SAFF Championship 2013: Five things we learned about India from the group stage

India have reached the semifinals of the 2013 SAFF Championship despite three unconvincing displays. Sportskeeda lists the five things that we have learned about Wim Koevermans’ side so far.

Sunil Chhetri is feeling the pressure

Ever since the retirement of Bhaichung Bhutia, the Indian national team has been over-dependent on Sunil Chhetri. The Delhite handled the pressure well at SAFF Championship 2011 as he inspired India to success and bagged a couple of individual accolades. But since that tournament, skipper Sunil has failed to deliver the goods for India. He didn’t get on the scoresheet in the three matches of the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup and has scored just once in three group games at SAFF 2013.

Sunil was uncharacteristically wasteful in front of goal in the group stage, especially against Pakistan, where he could have easily had a hat-trick. The late equaliser against Bangladesh has been his only highlight of this tournament but otherwise the 29-year-old has cut a frustrated figure. A lot of it is down to India’s 4-4-1-1 system as Sunil lacks support in the final third but the skipper should have kept his temperament better.

He could have been sent off against Bangladesh for a shove and is now ruled out of the semifinals following the booking in the Nepal game. Although the foul against Nepal was soft, Sunil was always running the risk of suspension after the needless yellow against Bangladesh. On paper, India will be much weaker without Sunil in the semis but maybe it will give other players the chance to step up as their captain has let them down when they needed him the most.

Nabi should be a starter

Wim Koevermans has received a lot of criticism for his team selection in this tournament but the Dutchman has got the maximum stick from fans, media and ex-players for the exclusion of reigning AIFF Player of the Year Syed Rahim Nabi from the starting eleven in the first two games. Koevermans has failed to explain this decision conclusively and has started Nallappan Mohanraj in every game although the player hasn’t had much competitive action in the last two years.

However, Nabi has responded to his exclusion positively as he came on and did a great job at left back against Pakistan. His introduction in that game coincided with India’s improved second half display but was still overlooked for the Bangladesh game in which he didn’t feature at all. Nabi finally started in right midfield against Nepal due to Francis Fernandes’ injury and also shifted to the other flank during the game.

India looked much secure defensively on the flank that he was operating and Nabi also scored India’s first goal from open play in this tournament and following Sunil’s suspension, he is the best available match winner Koevermans has at his disposal. It’s good that Koevermans doesn’t want to make a selection based on reputation but Nabi has proved himself again and deserves a starting berth. If India want to reach the final, he should be one of the first names on the Dutch coach’s team list

4-4-1-1 is not working

The appointment of Koevermans last year was expected to mark the start of a new playing style for the Indian team but the transition from the Bob Houghton-inspired direct football hasn’t been successful. Koevermans has consistently used a 4-4-1-1 system in order to have more possession in midfield but that has not only increased the burden on skipper Sunil but has also seen India lack imagination going forward.

Against Pakistan, India only started to create chances when their opponents tired in the second half while in the Bangladesh game, Koevermans’ side threatened to score on very few occasions. Yesterday against Nepal, India tried playing more of a 4-1-4-1 formation but it looked like the players were not comfortable with the system as midfielders Mehtab Hossain, Arata Izumi and Jewel Raja, on many instances, looked confused and kept looking towards the dugout to clarify where exactly they have been asked to play.

The former Dutch international should revert to the 4-4-2, a system which Indian players are the most familiar with. Ironically, India conceded against Nepal at a time when they started to threaten in attack with Robin Singh and Sunil Chhetri upfront. Even in the 2012 Nehru Cup and AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers earlier this year, India looked dangerous when they played two forwards in attack. Koevermans has been reluctant to use two upfront in his tenure but following the difficulties in the group stage, the 53-year-old should consider changing his mind.

India’s dominance in South Asia is under threat

India are the record six-time champions and the current holders of the SAFF Championship but coming into this edition, they were not the best team in the sub-continent. Afghanistan are currently the highest ranked team in South Asia while Maldives have also improved in recent years. India didn’t have either of those teams in their group and yet only crawled their way into the semis. A fortuitous own goal saw them record a narrow 1-0 win over arch-rivals Pakistan and then they needed an injury time freekick from Sunil Chhetri to earn a 1-1 draw with Bangladesh.

With a place in the semifinals still not confirmed, Koevermans’ side was expected to raise their game against hosts Nepal but that didn’t happen as they were beaten 2-1 with Nabi’s late goal giving some respectability to the scoreline. It was India’s first defeat against Nepal at senior level in two decades while the senior team also suffered their first loss at SAFF group stage since 2003. All those unconvincing displays came against lower ranked teams and gave further proof of India’s decline in the South Asian region.

What will disappoint the fans more than the result is that India were outplayed for the majority of the group stage by teams that they used to beat easily even three or four years ago. In the semi-finals it only gets tougher for Wim Koevermans and his players.

New generation yet to step up

The Indian national team currently is a work in progress and that has been highlighted in their group stage performances also. Only six of the 20-member squad had 20 or more caps at international level prior to the tournament and that inexperience has been evident. Previous editions of the SAFF Championship has created new stars for India like IM Vijayan, Bhaichung Bhutia and most recently Gouramangi Singh. So Indian football fans must have hoped that some youngsters would step up and make a name for themselves at SAFF 2013.

But that unfortunately hasn’t happened as the likes of Arnab Mondal, Lenny Rodrigues, Jewel Raja have looked a little overawed. While Arnab has been solid overall some mistakes have been glaring like his tendency to go for the final tackles. Lenny too hasn’t been at his best and lost his place in the starting eleven against Nepal. Both of these players had consistent I-League campaigns but haven’t made the successful transition to international football yet. Jewel Raja too hasn’t impressed but has been used out of position just like Jeje Lalpekhlua while Alwyn George has only been used for one half and has failed to show his capabilities.

With experienced players like Sunil, Subrata Pal and Gouramangi not in the best of forms and Nabi struggling to get into the team, the youngsters will have to raise their game. The new generation hasn’t stepped up yet but possibly the absence of Sunil will see one of them take responsibility and inspire India to the final.