expect an appetizing El Classico at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium.
