Many teams are setting the league alight with their attacking prowess and flair. Its the same around the world, teams and players are usually remembered for what they do in the opposing teams half. Whether this be mesmerising skill or a finish in the top corner from way out.
But, who is remembered for their defensive strength and the tackles that save matches and give their team the three points. Or the save that left people gobsmacked with how the keeper reached that shot destined for the net.
This feature will explore just those players, the rocks at the back, earning points for their team whenever they can.
Peppered With Shots
Surprisingly, fifth place Mumbai City’s Amrinder Singh has made the most saves in the division by a mile. His 34 saves in 10 appearances gives him an average of over three saves per game. No other keeper who has played over five times this ISL, has an average of over three per outing, Definitely an integral part of City’s plans.
Many would be shocked that the most active keeper isn’t from bottom side Delhi Dynamos. Their season has not gone to plan one bit, with them using FIVE goalkeepers already. Albino Gomes, the most frequent with four outings, making 14 saves in those games.
Even with an average of three saves per game, Singh is only sixth in the Golden Glove award table. Topping that is Jamshedpur keeper Subrata Pal who concedes a goal every 128.57 minutes, the best by 30 minutes.
Defensive Shut Outs
The confusion starts here. The ISL is never the best league to cover as it is so unpredictable! Seventh and eighth place respectively Jamshedpur and ATK have the two best defensive records in the league only conceding seven and nine goals. This reflects on the clean sheet tally with both sides keeping five, the best in the league.
Steve Coppell’s Jamshedpur FC have only conceded seven goals. The lowest total in the league, defensively they are very much the solid outfit in the league, their problem is a lack of goals.
When we compare the stats, it shows just how much of an achievement only seven goals conceded is. Second-bottom NorthEast have only conceded one less than top two contenders Bengaluru and also, conceding less than FC Goa who are five places above the strugglers.
Don’t try and take him on
Even though Amrinder Singh has been called upon the most times this ISL campaign, Mumbai City defender Lucian Goian has made the most tackles by a mile! 68 in 11 games to be precise. To put that into context, the second most tackles have been made by Kerala Blaster’s Lalruatthara who has made only 49, nearly 20 lower than Goian.
The Romanian has been a pivotal figure for Mumbai in his first Super League season. The 33-year-old, has also made the most interceptions in the league with 22, this means the veteran averages two interceptions and over six tackles per game!
Round of applause for the defenders
We hope you enjoyed this different feature on the page and let us know if you want more of this! Just remember the last ditch interception or tackle can be more important than that long distance piledriver and without the rocks at the back nothing will come together. Like the heading says: let’s have a round of applause for those defenders.