ISL 2021-22: Odisha FC vs Jamshedpur FC - 4 things we learned

Bolstered by a clinical hat-trick from Greg Stewart, Jamshedpur FC hammered Odisha FC 4-0 on Tuesday in the Indian Super League (ISL). The match took place at the Tilak Maidan in Vasco da Gama, Goa.

Before Odisha and manager Kiko Ramirez could make sense of the proceedings on the pitch, the Red Mariners were already four goals up. Greg Stewart posted the first hat-trick of the ISL 2021-22 season within 35 minutes.

Centre-back Peter Hartley had opened the scoring with a header from a Greg Stewart corner in the third minute.

Before Odisha could even manage to snap out of the initial shock of conceding early, Greg Stewart was hunting down Odisha's defense. The Scotsman turned and twisted midfielder Paul Ramfangzauva and curled the ball into the back of the net from outside the box. Between the posts, Kamaljit Singh was turned into a mere onlooker.

In the 21st minute, Stewart was yet again on the mark as beat the goalkeeper directly from a free-kick. The 31-year-old completed his hat-trick in the 35th minute as he darted into the Odisha box and sealed the tie with a thumping finish.

With a cushion of four goals, the intensity dried down in the second half as both teams eagerly waited for the final whistle.

Now, let's take a look at a few things we learned from the encounter:

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#4 The Valskis-Stewart duo firing for Jamshedpur

While most ISL teams would consider themselves lucky to land one on-form marquee forward, Jamshedpur has hit the jackpot of finding two.

Nerijus Valskis and Greg Stewart are steadily building up a pivotal partnership for Jamshedpur upfront.

Valskis forms the more natural target man upfront. Meanwhile Greg Stewart, who is a bit more agile on the ball, has been sneakily operating behind the Lithuanian striker.

The two pivots in Odisha FC's midfield, Paul Ramfangzauva and skipper Vinit Rai, failed to keep Stewart's runs under check. Because of this, the centre-backs were dragged out of position on multiple occasions. This left a lot of space for Jamshedpur's attack to exploit.

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#3 Lack of a natural destroyer in Odisha FC midfield

This might be a bit reactionary given that one game back Odisha FC were considered one of the top dogs in the league. But the Jamshedpur encounter once again pointed out the need for a natural destroyer in the heart of the Odisha midfield.

Kiko Ramirez opted for some bold changes in midfield, dropping both Liridon Krasniqi and Javi Hernandez for two foreign defenders. While in theory that should guarantee more defensive cover, it allowed Greg Stewart to drop between the two midfielders and create ample room.

A destroyer like Khassa Camara or Ahmed Jahouh could have kept Stewart's runs in check and forced him into wider positions.

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#2 Narender Gahlot holding his own at the heart of Jamshedpur defence

When Greg Stewart goes and bags the first hat-trick of the ISL season, it's given the man will make all the headlines. However, at the heart of the Jamshedpur FC defense, centre-back Narender Gahlot has made a real name for himself.

Alongside Eli Sabia and Peter Hartley as the coach decides, Gahlot has held his own. He has allowed Jamshedpur to free up a foreigner in the backline. Often against superior attacks like ATK Mohun Bagan and Mumbai City FC, head coach Owen Coyle has opted for two foreign defenders. But Gahlot is making a case for himself to seal the spot.

The detailed ISL fixtures are available here.

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#1 Injuries to Alex and Jitendra Singh could worry Jamshedpur

Jamshedpur and Owen Coyle will be extremely delighted with the performance tonight. However, injuries to midfielders Alex Lima and Jitendra Singh might have dampened the Red Mariners night.

The duo have been pivotal in how Jamshedpur FC dominated the middle of the park against Odisha. Coyle will be hoping to have them back before the next tie against Bengaluru FC.