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NorthEast United FC start Season 7 of the Indian Super League (ISL) on Saturday against Mumbai City FC. Keeping up with its tradition, the team has a new manager this season with the hope of finding the correct combination of results.
Last season was miserable for the Highlanders as they failed to live up to expectations despite having players like Asamoah Gyan. This time the team has undergone wholesome changes and has retained just one foreign player from last season - Federico Gallego.
NorthEast United also have the youngest coach in the league. Gerard Nus is only 35 years old and will be the youngest coach ever to take charge of an Indian Super League side. Having worked under legendary coaches like Rafa Benitez at Liverpool and Avram Grant (ex NorthEast United manager) in the Ghana National team, Gerard Nus isn't someone who lacks experience. Being an entrepreneur who has his own tactical app, Nus is a modern-day manager who is tech-savvy and likes his video analysis sessions a lot.
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NorthEast United have 11 players from north-east
NorthEast United have backed a lot of young north-eastern talents this season with as many as 11 players being from the region.
The Highlanders have also managed to sign some good Indian players with the likes of Ashutosh Mehta, Gurjinder Kuman and VP Suhair making the NorthEast their home for the season. The fans will also be hoping that last season's find for NorthEast United FC, Lalengmawia, also known as Apuia, can keep performing the way he did last season.
During an interaction with Sportskeeda, Gerard Nus had mentioned that he is someone who has his footballing ideology in place and loves to play positive attacking football. But, he also said that the fusion of idea and reality is the key to success.
Listening to what Gerard Nus had to say, one can deduce that the NorthEast United gaffer is someone who has a plan and knows what the reality of his team is. What will be interesting to see is how well the team can gel and implement his ideas on the pitch, given the short pre-season every team has had this season.
Foreigners hold the key to success for NorthEast United
A lot will depend on the new foreign signings of NorthEast United this season as they hold the key to success for the Highlanders. The team will revolve around Federico Gallego and French-Mauritinian defensive midfielder Khassa Camara. The attacking trio of Luis Machado, Kwesi Appiah and Idrissa Sylla will have to score a lot of goals this season if NorthEast United are to make the playoffs again.
NorthEast United have also managed to get the top two Indian goal-scorers from last season's I-League with Rochharzela signing for the Highlanders from Aizawl FC. Lalkhawpuimawia joined NorthEast United FC from Churchill Brothers.
Having also signed VP Suhair, who was a part of the I-League-winning team of Mohun Bagan, NorthEast United have a formidable Indian striking line-up which could come in handy.
The midfield of NorthEast United is heavily dependent on Gallego, Camara and Apuia. Lack of options in the middle of the park could hamper the campaign for the Highlanders. This could also be the season when the highly-rated yet underperforming midfielder Lalrempuia Fanai is finally unlocked and unleashed.
The defense looks sorted for NorthEast with Benjamin Lamboot and Dylan Fox playing as center-backs, Ashutosh Mehta as the right-back along with Gurjinder Kumar in the left-back position.
If the coach decides to play an extra foreigner upfront, Mashoor Shereef could be an option he could use as a center-back. The Indian center-back from Kerala, who has had the experience of playing for I-League champions Chennai City FC, has impressed a lot of people during training sessions if rumors are to be believed.
NorthEast United have the most dependable goalkeepers in the league
Goalkeepers are the main strength of NorthEast United FC this season when compared to other teams as they have the ever-reliable Subhasish Roy Chowdhury as their first-choice keeper. Subhasish had a stellar season last year, and a lot of teams were interested in signing the shot-stopper, but he decided to remain with the Highlanders. NorthEast United also have Sanjiban Ghosh, the former Chennaiyin FC goalkeeper, as a back-up, making it one of their most dependable positions in the league.
NorthEast United's likely Starting XI in their first match of ISL 2020-21
Gerard Nus is likely to deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation which, like most teams in modern football, transforms into a 4-3-3 while attacking or in certain situations.
In their first game against Mumbai City FC, the likely playing eleven could be something like this in a 4-2-3-1 formation:
Goalkeeper: Subhasis Roy Chowdhury
Defenders: Ashutosh Mehta, Benjamin Lambot, Mashoor Shereef, Gurjinder Kumar
Central Midfielders: Apuia, Khassa Camara
Attacking Midfielder: Federico Gallego
Wingers: Ninthoi, Luis Machado
Striker: Kwesi Appiah
If the coach wants to go with a safety-first approach, then he could play Dylan Fox in place of Mashoor Shereef and drop Luis Machado to the bench who could be replaced by Rochharzela. We have left out Idrissa Sylla from the starting eleven for the first game as he arrived late and hasn't had much practice with the team compared to Appiah.
Squad for NorthEast United FC in ISL 2020-21
Goalkeepers: Subhasish Roy Chowdhury, Sanjiban Ghosh, Nikhil Deka, Gurmeet Singh
Defenders: Ashutosh Mehta, Benjamin Lambot, Dylan Fox, Gurjinder Kumar, Mashoor Shereef, Rakesh Pradhan, Provat Lakhra, Nim Dorjee, Wayne Vaz, Nabin Rabha
Midfielders: Federico Gallego, Khassa Camara, Imran Khan, Lalengmawia (Apuia), Fanai Lalrempuia, Pragyan Gogoi, Rochharzela, Ninthoinganba Meitei, Luis Machado
Forwards: Britto PM, Idrissa Sylla, Kwesi Appiah, Lalkhawpuimawia, VP Suhair.
Season Prediction
It is, of course, early days and premature to take a call on where the teams will stand at the end of the league. But looking at how they have improved their quality and brought in a young coach who is hungry to prove himself, NorthEast United could very well be punching above their weight.
The NorthEast United team is very likely to be the dark horse this season.
