What Has Gone Wrong For Odisha FC In ISL 11?
Odisha FC entered the 11th season of the Indian Super League with high expectations. They had made the playoffs in ISL 10 and were seen as a team that could mount a serious title challenge this time around. They had reunited Hugo Boumous with Ahmed Jahouh, Mourtada Fall, and head coach Sergio Lobera, and were hoping to duplicate the kind of success that FC Goa had with the four men. Unfortunately, things haven’t panned out as expected.
Odisha FC currently find themselves outside even the playoff spots, as they’re down at seventh. They have only won six of their 17 games and certainly won’t be winning the league title this year. So, how have things gone so bad? Well, let’s take a look at their season so far, shall we?
(stats considered till the game between Mumbai City FC and Mohammedan SC on Jan. 26)
With Boumous, Diego Mauricio, and Roy Krishna among their ranks, Odisha FC were expected to be a force going forward and that has proven to be the case as well. Even with Krishna suffering an ACL injury mid-way through the campaign, the Kalinga Warriors are averaging 2.0 goals per game in ISL 11, the best mark in the competition. Mauricio has led the way with nine goals while Jerry Mawihmingthanga has five to his name.
Odisha FC aren’t creating too many goal-scoring opportunities, as their average of 8.9 chances created per game ranks eighth this season, but they’ve been very effective in front of goal. Their 15.7% shot conversion rate is the best in the competition and this is not a team that you even want to give a sniff in front of goal.
In general, there has been a lot to like about Odisha FC going forward and they rank well in many offensive metrics.
While there has been a lot to like about Odisha FC in attack, there has been a lot to dislike about them defensively. They’re conceding 1.6 goals per game, the fifth-most in ISL 11. They have only kept three clean sheets in total, tied for second fewest in the competition.
There have been more than a handful of occasions where the attack has done its job, only for the defense to capitulate. In four of their five losses this season, Odisha FC have scored two goals and you cannot be losing that many games where you’ve found the back of the net on multiple occasions.
Goalkeeper Amrinder Singh has been kept extremely busy too. He is averaging 3.2 saves per game, which is tied for second-most in the league. Odisha FC are allowing 4.7 shots on target per game, which is also the second-most. They need to do a better job of protecting the man in goal.
What Odisha FC could also do a better job of, is winning the ball higher up the field. They’re winning possession in the final third just 2.2 times per game, which ranks dead last in the league.
In all, their defensive numbers are just not a good read.
Should Odisha FC stunningly miss out on even a playoff spot, we know where to point the finger of blame. Even if they do make it in, it’s unlikely they’ll be able to match or better their finish from last season, where they narrowly lost in the semifinals.
This is just not a team that can be trusted on the defensive end and at the end of the day, defense wins championships. At least, Odisha FC know where they need to improve next season if they are to win their first-ever ISL title or cup.
