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The Indian Super League this season has been bigger, better and more tactical than ever. If you don’t believe me, then take it from a World Cup winner:
“India will soon be a big destination for international football. Given the level of competitiveness in the Indian Super League and the quality of Indian players, I am sure it will be amongst the top five football leagues in the world in the next decade,” said Gianluca Zambrotta.
Aside from the collective team strength on show this year, there have been plenty of brilliant individual performances too. Here is a look at the five players who have made the best impression in the ISL so far this season.
1. Emiliano Alfaro
The 'other' Uruguayan in the ISL was a complete unknown when he arrived in India. But his performances in the opening four games have put his name on the lips of the fans in all the eight North East states.
The highest rated out-and-out striker in the league, Alfaro's showings in the season so far have earned him an average rating of 7.59.
Alfaro is what they call a midfielder’s dream. He's always on the move, and always ready to come short or spin behind for the long ball. He is committed, talented and a lethal finisher, and the three goals he has scored so far this season are ample evidence of all that.
Hurry the goalkeeper and force him to make a mistake? Check. Run in behind and finish between the goalkeeper's legs? Check. Make the most of a lucky deflection in the box? Check.
Alfaro's telepathic understanding with Nicolas Velez enabled the pair to terrorize the Pune defence despite being a man down.
Moreover, you pick your cult heroes in the manner that they celebrate their goals. And boy does Alfaro celebrate!
2. Matias Defederico
The Argentinean has been nothing short of a revelation so far this season. All eyes were on Diego Forlan (expectedly) when Mumbai started their campaign, but Defederico has undoubtedly stolen the show.
Defederico is among the rare breed of players who raise their game when needed, but also raise the level of the others playing around them. Just ask Boithang Haokip.
In the match against Atletico de Kolkata, Defederico's goal perfectly highlighted his importance to the Mumbai set-up. He started the move, pointed how the move should go, and was at the end of it too. His first touch left Indian International Arnab Mondal on an archipelago, his second took out two players, and his third saw the ball rifle into the net.
None of Mumbai’s opponents in the first three games could deal with Defederico's clever movement and industrious play. What's more, you'd be wrong to assume he saves his energy for terrorising defences; no, he even tracks back to make a clearance in his own half when you least expect him to.
Defederico is truly every manager’s dream.
3. Javi Lara
When Atletico de Kolkata signed Javi Lara in ISL Season 2, it was considered by many as a major coup. He was fresh off a La Liga season with Eibar where he made 31 appearances for the Basque club, and he even started the Indian season well, scoring against Kerala Blasters at Salt Lake.
Curiously though, Antonio Habas, the then manager of Atletico de Kolkata, didn’t play him that regularly. He preferred playing Arata Izumi instead of him on the left, and that gave the Spaniard few chances to shine.
New season, new coach, and things have changed drastically.
Lara has contributed more than any other Atletico player to the four points the team has picked up this season, scoring the winner against Kerala Blasters and the equaliser against Mumbai City FC.
But his importance to the Bengal outfit runs much deeper than that; with Borja Fernandez and Ofentse Nato being the first choice central midfielders, Kolkata lack a playmaker in the side. Iain Hume is often asked to drop in and get moves going, which is at odds with his natural game.
This is where Lara comes in. He might not have the pace to go beyond the full-back, but he definitely has the know-how to cut inside and make clever passes to the front men.
The biggest bonus of having the Spaniard in the team is his set piece delivery, especially with the height that Atletico have in their squad.
Based on his performances so far this season, it is no surprise that Lara is the highest rated midfielder in the league, with an average rating of 8.53.
4. Rowllin Borges
There were quite a few eyebrows raised when Rowllin Borges was designated the defensive midfield position by Nelo Vingada. Borges had almost zero experience playing in that position; he either played in a midfield two, or as the most advanced of the midfielders.
But the Indian international took to the position like fish to water. Nicolas Velez, Katsumi Yusa and Emiliano Alfaro may have grabbed the headlines during NorthEast's run to the top of the table, but Borges has been the wheel on which their cruiser has been moving.
Borges is positionally astute, always ready to pick up the ball from the defence, and armed with a lovely range of passing (both long and short). His lanky frame has been the perfect foil to Romaric, who keeps going forward with ease.
If Borges continues to play the way he is right now, Pronay Halder and Eugeneson Lyngdoh will really start to get nervous about their starting place in the National Team.
5. Jerry Lalrinzuala
Jerry is a graduate of the AIFF Elite Academy, and was one of five people who were sponsored to train with French side FC Metz. He wasn’t even expected to be in the first team picture when the season started, but certain circumstances have come to his aid.
Chennaiyin’s first choice left-back Dhanachandra Singh is injured, and the Indian U-17 and U-20 international was entrusted with the reins of the position for what was his third appearance against FC Goa on Thursday. Honestly, it hadn’t a bed of roses for the 18-year-old Mizoram boy until then; he had given away a cheap penalty in the dying minutes of the second half in Chennaiyin's first game, against Atletico de Kolkata.
But luckily for Jerry, his coach understood the situation well. In his post-match conference, Marco Materazzi said, “…but he's just 18 and it's okay for him to make these mistakes now. What we need to make sure is to learn from these mistakes, be cautious in the penalty area. Once Jerry learns that he's ready to play during the whole league."
And Jerry has certainly learned from his experience already. Against FC Goa, he did exactly what the coach asked of him; he was smart on the ball, attacked with aplomb and defended bravely when he needed to.
The icing on the cake was when he slipped Davide Succi behind the Gaur defence with a lovely dinked ball from the outside of his foot. Jerry is definitely one for the future.
