Chennaiyin FC vs Odisha FC: Top Five Talking points from this ISL clash

Chennaiyin FC get back to winning ways as they brushed aside Odisha FC in their latest Indian Super League clash. Germanpreet Singh and Mirlan Murzaev scored a goal in each half to see off the Kalinga Warriors in a feisty encounter.

The Marina Machans played with a different formation on the night as they played with a lot of panache and energy upfront front. It was an area where they needed to improve and the team saw massive improvement after their recent tweak from head coach Bozidar Bandovic

It was a pretty eventful game with plenty of highlights and we at The Bridge bring to you the key highlights from the clash.

Kamaljit Singh's all-round performance in vain

Odisha FC have been majorly inconsistent this season. While they have shown great fluidity in attack through Javi Hernandes and Aridai Cabrera, they also have a reliable goalkeeper in Kamaljit Singh. The Odisha FC custodian had a fine outing against Chennaiyin FC even in defeat.

Kamlajit hardly had anything to do in both goals which the Kalinga Warriors conceded. The first goal came after he parried a shot away and Germanpreet Singh capitalised on the rebound. The second goal was more of a stunner from long range something which he did not expect and was way beyond his reach.

Apart from that he came up with a penalty save as he denied Lukasz Gikiewicz from the spot and then came up with a fantastic assist. He saw a chance of a counterattack and came up with a brilliant dropkick to allow a lot of space to Javi who pulled the trigger from long range to pull one goal back.

The new formation worked like a charm

After their 1-0 defeat against Mumbai City FC, head coach Bozidar Bandovic fielded a different looking team against Odisha FC. He opted for a three-man backline that was led by Slavko Damjanovic and Ariel Borysiuk. Bandovic allowed full freedom to wingbacks Reagan Singh and Jerry Lalrinzuala providing width on the flanks.

Meanwhile in attack, he paired Lallianzuala Chhangte with Mirlan Murzaev. Both the wingers who played as forwards were also given a lot of freedom and it benefitted their style of play and helped them break down the Odisha FC with relative ease. Vladimir Koman and Anirudh Thapa were brilliant in the middle whereas Germanpreet Singh was tireless in cutting the passing lanes and winning back the possession.

Koman moved the ball nicely and was excellent in transition for the Marina Machans. The new system worked very well for Chennaiyin and their problem of chance creation was nullified as Murzaev and Chhangte created plenty of chances.

Chhangte- Murzaev combination can be dangerous for Chennaiyin

Chennaiyin FC head coach Bozidar Bandovic has tried out different tactics to achieve that fluidity in attack. He has tried Rahim Ali and Lukasz Gikiewicz to lead the lines for the Marina Machans. Both strikers have played well in patches but none were good enough to lead the lines. Hence Bandovic decided to play a flexible lineup with Chhangte and Murzaev and have handed them more freedom by opting for a three man backline.

The extra defensive cover allowed Chhangte to play his natural. Both the players swapped their flanks and played to their strength. They always kept the Odisha FC defenders on their toes and easily could have scored more goals in a game where they majorly dominated.

Lack of cohesion in midfield for Odisha FC

While Chennaiyin FC's midfield worked like a charm, Odisha's midfield have lacked the cohesion needed for the team to succeed. The Likes of Vinit Rai, Thoiba and Paul Ramfangzuava are not experienced enough to control the tempo of the game. They need to do more with the possession to allow the likes of Aridai Cabrera and Javi Hernandez to create more chances.

The absence of someone like a Koman has been glaring as Liridon Krasniqi has not managed to impress anyone in the few opportunities that he has had this season. They need someone who can hold the ball properly and make good use of the possession allowing the likes of Javi and Aridai to get more involved in the game.

Vladimir Koman the architect in midfield for Chennaiyin FC

When Rafael Crivellaro's news of injury got viral, Chennaiyin FC fans could not imagine anyone else pulling the strings in their midfielder with equal conviction as the Brazilian. However, Vladimir Koman has made them believe that he can be the main man for them in midfield. The Hungarian played his best game today against Odisha as he dominated possession, controlled the tempo and played a huge role in making those quick transitions.

His technique and composure with the ball at his feet are exceptional. He used his nifty footwork to dodge past defenders before playing some defence-splitting passes for his teammates. He was a proper workhorse for the Marina Machans this season and has tried his best to fill up the void that was left by Crivellaro.