With the first week – or eight days as it were – of the Indian Super League having been wrapped up, here’s a look at the Stars and the Flops from Gameweek #1.
Stars
Holicharan Narzary
The flying winger from Kokrajhar, Assam has been in exceptional form in the first week. He was brilliant in the opening two games – a constant threat, both on the wings or floating in behind Emiliano Alfaro (who has been magnificent too) . The 22 year produced arguably the moment of the first week when he produced an utterly delicious flick to bisect the Goa defence and allow Alfaro to run through on goal. He was rested for the loss against Mumbai – but his introduction on the hour mark almost sparked a mini-revival for Nelo Vingada's side.
Trending
Matias Defederico
Defederico has been immense for league leaders Mumbai. In a team that has oftentimes looked surprisingly bereft of creativity, the Argentine has been a stand-out. His typically Argentinian style of dribbling (that mesmerising combination of low-centre-of-gravity and silky ball control) and purposeful intent have combined to add that all-important spark to the Mumbai line-up
Mohamed 'Momo' Sissoko
The big, bad, wolf in the pack - the former Valencia, Liverpool, Juventus and PSG star (that's some CV right there, eh?) already appears to be the best Marquee signing of the season, and he's played only one match. In that one game, though, he bossed the Goan midfield with the ease of a college senior playing amongst schoolboys. His powerful, driving, presence in the heart of the Pune midfield seems set to pay rich dividends for the Punekars and their fiery coach, Antonio Habas.
NorthEast United
The North Easterners have been the most watchable team in the league – by a country mile. Yes, they lost to Mumbai – but that was their third game in six days and that little kink in scheduling arguably cost them the match. Nelo Vingada's side have been slick in their passing, smart in their off the ball running and have bossed the midfield throughout. Sure, points are everything at the end, but as anyone who remembers Socrates' great '82 Brazilian side will attest to, there are marks for style that no points table can ever reflect.
Kean Lewis
The 24-year Maharashtrian has been impressive for the Delhi Dynamos – weaving in and out in that inimitable style of his. His dribbling and directness have been the most stand-out attributes of his play and his combination with Marcelinho on the opposite flanks have provided some of the most sumptuous moments of Gameweek #1
Mumbai's defence
The Mumbai City FC defence remains the only one that has not been breached, and for good reason. Aiborlang Khongjee, Anwar Ali, Lucian Goian and Facundo Cardozo have been a particularly solid back four, and Roberto Valpatto has had very little to do in goal and has done well when he has had to. Guimarães' lads have stuck to their task well. As any great coach will tell you - great attacks may win matches, but great defences win titles.
Rowllin Borges
The Goan midfielder has been a revelation in the middle of the park for NorthEast. He's bossed games in that inconspicuous style that Sergio Busquets made so famous and has set NorthEast ticking with his metronomic passing – a much-underrated quality. The fact that he has the most passes in the ISL to his name stands a testament to that.
Marcelinho
Marcelinho and Emiliano Alfaro top the goalscoring charts, but the Brazilian – whose official name is Marcelo Leite Perreira – takes the honours this week for the sheer quality of his work against Chennaiyin that gave his brace that much more shine. He was Delhi's stand out player against Kerala as well, though not as effective.
Alexandre Guimarães
The man who took Costa Rica to their first ever World Cup (where they did pretty well, remember the entertaining 5-2 loss against Brazil and the 1-1 draw with eventual semi-finalists Turkey?) and then proceeded to guide them to the 2006 World Cup as well, has done a decent job with Mumbai, and it's no accident that the Blues are on top of the league despite having almost four of their first-teamers out with Bengaluru FC and their AFC Cup commitments.
The Kerala Blasters Home Crowd
Their team has been terribly poor, but the vociferous support has not waned. Record attendances of 65,000 + were achieved in both home games, and it added to the spectacle in a way nothing else could. They were loud (pitchside interviews were barely audible) and they were fantastic. Their team, well not so much. More of this, please!
Flops
Florent Malouda
The French Marquee signing was surprisingly left out of Delhi's starting XI against Chennai, but his poor showing against Kerala showed that he is probably best suited for the role of an impact sub. It may hurt the ego of a man who was a regular for the French national team, and Chelsea, but Zambrotta cannot allow that to affect his judgement.
Kerala Blasters
The best fans in the league, the worst team in the league – that's common opinion; and it's pretty justified. They've had attendances of more than 65,000 in both their home games, but have barely had a shot on target. They look confused on the ball and clueless without it. It really is a toss up between them and Goa (another well-supported club) but Goa have had their moments, Kerala, on the other hand...
Zico
The Brazilian legend had decent enough outings the last two seasons, but he's started this one in reverse. The team lacks any sort of identity – much unlike Zico's style – and look porous in defence, fragile in the middle, and toothless up front. Steve Coppell has at least got his defence well drilled – and that saves him from the “flop” list this week – JUST.
Chennaiyin's Defence
I cannot imagine what must be going through Marco Materazzi's head right now. The Italian – part of some of the strongest defences in his prime – prides himself in his ability to organise a mean defence. In fact, it's what won the Chennai lads their title last time around. They started decently against Atletico de Kolkata, but perhaps conceding two goals should have been a warning. They were utter rubbish in their next outing – it was only Delhi's wasteful finishing that limited their goal tally to 3; it could easily have been 5 or 6.
Micheal Chopra's hair
It looks like Pikachu threw up on his head. And that's the kindest description I can think of.
Mehtab Hossain
The holding midfielder has long been tipped for big things, but this season he has been desperately poor, and it hasn't helped that no one around him has performed as well. He's been invisible for large patches and has had little influence in defence or going forward.
Eidur Gudjohnsen
Poor old Eidur. He left before a ball was kicked aimlessly in the league, and it was a massive setback for fans and the team alike. Not really his fault, but he does make the 'flop' list.
Atletico de Kolkata's Home Crowd
I'm just going to let the numbers speak for themselves here. Last year Kolkata attracted crowds of nearly 43,000 on average. This year they have 10,000. Not what you would expect, and not what is required.
An honourable mention goes to Mumbai, who also moved to a new stadium and had a disappointingly low turn-out. As Guimarães said after his first home game - “The players need the arena to be full”
Laxmikant Kattimani
Oh! Kattimani! It's never easy being a goalkeeper. It's even harder when you don't see an opposition striker in your path... two metres ahead of you. His infamous error made the ISL a truly global phenomenon with the video of him doing a Ter Stegen going viral. It is of course, human to err (and Kattimani had a good comeback in his subsequent game) – but it's equally human to laugh at such ridiculous errors.
Florent MaloudaEasily the 'flop' highlight of the week
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