ISL 2016: FC Pune City's drab draw in last match reflected their faltering season

Sixth, seventh, sixth: these have been FC Pune City’s final standings in three seasons of the Indian Super League (ISL). A sense of familiarity, if nothing else, and unsurprisingly, they have also collected an almost identical number of points across those three seasons: 16, 15, 16. Hence, it should also come as no surprise that the consistently lacklustre Stallions were once again found wanting against Atletico de Kolkata in their final match of ISL-3. Goalless draws can’t get any worse than what Pune and ATK served up in Kolkata. Along expected lines, ATK were the better team. Had they put out their best eleven, ATK would’ve long beaten Pune. [caption id=“attachment_3137586” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Action between FC Pune City and ATK. ISL[/caption] Here in ATK’s makeshift home ground, the Stallions looked far from interested in what was a dead rubber for both sides. Despite it being a small ground, the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium has been filled to capacity very often this season, and rightly so. ATK are the only team to have made the playoffs for the third successive season: perhaps a reward for their fans. But those fans have seen better days. Despite the best efforts of ATK’s two bright wingers – Abinash Ruidas and Bidyananda Singh – the match turned out to be a typical end-of-season contest where both teams went through the motions. There are lots of lessons for Antonio Habas’ Pune City to learn from this ISL campaign. A few of those were handed out by ATK on what was a dull evening of football. It was quite a departure from Thursday’s gung-ho 5-4 win for FC Goa over Chennaiyin FC. Starting on the back foot, the Orange-Purples were never in the game. ATK were more aggressive, better organised, and, more importantly, had a plan to attack. Pune’s season never really started. They were handicapped by injuries and late signings, and had one home match too many at the start of the season. That, though, was only part of the problem. Unlike ATK, Pune also didn’t have a clear plan of how to go about doing things. ATK’s wing-oriented set-up and an over-reliance on crosses has served them well this season, despite its predictability. At least they have had an idea of how to exploit their strengths. Pune, on the other hand, chopped and changed to the extent that their first choice attacker in the opening stages – Jesus Tato – didn’t even enter the pitch in the final round of matches, while Momar Ndoye - once the Pune player with the least minutes per match - and his aimless running from wide became plan A. Those inadequacies were all on display here. The Stallions had three shots in the first half compared to ATK’s eight. Not only were Pune pegged back by the home side’s aggressiveness out of possession, they also barely connected from middle third to final third due to their sluggishness in possession. The only thing that played into Pune’s hands was Juan Belencoso’s profligacy in front of goal. The Spaniard had scored twice already this season, and ATK’s qualification for the playoffs meant his glaring misses didn’t prove costly. Helder Postiga and Iain Hume were rested, a luxury ATK could afford because of their strength and depth. Therein lies another lesson for Pune. With lack of quality in attack a major concern for them this season, the Stallions could do well to go along ATK’s lines and upgrade their frontline next year. Goals in ISL-3 have gone in at a rate of 2.46 per match, which shows they are at a premium. With a little more quality, things could have been different for Pune; the same goes for the other teams that haven’t made it to the playoffs. This season, Pune City flattered to deceive yet again. There were memorable matches, only they were few and far between. External factors may have hindered the Stallions, but ISL-3 for them will go down as another underwhelming campaign which promised so much at the start, yet delivered so little.