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Looks like the Delhi Dynamos have learnt from their last edition's mistakes and have assembled a wonderful squad, that looks all set to make a leap towards the Indian Super League title. Last year, they pinned most of their hopes on a 40-year old Alessandro del Piero, who failed to fire and the team never looked certain to reach the semifinals.
Other foreign players such as Wim Raymakers, Kristof van Hout and Mads Junker started off promisingly but fizzled out as the season went on. With the exception of Gustavo dos Santos and Hans Mulder, no other player made a major impact on the team, except maybe Anwar Ali, who had a few solid games in the center of the Lions' defense.
This year though, the Dynamos have been prudent about their business and have made some astute signings, with a great mix between youth and experience. Adil Nabi, Richard Gadze and Vinicius are all young and quick, and when combined with the talents of Gustavo dos Santos, will add the much-needed firepower to the Delhi attack, which was quite languid last year round.
On the other hand, experienced signings such as Florent Malouda, John Arne Riise and Serginho Greene will help guide the young guns and bring composure to the team, along with their skills. Let's take a look at what the two biggest signings by the Delhi outfit - Malouda and Riise will bring to the team.
Versatility
Both Malouda and Riise are technically astute, which enables them to play in multiple positions all over the pitch. Riise, who was used as a left-back as well as a left-midfielder during his seven-year spell at Liverpool, can play in any position down the left flank. If needed, he can also play as a left-sided centre-back, with Robert Lalthlamuana slotting in as the full-back.
In the occasion of Roberto Carlos choosing to go with three men at the back, Riise can comfortably play as the left centre-back or as a left wing-back. To add power to the attack, Riise can also be used a left winger, similar to where Andre Santos played for FC Goa and make the most of his fierce shooting abilities.
Now, we come to the veteran Frenchman, who played as a winger and sometimes as a left-midfielder during his highly successful spells for Lyon and Chelsea. Apart from these two positions, Carlos may choose to play him in a number 10 role behind the striker given his technical skills and playmaking abilities. In case of the manager playing a 4-3-3 formation, Malouda can play as a left-sided central midfielder too, and provide support to Hans Mulder in the centre of the pitch.
Experience
Malouda and Riise both are 35 years old each, which means that they still have a good amount of fuel left in their tanks and have a lot to offer to the Dynamos. Both players are vastly experienced and have played for some of the biggest clubs in the world at the highest level possible.
Riise’s curriculum vitae includes stints in the Premier League with Liverpool and Fulham, French Ligue 1 with Monaco and the Italian Serie A with AS Roma. He is a Champions League winner with Liverpool from 2005 and has also featured in the competition with Roma and APOEL Nicosia. Most importantly, he spent the last season with the Cypriot club and clocked over 2500 minutes over the season, which is a great indicator that he will be in form and will look to hit the ground running.
Malouda is not far behind the Norwegian when it comes to trophies, as he has also won the Champions League and one Premier League crown with Chelsea and won the French league title four times in a row with Lyon from 2003-04 to 2006-07.
In the last two seasons, he has played for Turkish side Trabzonspor and French side Metz, making 29 and 31 appearances for both teams respectively, with a respectable goal and assist return. This is sure to please Roberto Carlos as his two main men are coming to India off the backs of full seasons with quality teams and should act as catalysts for a successful season for the Dynamos.
