Strong Chennaiyin aim to be steady
TOPSY TURVY CFC Team hope to reverse last year’s nightmare of finishing seventh
It has been a topsy turvy journey for Chennaiyin FC in the Indian Super League. They were one of the top performers in the first season and topped the group stages. But, an extra minute goal from Kerala Blasters’ Stephen Pearson stopped them from reaching the finals.
They came back stronger next season and with Stiven Mendoza scoring at will, they looked unstoppable. Chennaiyin FC dominated during the group stages and defeated FC Goa 3-in the final.
However, the third season was an absolute nightmare. They struggled to win crucial games and with just three wins, they finished seventh.
At the start of this season, they retained the services of Jerry Lalpekhlua and Karanjit Singh along with two other footballers. It was a good start for the side as they added quality attackers like Bikramjit Singh and Thoi Singh. When it comes to the foreign signings, Valencia midfielder Jaime Gavilan and ex-Brighton & Hove Albion rightback Inigo Calderon can prove to be game-changers for
John Gregory’s side this season. 7th position The Spaniard joined Chennaiyin FC this season on a free transfer after his contract at Anorthosis Famagusta in Cyprus expired. A product of the Alaves youth academy, Calderon started his senior professional career with Alicante. Calderon then spent six years at Brighton and was instrumental in their promotion to the second tier.
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The central midfielder will be making his return for Chennaiyin FC after a one-year gap. He joined the side in 2015 for an impressive ~86 lakh and was an integral part of the squad that went on to lift the trophy. In 2016, he played for Mumbai CIty FC but a fourth round pick in the 2017 ISL Draft reunited him with his old side. With 13 goals to his name, he has become a mainstay in the Chennaiyin FC starting XI. Jeje is well known for his link-up plays down the middle of the field and thanks to his brilliant performances for Chennaiyin, the India striker was judged the Emerging Player of the Season in 2015. 07 vs Delhi Dynamos, Chennai 13 19 25 11 15 18 23 vs Pune City, Chennai vs NorthEast, Guwahati vs ATK, Kolkata vs Delhi Dynamos, Delhi vs Goa, Margao vs Jamshedpur, Chennai vs Kerala Blasters, Kochi 03 vs Mumbai City, Chennai