Page 3 - I-League 2018/19: Chennai City FC 3 - 2 Gokulam Kerala

I-League 2018/19: Chennai City FC 3 - 2 Gokulam Kerala - 3 Talking Points

Modified Jan 05, 2019 02:50 GMT

#3 Roberto Eslava is the pass master from the back

Spanish defender Roberto Eslava has been the tuner from the back. The Chennai City defender is the one who orchestrates the movements from the back with his passing which in turn helps the attackers.

His threat from set piece makes him one of the most complete defenders in the League at the moment. He has established himself in the back four and played a crucial hand in the second goal when his defence-splitting pass reached Nestor Gordillo who found Pedro Manzi in the process.

Besides, he made life tougher for Joel Sunday, Christian Sabah, and Guilherme Batata who are in remarkable form for the visitors. Even though the defence was broken down at times, Eslava stood with the man to make it sure that the attackers do not run past beyond them.

Except for the first goal which is due to poor marking, Chennai City barely put a foot wrong in defensive part of the game. It has been an excellent season, and Eslava would want to carry the same form for the rest of the campaign.

About the author

Sudarshan has been covering European and Indian football for Sportskeeda for
around 9 years. An Information Technology graduate and a post-graduate in International Business Operations, he has previously worked with Chennai Super Kings, Chennai City FC and the SunRisers Hyderabad handling their social media for OPN Advertising and Ting Labs. He has also travelled with the SunRisers for around 2 years, shooting content and interviewing stars such as David Warner, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Jonny Bairstow.

An ardent Liverpool supporter since 2008, Sudarshan's favorite footballer is Steven Gerrard, who impressed with his unmatched leadership during the Reds' challenging periods. His favorite manager is Jurgen Klopp as the German's connection with fans and preference for high-intensity football resonates with him. Sudarshan aims to better analyze football matches by relying on websites like FotMob and DataMB and excels in swiftly covering breaking news events.

Mario Gotze's winner in the 2014 final is Sudarshan’s favorite FIFA World Cup moment, and believes that Jamal Musiala and Jude Bellingham could emerge as the successors to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. When not writing, he enjoys binge-watching movies, learning new skills to enhance his professional development, and participating in marathons.

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Edited by Vignesh Ananthasubramanian