Most pieces are now published with one of us reminding you that the ISL has finished, so there it is. It was a landmark year for many reasons and not to mention the excitement that nearly every single game brought.
Although the season is finished, it comes with optimism from us that we can bring you fresh content every day, not as easy as it sounds! After finishing second in the prediction league (easily), I will now start to breakdown the ISL’s award system, starting with the Golden Boot.
After Chennaiyin won the league title for the second time, the awards were given out and received gratefully. The Golden Boot is one of the most coveted titles to have on your name when playing as an attacker and this years winner was certainly deserved of that crown.
Ferran Corominas of Goa was this years winner scoring 18 goals in his 20 games. The photo published of him receiving the award was questionable and left us scratching our heads. What was worst? The blue hair that Coro has suddenly gained or the worst trophy ever made? We’ll leave that one for you to decide as it turned into a real conundrum.
Making History
Corominas’ 18 goals in the Super League is the most scored in a single season ever scored since the league started in 2013. Not only was it just the most, but the most by quite a distance.
The Spaniards goal tally was better than the second best effort of 13 by Stiven Mendoza of then Chennaiyin in 2015. The one fact that does stick out is the fact that Coro did play over 500 minutes more than the other seasons winners. That may look like if the others got that amount of playing time they could do the same. But, what the Goa forward has got going for him is the goals to game ratio of 0.9.
This is a cracking return with the other three golden boot awards were won with an average goals per game rating of around 0.7.
If you compare the award this year to previous years, two other players also broke this record. The two Bengaluru boys, Sunil Chhetri and Miku also broke the record with 14 and 15 strikes respectively. Does this just emphasise the rise of quality in the league as the years go on or has the defensive quality dropped significantly? Who knows.
Five Out in Front
Five players reached double figures in the league this season. That is a great return, and these pushed Coro all the way in wanting that Golden Boot. I’ve already mentioned Miku and Chhetri has respectable challengers in this race but who were the other two fighting for that crown?
Both players scored 13 goals and finished way behind the main man in the end. Lets start with the ‘Nigerian Pele’ (Steve’s words not mine) Kalu Uche. He had a slow start to the season fair to say but just like the Delhi Dynamos, he had a revival late in the season going on a free scoring run. Five of his 13 were penalties but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any credit in his total, many have tried and failed from the spot so we should hail his consistency, maybe more of a Nigerian Matt le Tissier, anybody? No, didn’t think so.
No one can do it all by themselves and a double act can always bring a fruitful response. Manuel Lazarote has been the prefect partner to Coro chipping in with 13 goals of his own and also six assists. Although in the end it wasn’t enough for Goa, they have a platform for next season, especially if they keep their star partnership, that is a definite must.
Golden Coro
It was a season to remember for Ferran Corominas in the end, maybe not in a team perspective falling at the second to last hurdle but certainly as an individual. Scoring 18 goals in a 20 game season is spectacular and if he is secured for another season at Goa, the fans will be licking their lips with anticipation.
Who knows what next season holds, will the 20 goal barrier finally be broken after being nudged by Coro? If so, who would it be? We’ll have to wait see!