When Gianluca Zambrotta was roped in as the manager for Delhi Dynamos FC, a section of the fans were quite apprehensive. The 2006 FIFA World Cup winner brought in tons of experience but the Indian Super League was uncharted territory for him.
A few rounds into the tournament, the lack of belief gave way to an unshakeable faith reposed on Zambrotta. Not a man to cower under pressure, he forged an excellent team and made it to the semi-finals in his first stint itself.
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Delhi have been the only team to stay unbeaten at home this season and are strong contenders to bring the trophy home.
We look at the reasons why Delhi Dynamos are going to land their debut ISL trophy this time.
#5 Zambrotta’s philosophy
Gianluca Zambrotta belongs to the Italian genre of tough, pressing football. His strength lies in quick passing and incessant running from the footballers. His hard pressing football has seen the opposition reduced to shambles. The brawny Delhi players have seamlessly transcended the coach’s strategy from the locker room to the field.
The quick passing and agile movements have left the opposition clueless in crunch situations. Deft touches or exquisite dummies have been executed in a flawless fashion. As a result, the transition from defence to attack has been made in a matter of seconds. Each player has moved the ball quickly, leaving the opposition chasing shadows. This has covered up individual shortcomings vis-à-vis a lack of pace.
#4 Fearsome attacking unit
Florent Malouda, Kean Lewis, Richard Gadze and Marcelinho - this quartet has scored 21 goals out of a total of 27. Their speed and understanding fostered brilliant attacking moves, resulting in quick goals. The Brazilian, Marcelinho, leads the race with 9 goals and looks set to top the goalscoring charts. His form has been terrific in front of the goal. His assist count has mounted steadily and he finds support from the Ghanian, Gadze, and Lewis.
Florent Malouda has been a mainstay in the Dynamos team. At 36, the former Chelsea man retains adroit movements to deceive the opposition. His incisive passing has led to brilliant counter attacks through the middle. He has owned the central midfield position, conjuring up a silky display for the team. Consequently, their performances have been a pleasure to the eyes.
#3 Mixture of grit and grace
The current side has the required strength in depth. As a result, injuries, and fatigue have not wreaked havoc on the Dynamos. Staying unbeaten at home speaks volumes about the depth of the squad that Zambrotta has at his disposal.
To cite an instance, the Manipuri goalkeeper Soram Poirei, who replaced veteran Doblas in the starting eleven, has been a revelation under the tutelage of Zambrotta. When Toni Doblas sat out injured, the 23-year-old goalkeeper was handed his first start under the bar.
Since then, there has been no looking back for him. His stoical presence has calmed the defence and reduced their workload considerably. The unfazed nature of the young custodian reflects his ability to handle big match situations. He could go on to become the find of the season if he keeps this up.
#2 Stupendous individual performances
29-year-old Marcelinho has been instrumental in shaping the attacking dynamics of the Dynamos. He rules the goal scoring charts with 9 goals to his name. There are at least 2 more matches, if not more, to add to his tally.
The Brazilian has utilised his experience to adapt impeccably to the Indian conditions. His bags of trickery have deceived the defenders on numerous occasions. His rasping volleys have beaten the best in the business. His goal scoring prowess has made him a fan favourite in his first season itself and it would not be surprising if next year, teams came swooping for his signature.
Next in line, has to be the Mumbai-born Kean Lewis. At 24, the maturity exhibited by the Mohun Bagan lad, is exceptional. He has looked extremely comfortable in possession, an attribute seldom found among Indian footballers.
Souvik Chakrabarty has created ripples by becoming the player with the highest game time under his belt. His consistency in the wing has led the Italian coach to field him in every game. He has stepped up his game and will be itching to add the elusive trophy to his name.
#1 The never-say-die attitude provides the fillip to the winning mentality of Delhi Dynamos
Over the course of the season, the USP of the Delhi team has been their hard-hitting style. One of their highly-rated performances came against Atletico de Kolkata, in which they came back from behind to draw 2-2. They played the entire second half with a man down and went behind twice, after missing a penalty earlier.
But they managed to claw themselves back to snatch a point from the lost cause. After the match midfielder, Milan Singh, revealed how Zambrotta’s pep talk at the break had inspired the team to draw the game. “The coach said that we have to do our best and not give up and show that we are not one man down, so we have to do our best.”
That has provided the competitive edge for Zambrotta’s side.
”I think our coach is really experienced and he knows football very well, especially how the back-line works. The team is defending well as well as scoring a lot of goals. Under him it has been a very nice learning experience for me,” Milan eulogized his coach in another interview later in the league.
It has been a coherent performance every time Delhi Dynamos have taken the field. The current form of the team makes them a strong contender for the finals. It remains to be seen how Zambrotta approaches the two-legged semi-finals. The quality of football will be definitely a notch higher than the group stages. That should sound the warning bells for the Kerala Blasters. It is going to be a strenuous task to halt the Delhi juggernaut.
