Blasters keen on attacking 2-time champs ATK
KOCHI: If you analyse the top players, the reason they stand out is that they don’t take touches that they don’t need and that creates a different rhythm
Kerala Blasters FC coach Rene Meulensteen expects his team to play incisive one-touch attacking football to breach ATK’s defence in the opening match of the fourth season of the Indian Super League (ISL) here on Friday.
The Dutchman, known for his technical coaching, hinted on Thursday that he will apply the same method that he has always believed in -- delete needless touches and play a fast brand of football to create space and score.
“I have always told players that they should figure out who their favourite players are in their best position, see their clips and try and figure out what they’re doing right. If you analyse the top players, the reason they stand out is that they don’t take touches that they don’t need and that creates a different rhythm and speed of play. Hopefully we can get that integrated into the team and see it in the games we play. It’s not easy, of course, but that is what we’re aiming for,” he said.
Kerala have won just once in eight meetings against two-time champions ATK, a 2-1 victory that came three years ago.
Meulensteen will, however, have one of the players who scored in that victory in Iain Hume. At the same time, he will also be aware that the only time the Blasters have failed to win a season-opener was against ATK.
The visitors come into the game not having lost a single first away match in three seasons. They’ve also scored 11 goals against Blasters and broken their hearts in two finals. All of which says that the odds are remarkably against the home side.
But Meulensteen said he had a fully fit side to pick from. “The past doesn’t matter tomorrow,” the former assistant to Alex Ferguson at Man United, said.
This is not the case for ATK though, who will be without their star signing Robbie Keane. That will not play on the mind of coach Teddy Sheringham.
The former Manchester United striker has enough goal threats to choose from, with India’s Robin Singh being one of them. In midfield, he has Eugeneson R MEULENSTEEN , Blasters coach
We have worked hard on our defensive game, but we also want to go forward. We are going to play to win tomorrow
T SHERINGHAM, ATK coach
They (Kochi fans) won’t be supporting us but we will know we’re doing great if we can keep these amazing fans quiet
T SHERINGHAM, on the Kochi fans
Lyngdoh and Jayesh Rane, both supremely talented in picking out a pass.
“We have worked hard on our defensive game, but we also want to go forward. We are going to play to win tomorrow,” Sheringham said, keeping his cards close to his chest in terms of defining what sort of approach ATK will take.
Sheringham did explain how he has prepared his team for the test of playing in Kerala.
“It’s what every boy dreams of, every player, every manager dreams of -- to play in front of 60,000 fans. They won’t be supporting us tomorrow but we will know we are doing great if we can keep these amazing fans quiet,” he said.
More than anything else though, the match will be a battle of one of the strongest home sides against one of the finest away sides. The Blasters won six home matches in a row last season, while ATK won four games on the road.