The competition in Division 1 has been intense this season with unpredictability all around. After six gameweeks, we have a tie at the top of table with three teams – Horizons, Parikrma and Bengal – all tied on 15 points. Supernova are in fourth with 12 points and Gremio are in fifth with 11 points Its hard to see these two teams challenging for the title but anything can happen with 5 games yet to go.
Next up are Flipkart in sixth who are on ten points and behind them are Samba and Kougen Kikou in 7th and 8th respectively. Although Samba and Kougen Kikou aren’t out of the relegation woods yet, a win for either could all but guarantee safety for them. Yataghan are in 9th surprisingly with only one win and are just above the red zone.
The bottom three teams are Mavericks FC, Rare Dare FC and Project 7. All three teams have good squads but luck hasn’t fallen their way and as we enter a New Year maybe things will change.
Horizons FC
League leaders Horizons have been impeccable for most of the season but their last game before the break saw them fall to FC Bengal. They probably have the strongest squad since Season 1 and are still favourites for the title but any complacency can see them fall off in the tight title race.
They have played most of their tough matchups but will face old foes Gremio in the final week, which could determine the outcome of their season.
Midseason MVP: Magesh D
Player to watch: Barry Anand
Parikrma FC
Defending champions Parikrma are in second albeit only on goal difference and even though they haven’t been on their best form through the season they are still a force to reckon with.
Their only loss of the season came against Horizons but with games against Supernova, Gremio and Bengal left to play they have a tough second half of the season ahead of them. The usually fluent attack has not been up to mark, something they will need to fix if they are to defend their title.
Midseason MVP: Nikhil Gopal
Player to watch: Sunil Manjunath
FC Bengal
The surprise package of the season has been FC Bengal whose meteoric rise from Division 2 has been exhilarating. They have added quality and depth to their squad since their Division 2 days and they were in full flow when they bear Horizons in the final game before the break.
They still have a couple of tough games ahead of them including a game against Parikrma which could determine where they end up in the table.
Midseason MVP: Anto Rushith
Player to watch: Ravinder Singh
Supernova FC
Supernova have had a roller coaster season so far but are still within arm’s length of fighting for the title. Although their defence hasn’t been what it used to be, they still have the attacking flair they have always played with, albeit with different personnel.
They don’t have depth in their squad to compete with their rivals, something they should have fixed in the winter break. An all-important clash against Parikrma in GW 10 could determine their fate.
Midseason MVP: James Hadeyemi
Player to watch: Victor Zuvundru
Gremio FC
Gremio have gotten up to their usual antics of inconsistency and now find themselves in fifth place rather than fighting for the title. Wins against Bengal and Supernova have been the highlights of their season while dropping points against Samba and Yataghan have been the lows.
They do have a deep squad, which should help them in the second half of the season, and they will be waiting to pounce if any of the teams above them falter.
Midseason MVP: Hitesh Luniya
Player to watch: Jayaprasad J
Flipkart FC
Flipkart have turned things around after a slow start to the season and currently are in 6th place in the standings. They have a more balanced squad than previous seasons but all the new additions resulted in an adjustment period.
They do have some tough games ahead of them but if they continue playing like they have, opposition teams will find it tough to break them down. They do look set to launch an onslaught in the second half of the season.
Midseason MVP: Pavan Powar
Player to watch: Ravi Kiran
Samba FC
Samba’s form has tapered off after their strong start, which saw them go unbeaten in the first three games. Although they haven’t played badly in the past few games the results haven’t fallen their way. They should make it a point not to fall back into old habits and need to re-strategise if they are to pick up wins in the second half of the season.
Although they are in a better position this time than they were last season, they still aren’t out of the relegation woods yet.
Midseason MVP: Sufiyan Ahmed
Player to watch: Zaheer PA
FC Kougen Kikou
Kougen Kikou’s early season performances indicated they would be fighting for their lives but they have since turned the season around and have bagged a decent 7 points after 6 games. The heart of the team has been the combination of Hiroki Akiyama and Yasuhiro Nishino who have willed their team to victory on a couple of occasions.
They almost beat Supernova after an impressive team performance but a loss of concentration at the end of the game saw them lose a lead and the game.
Midseason MVP: Hiroki Akiyama
Player to watch: Yasuhiro Nishino
Yataghan Internazionale
Yataghan have had a rough season so far and find themselves in danger of being relegated although, currently they sit just above the red zone. Their only win came against Rare Dare FC and with a tough second half schedule they will need to be on the top of their game if they are to survive in the top division this season.
They haven’t played all that badly but their on the pitch communication seems to be lacking.
Midseason MVP: Jay Singadia
Player to watch: Alex C
Mavericks FC
Mavericks once again find themselves stuck in the red zone but a win against Yataghan should have injected some confidence into them. They have been a much-improved squad compared to last season but they still have a long way to go if they want to be in Division 1 battling it out with the top dogs.
With only 5 games to go and points to be gained they will have to be pragmatic about the tactics they use especially when they come up against tougher opposition.
Midseason MVP: Danush M
Player to watch: Yunus Nawab
Rare Dare FC
The most improved team from last season now find themselves in real danger of getting relegated but they do have time to turn things around. They still have some tough games ahead of them so they need to dig deep and invoke memories of past to get out of the rut they are in.
Their tactics might have become too predictable which makes it easy for the opposition to plan for, something they will need to work on in order to surprise their opponents.
Midseason MVP: Anoos Paryangat
Player to watch: Arjun Anson
Project 7
Project 7 find themselves in an unfamiliar position; they are without a win and bottom of the table. They have usually had enough attacking firepower in them to pull off a few wins but with competition tougher this season, they will have to change things around if they are to pick up wins.
They definitely need to add some attacking strength and change tactics to suit their team personnel.
Midseason MVP: Rahul Singh
Player to watch: Vishnu JP
