What lead to a tie between Kerala Blasters and Chennaiyin FC?

A game with high intensity!! A game with with world class saves!! What more you can expect in a derby!!!

After a great fight-back of both the teams of down-south, its really being a great entertainment for all football lovers. What were the tactical stints that made this game more interesting?? 

Game plans : Kerala-Blasters

Kerala started the game with 3 changes in their sides. 

• Dhenechandra Meitei was brought in for Jessel Carneiro. The reason, behind this move was to push-off Isma away from creating chance from the left side. If you look deeply, Jessel is bit more offensively well, but defensively descent. But, in the case of Meitei, he's more defensively offering left-back. You can see in various part of the game that he was blocking the way of Isma, comparatively he was less impactful compared to last match. 

• Naorem for Puitea, if you look this change was brought due to the pocket space that are available on Chennaiyin side. And this game will make Blaster's way more difficult if they go for hold -up game. Therefore, speedy foots with good foor movements were essential.

• Facundo for Gomez, Gomez was replaced by Facundo due to a fitness issue.

Specifics from the match

•3rd man's principle

•Get the space behind the defense 

•Pendulum pressing 

•Use the lack of wide coverage of wing-back

•These are the common tactics which were used by Kerala Blasters. If you look, due to the absence of Gomez, Cido was following the defensive duty and the build-up starter. Many times he was the player who was starting the puzzling attack, dropping into deep(3rd man's principle), carrying the ball feeding the ball, etc. He was the person who disintensified Crivellaro's play make, if you look deeply he was involved in attack as well as in defense. But, the truth is, Kerala's attacking patterns and passing patterns were easily tracked by the Chennaiyin players. They were anticipating every moves quickly !!! That's the reason that Blasters were not in the game for the first 15 minutes.

Due to the high intensity pressing and on going settling of KBFC players, it was noticeable that, Chennaiyin FC was dominating the first 15mins. After, 15-20mins, game was getting in hand of Kerala, miss-passes were getting decreased, Blasters try to hold the possession in hand with the help of the 2 Centre back's and the pivots. Later on Kerala was taking the momentum. 

• Many times KBFC tried to get-in back of the space of Chennai, but it didn't went on track because Hooper was lacking in pace which forced them to step back from the strategy. But, it opened up an another way that, they were getting lots of space on the wide flanks, which was highly utilized by the Wingers. Effectively, Naorem used that space because he's a player who have good dribbling capabilities. And, which was enough to cover that space. 

• Defensively Blasters did a fantastic job, Nishu was really helping the defense from the speed gun Chhangte. Most of the times, Nishu was closing Chhangte's attack, which was a notable tactics from Kibu. Attacking wise, he didn't offer much!!

• Due to lack of Holding MF, CFC always try to build their attack from back with help of CB's, Hooper most of the time done "Pendulum pressing(Cutting the passing lane of CB's to the Pivots)''. Which also lead to long balls from the CFC. Which made the game away from them, without creating much of creative moves in the middle as well as in overall !!

So, great tactical work done by Kibu Vicuña the coach of Kerala-Blasters, but still, Kerala is trying to find good rhythm in the "third-zone". So, best of luck to them, for ahead fixtures !!

~ Vinayak S Raj