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India's U17 Football Team will play against South American powerhouse Colombia in a crucial group stage match. Since India have lost the first game, the match could decide the fate of India U17's World Cup venture.
In the first game, the Indian side were bashed by the strong and robust USA U17s. The USA players dominated the game from the start and their performance outdid that of the Indians.
That first game showed up a few weaknesses of the Indian squad. The fragile defense, the lack of bite in midfield, etc were all found out against the USA. However, the game against the USA also saw Indian side providing their toil tear for the cause of the nation.
That said, the trouncing handed by the USA will help the Indian coach to retool his tactics, the squad and to swap the positions. With Luís Norton de Matos himself confirming that India may deviate from their current formation to stitch the team together, removing the glitches, and to make the XI compatible to stand up to any proven side.
Here are a few probable ways India could line-up against the Colombians.
5-3-2 formation
De Matos may deploy the squad in a stable 5-3-2 formation. Although the least preferred formation for India, the 5-3-2 could help India function better in defence and is compatible to create fast attacks, considering the players at the flanks.
In this formation, De Matos may employ the services of Anwar Ali and Jitendra Singh to partner Namit Deshpande at the heart of the defence.
In wide defence, KP Rahul will be deployed as the right wing-back while Sanjeev Stalin will be the left wing back. In midfield, Amarjit Singh Kiyam will act as the linchpin for India while Komal Thatal and Suresh will provide him with adequate support. Despite commanding the midfield, Amarjit will have the role to come back and support the defence, while Komal Thatal will be in charge of building rapid moves for the attackers to exploit.
Aniket Jadav and Naorem will feature as the attackers in this formation. Since Aniket was unable to make his desired impact against the USA and the absence of a poacher was felt, the duo of Aniket and Naorem could mould the attack for India, and they will be in charge to pierce the Colombian defence.
4-2-3-1 formation
A more adaptable formation for India, the flexible 4-2-3-1 formation has the ability to give secure India's defence and also has the competence to exploit Colombia's defence.
Akin to the first formation, Dheeraj Singh will guard the goal, and the pair at the central defence will be Jitendra and Anwar Ali. As right back, Boris Singh will feature according to this formation, while Sanjeev Stalin will have come down a little, to play as the left fullback.
To grant India with the potential to resist extreme assaults from Colombia, KP Rahul and Amarjit Singh Kiyam will get deployed as defensive midfielders, bestowing to this formation. The essence of two versatile midfielders like Amarjit and Rahul, who have the ability to both defend and to make overlapping runs, could act as the linchpin of India's play.
In midfield, Suresh Singh will feature in the centre, while it will be Naorem to feature as the right attacking midfielder, providing support for Aniket Jadav. As the left attacking midfielder, Komal Thatal will feature for India. India will have to rely on his dazzling dribbles to penetrate the Colombian defence and to provide Aniket with balls.
Similar to the earlier formation, Aniket will once again act as the lone striker. But the support form Naorem and Komal, and his individual performance could help India break past the Colombian defence, who were fragile against Ghana.
4-1-4-1 formation
De Matos may deploy the team in a 4-1-4-1 formation, considering the blunders they had made in the previous game and the players' in their ranks. 4-1-4-1 could provide India with adequate defensive shield and attacking intent.
In this formation, the top performer of the recent match, Dheeraj Singh is likely to guard the goal, while Anwar Ali and Jitendra Singh will be the most preferred options to warden the central defence. As a right fullback, Boris Singh is likely to bomb up and down, while Sanjeev Stalin is the option at left back.
Since the Indian team requires more quantity and quality to function at the back and to withstand the attacks, Indian skipper Amarjit Singh Kiyam will likely perform as the lone defensive midfielder to support both the defence and midfield.
Coming into the midfield, more and many changes can be felt from the previous game. As a right-winger, KP Rahul will be the most favoured option (There are some uncertainty over his fitness. If couldn't, Meetei will be the man to replace him). In central midfield, Suresh Singh will be retained, while Abhijit Sarkar, who failed to make an impact against the USA, will be replaced by Naorem, who showed some insane skills vs the USA. As a right midfielder, the 'Indian Coutinho', Komal Thatal will be the unequivocal option for De Matos.
Since the formation has only one striker, Aniket Jadav will play as a lone striker. Though he failed to make an impact as did Sarkar in the last game, considering that he barely got the chances to spearhead the game for India, Jadav will likely get another chance up front for India against Colombia.
