Delhi Dynamos coach Gianluca Zambrotta has urged his strikers to start firing and get the campaign back on track as they face struggling FC Pune City in the Hero Indian Super league clash at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi, on Thursday.
Delhi Dynamos made everyone take notice with a 3-1 demolition of defending champions Chennaiyin FC in their opening game but have since then remained without a win in four matches, including the last game against a 10-man Atletico de Kolkata which they lost after missing a penalty. Dynamos' winless four-match run this season is increasingly becoming a cause of concern for the club and coach Zambrotta should know that no team has ever qualified for ISl semis stages after enduring a back to back five winless results. For records, in ISl 2014 — Dynamos had suffered the longest six match winless run.
"In the last match (against ATK) we had opportunities to score but didn't kill the match. We are able to create a lot of chances; that's no problem for us. Unfortunately in the last match, there were some mistakes. Football is like this, sometimes it may appear cruel. It is important for us to think positively," said Zambrotta.
The Italian coach feels his side has been making progress since he took charge in September for pre-season but today called for improvement from his attackers. "We have very good players and at the moment they are not at their best. They have to improve," he said.
Zambrotta can take heart from Dynamos' clean sheet results against FC Pune City since the start of ISl. The capital city club has never lost against Pune in four encounters, winning three of them and the other match ending in a goalless draw.
On other side, Pune coach Antonio Habas too, is struggling with his team's form and would want to change the fortune. Pune got just one win to their name while he was serving a four-match suspension and since returning back on the bench he has earned just a draw against Chennaiyin FC.
"Pune City is a very good team. I have respect for Delhi but we will try and win this game. Delhi should be the favourites since they are playing at home," said Pune midfielder Jonatan lucca.
Pune will need to not just start getting the goals but also shore up their defence. They are the only team in this edition of ISl who not have kept a clean sheet so far, despite having last season's best goalkeeper Edel Bete, who won the title with Atletico de Kolkata and Chennaiyin FC in successive years. A win for Delhi Dynamos will help them move back to the top four while Pune City also have a chance to be among the top four teams should they score three or more goals against their rivals, who they have never defeated in the past.
‘Biggies like catalyst’
MUMBAI: Arsenal legend Thierry Henry is no alien to the Hero Indian Super league and believes the three-month league which attracts some big names from across the world can help massively in the development of Indian football.
The former Arsenal striker and now assistant coach of the Belgian national team is currently on a two-day visit to India but needs no introduction to the ISl. He was among the early marquee names discussed to take part in the inaugural edition of the ISl in 2014, but while he could not make it to India, his former teammates - Robert Pires and Freddie ljungberg - were the marquee players for Goa and Mumbai City FC respectively.
Since the start of the ISl in 2014, several leading names from world football have plied their trade in India and Henry believes the arrival of stars from around the world can give a fillip to Indian football. "It helps massively when you have such people in the league," said Henry.
The ISl since its inception in 2014 has attracted top names like Zico, Roberto Carlos, lucio, Robert Pires, Freddie ljungberg, David Trezeguet, Alessandro Del Piero, Elano Blumer, Helder Postiga, Adrian Mutu and Nicolas Anelka to name a few.
Henry however, asked the organizers to ensure that more young Indian players come through the ranks and get a chance to rub shoulders with the best.