'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwT/2gAIAQEAAAAAgD//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAF/9oACAECEAAAAAv/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAEDEAAAAB//xAAeEAACAgICAwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAhESAwQABhVzw//aAAgBAQABPwDxW25zVGZUoFRRQAtM2m0gxxuuaxYltbIT6UP15//EABsRAAEEAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAgMFQpHR/9oACAECAQE/ABcStxB31f/EABoRAAEFAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAgMREiH/2gAIAQMBAT8AdLvlAL//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Indian Super League is on its business end with just one round of games to play. Two teams Bengaluru FC and FC Pune City have already booked their spot in the Playoffs. With two more spots to play for, we have four teams who are vying for the last two spots.
Based on the present standings it looks like Chennaiyin FC and Jamshedpur FC look to be the front-runners to secure the remaining two spots, but the likes of Kerala Blasters and FC Goa cannot be ruled out of contention as of yet.
This season one thing that the ISL has showcased is that having impactful players is much more important than having big stars. In this article, we take a look at the 5 most impactful players who joined their respective teams midseason.
#5 Xabi Irureta (Delhi Dynamos)
Delhi Dynamos had problems aplenty with their Goalkeeping spot. First Albino got injured and was ruled out for the rest of the season, and back up keeper Arnab Das Sharma looked to be haunted by the ghost of Goalkeeping howlers.
The goalkeeping position finally got some stability after the Spanish keeper from Basque Country Xabi Irureta was signed, the former Eibar and Zaragoza keeper had a calming effect on the whole defensive set up of the team.
After Xabi arrived in the capital, the team has started their journey upward and look to finish above the bottom placed team, something which was heavily against them. Even though Xabi has managed to keep just one clean sheet in six games, it has been his match-saving and at times match winning saves at crucial moments that have turned around Delhi's fortunes.
#4 Ryan Taylor (ATK)
ATK has seen its season fall apart due to injuries. First, they saw their talismanic striker Robbie Keane miss the initial part of the league due to an injury, then lost their main Indian midfielder Eugenson due to a season-long injury and then lost attacking midfielder Carl Baker.
The management brought in Ryan Taylor as Bakers replacement and Taylor seemed to take hold of the team right from his debut.
Ryan Taylor has so far played 11 games for ATK, and scored once and assisted twice, but it has been his effect in the middle of the pitch and in ensuring the defensive stability of his side that is praiseworthy.
His no-nonsense tackling and clearances have gone a long way in ensuring that ATK didn’t give up their games easily and kept fighting till the last whistle. His set pieces have also been a big positive for ATK this season.
#3 Hugo Boumous (FC Goa)
Sergio Lobera the FC Goa coach made his intentions to get another midfielder as a back for Ahmed Jahouh and Edu Bedia clear after the first round of games were over, and in came Hugo Boumous the France born Moroccan player who can play in defense as well as midfield.
Even though he hasn’t yet broken into the starting XI properly he has made some crucial contributions to the squad.
With 2 goals and 1 assist in five games, Boumous has an impressive stat for someone who has only played around 240 minutes of football in the ISL. Boumous attacking instinct despite being a defensive midfielder is really impressive. His style of play and his range of passing has been very impressive and he surely will be a vital asset for Goa in their remaining two games and also in the Super Cup.
#2 Gudjon Baldvinsson (Kerala Blasters)
The Icelandic striker was bought into the squad to replace Mark Stiffenos and has already performed better than his counterpart. The Iceland national team striker who has played in Norway and also in the Europa League came to the ISL with big expectations, but he had his fair share of critics too.
The main reason why people felt he wouldn’t succeed in India was due to the weather conditions. Baldvinsson though has answered his critics in a very good manner with his performances on the pitch.
A goal and an assist from five games doesn’t sound so attractive for a striker but one has to keep in mind that he has played only for 300 minutes in those five games and it has rather been his style of play, passing, creating openings and holding up play up front that has earned him praise from the Kerala Blasters faithful and also from his managers.
A Baldvinsson and Berbatov combination in full song sounds a scary prospect for all opposing defenders.
#1 Wellington Priori
Wellington has been one of the most influential players in the second half of the ISL. In his second stint in the ISL Wellington signed for the new franchise Jamshedpur FC. Jamshedpur had a decent start to the ISL but wasn’t creating many chances or scoring goals for the matter. All of those problems vanished after this Brazilian came along.
Priori has played eight games for the Steel-men scoring 3 goals and assisting 1. The most influential part of his game has been his habit of pulling a rabbit out of the hat in the most crucial circumstances.
His bicycle kick against NorthEast and his stunning 30yard volley against Chennai are sure contenders for the goal of the season. But something which is more important than the beauty of those goals is the importance and timing of those goals, as those were the goals which earned the team vital points.
It is not only Priori’s goals that have caught the eye but it has been his overall gameplay, from helping the team in defense to building up the attack he has been in the thick of things, and his contributions have a big hand in helping Jamshedpur climb to the 4th position in the league table.
