ISL: Pune City no match for Carlos' most attack-minded Delhi line-up so far

Forwards Robin Singh and Adil Nabi have been used in rotation by Delhi Dynamos, except for brief periods where both of them were on due to substitutions. In their home game against Pune City FC on 19 November, both started a game for the first time. Delhi manager Roberto Carlos said after the game this was his most attacking line-up to start a game yet in a 4-4-2 shape. [caption id=“attachment_2514760” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File picture of Roberto Carlos. Sportspics[/caption] Carlos got his rewards in the first half itself. For the first time this season, Delhi scored two goals in one half – also, only the second time Delhi scored more than one goal. The two goals arrived five minutes of each other, both coming through corners. Actually, the way the two corners came was similar, also. The first arrived when Pune defender Gourmangi Singh miscued an aerial challenge off a goal kick from the Delhi goalkeeper Antonio Doblas. The ball moved goalward on the right wing, with Robin chasing it. Nabi ran in, centrally, just behind the defender. Just as Robin got close to the near post and put in a right-footed shot from an acute angle, to be blocked by Pune centre-back Roger Johnson for a corner. Nabi screamed in frustration, pointing at the acres of space in front of him, had Robin considered squaring the ball to him. Nabi got his own back moments later. Florent Malouda’s corner kick brushed past Robin and fell to Nabi, who was in a tangle with Pune defender Govin Singh. It hit his stomach and went in, giving Nabi his first goal of the season. The second arrived within five minutes. This time, Pune captain Didier Zokora’s pass to his right was intercepted by the energetic Delhi left-back ‘Adinga’ Ralte, who played Robin into the left inside channel. Nabi again ran centrally, this time wildly gesturing towards the space in front of him. Again, Robin decided to go for glory, requiring only a well-timed block by Johnson for the referee to signal a corner. Delhi centre-back Anas Edathodika did very well to get on the end of Malouda’s corner, running in and surprising Zokora. His header showed copybook technique, the kind you expect from strong centre-backs who are good in the air. Pune FC manager David Platt was not off the mark when, in his post-match press conference, he defended his team’s performance. He pointed to the fact that all the goals Pune conceded were from set-pieces. (The third was a 87th minute penalty, executed with steely calm by centre-back John Arne Riise.) Carlos may feel happy with the result, but it ought to worry him that his centre-forward routinely shoots from weak positions, instead of trying to get an assist for a goal? If he wants his striker to be a mean and selfish No. 9, that is not in evidence either. How will Delhi’s attack fare against teams that do not concede from dead-ball situations so readily? Pune lacked composure in attack Pune were guilty of conceding more corners than Delhi, and they had fewer shots on and off the target. Adrian Mutu had some chances, particularly a blistering 38th minute shot from outside the box that unsettled Doblas. Kalu Uche wasted some good chances. But they did not string together the kind of game that could stretch Delhi out of shape, like Atletico de Kolkata had done five days ago in Delhi. Pune substitute Bikash Jairu’s efforts to find width on the right flank resulted only in two things: Jairu often got stranded, away from the action. And he left too much space behind him. This space was exploited by by Delhi left-back Adinga in the 85th minute in a move that resulted in Govin’s red card and the penalty and the third goal. Florent Malouda in central midfield In a line-up Carlos described as his most attacking one, his most creative attacker Malouda – provider of five assists this season – played in central midfield, alongside holding midfielder Chicao. Malouda put in a stellar performance, the source of ball distribution and transitions, providing more solidity than sparkle. He has played more than any Delhi player. He is the only Delhi player to have been present on the pitch all the time that Delhi has played: 900 minutes in 10 games. Played nearly twice as many passes – 650, in all – as the next team member on the list (it is Souvik, with, er, 389). Carlos said he has no intentions of resting his talisman, given how eager Malouda is to play. But should he get injured, the Delhi team have no experience this season of playing without him.