Road to ISL playoffs: Consistency and the Sergio Lobera effect- 4 things FC Goa did right to make it to the semi-finals

#4 Having a small squad, a core group of 15 players

Dessai has lead from the front (Image Courtesy: ISL)

Lobera has shown that he trusts a core group of players and likes to start with them week in week out.

20-year old Md Nawaz played every match as he won the manager's trust and became the preferred choice in goal till he picked up a knock and was replaced by Naveen Kumar who has kept four clean sheets in five matches since then.

The double pivot of Lenny Rodrigues and Ahmed Jahouh has been preferred by the manager in almost every match to sit in front of a back four that includes Seriton Fernandes, Mourtada Fall, Carlos Pena and Mandar Rao Dessai. Chinglesana Singh has ably filled in at centre back during the course of the season.

The likes of Edu Bedia, (7 goals and 4 assists in 17 matches) Brandon Fernandes, Jackichand Singh and Hugo Boumous have supplied in with regular assists to help their side as they fill in the three positions behind Coro in attack.

January signing Zaid Krouch and Manvir Singh coming off the bench after the clock hits the hour mark is a regular sight for the Goa fans.