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Going great guns in terms of the number and quality of goals being scored, the second season of the Indian Super League is being played at a very high level.Last season’s group stage witnessed 121 goals, whereas the second season has already delighted the viewers with teams having netted 99 goals already. This indicates a stronger season, with more balls going into the net.Not only do the teams seem better prepared, each team has added impetus and fire upfront that has helped keep the attacks really fluent. This has also prompted defences to be on their toes and perform consistently, all things which are really good for the league in general.Goals have become crucial this season. Both last years’ finalists, Atletico de Kolkata and Kerala Blasters, who thrived on a great defensive record, have suffered because of their defence not being as good this season, and better attacking play on display has punished defences.Having seen a fair share of the tournament go by, we are now in a position to look at who could be the topscorers in the league.Here are our top 5 choices for the league’s Golden Boot:
#5 Kalu Uche
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Kalu Uche was not an instant starter for the star-studded FC Pune City side, who have the likes of Tuncay Sanli and Adrian Mutu in their ranks. However, the Nigerian striker has slowly but steadily made his way into the team, and in great style.
Uche has already netted four times in seven games and is playing an influential role in the Pune team. He managed to bag a late goal against both Delhi Dynamos and Chennaiyin FC, while his brace against Kerala Blasters guided his team to victory.
The Nigerian is a solid presence in the box and has natural goalscoring instincts. Having garnered 4 goals in 36 appearances for Nigeria, 2 of which came in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, and 50 goals with La Liga outfits, most of which came for Almeria, he definitely has the pedigree to perform consistently at a high level.
With Uche in great goalscoring form and David Platt very happy to have him at his disposal, the Nigerian should definitely score more and it does look like the team will depend on his goals more and more.
His conversion rate and high quality play make him one of the top contenders for the Golden Boot Award.
#4 Nicolas Velez
25-year-old forward Nicolas Velez has made a sparkling start to his ISL career. Velez’s stats show that he strikes at just the right time for his team, and has scored 4 goals so far, all of which have been high on quality.
He started the initial few games for NorthEast United, but then became Cesar Farrias’ impact player off the bench. His impact was very clear as he scored a goal against both Chennaiyin FC and Atletico de Kolkata.
One constant throughout NorthEast’s ISL season has been Velez. The Argentine has shown glimpses of brilliance and with Simao starting to play a major role, the pair would be levied with huge responsibility to lead NorthEast United’s charge.
With 15 shots on goal, he has a knack for finding the back of the net and is usually in the right place at the right time. If not for a few missed chances, he could well have been the leader of the pack.
#3 Chris Dagnall
He didn’t start the season very well, taking time to adjust to his new surroundings but once he did, he has shown why the Blasters wanted to sign him.
He opened his goalscoring account in the away match at Kolkata, netting a consolation goal for his team late in the game. His longest lean spell coincided with Kerala’s poor form and kept them rooted to the bottom of the table.
With 7 points from their last 4 matches, the Sachin Tendulkar co-owned side have been pushing to try and challenge for the top four, and Dagnall’s goals have been crucial in their pursuit.
His goalscoring run indicates that he might well be Terry Phelan’s man to change the yellow army’s fortunes. With a return of 5 goals from 14 shots on target, it is clear that the Englishman is a very accurate finisher and those skills will be very useful going forward.
His brilliant performance against FC Pune City, in which he scored one goal and made the other, showed that he had started gelling well with his teammates and the goal helped him regain confidence in his own abilities.
He has also shown that he is very sharp which was evident when he scored the fastest ever ISL goal only 29 seconds into the match against NorthEast United.
If he spends more time on the pitch, there is certainly a chance that he wins the Golden Boot.
#2 John Stiven Mendoza
Having already gone past his tally of 5 goals in the previous edition of the ISL, Stiven Mendoza is in red hot form.
Marco Materazzi had an early temptation of starting with Fikru, who was a constant threat for ATK last season, only to realize that Mendoza was better suited to the Chennai outfit’s needs with his pace, movement and habit of running in behind the defence.
Mendoza made his first start against Delhi Dynamos, where he hit the post once, but failed to score. The next game was a dream, where he netted his maiden ISL hat-trick in a 4-0 thumping of FC Goa. Mendoza did not look back and has been scoring regularly since then.
Starting with 2 against Mumbai City FC, Mendoza scored a crucial goal against FC Pune City in a game that the Chennai outfit won 2-1. The Colombian, along with Elano, has been phenomenal for Chennaiyin FC and made a huge impact in Chennaiyin FC’s return to form after they lost their first 2 games.
He is very crucial if Chennaiyin are to make the semifinals and fans would be hoping that the striker gets back to his goalscoring best in their next match.
Armed with pace, trickery and intelligence, he is a threat to any defence. With Elano playing behind him, Mendoza will be near the top of the goalscoring charts. He has taken 19 shots on and scored 6 goals so far. With quite a good conversion rate, all evidence suggests that he will definitely do more damage.
#1 Sunil Chhetri
If there is one man in Indian football who can take his team from rock bottom to contenders for a top 4 spot, it is captain fantastic Sunil Chhetri.
Making a return from national team duty for the Mumbai City FC outfit, Chhetri showed glimpses of his link-up with I-League star Sony Norde. Although the duo failed to impact the scoreboard initially, the signs were ominous, which took shape in the forthcoming fixtures.
Beginning with a brace against a high-flying Delhi Dynamos FC, he then scored a goal against the Kerala Blasters.
The next game though saw him creating history as he netted the first ever ISL hattrick by an Indian, in what was a brilliant performance against NorthEast United. With 6 goals, he has been the star of the ISL so far.
Playing behind the striker and going deep into his half to get the ball and move it around, Chhetri has been instrumental in the overall improvement of the Ranbir Kapoor-owned side.
Sunil Chhetri is not just donning the role of a No.9 and poaching goals; his orchestration of play for the Mumbai side has been immense and rewarding. His instincts for scoring a goal, being at the right place at the right time, along with his game intelligence, have served him well so far.
