Lucian Goian is a natural leader on the field and Chennaiyin need his leadership…
The last two seasons of Indian Super League (ISL) have been an emotional rollercoaster ride for the fans of Chennaiyin FC.
They defied all odds to get into the final and beat Bengaluru FC at the Kanteerava Stadium in the final to lift the title two years ago. But then, they followed it up with a terrible defence of the title, finishing rock bottom in the standings in a season that was highly forgettable for the Marina Machans.
Chennaiyin spent much of last season picking the ball out of their own net, as they conceded a league-high 32 goals from 18 games – that’s 1.78 goals per game. Mailson Alves’ centre-back partnership with Eli Sabia didn’t look solid and the full-backs failed to provide the required support on the flanks. They together constituted the worst defence in the league.
This was in stark contrast to the previous season wherein only Bengaluru FC and Jamshedpur FC conceded fewer goals than Chennaiyin. What went wrong?
The major talking point after the title-winning season was the departure of Portuguese centre-back Henrique Sereno. He had formed a phenomenal partnership with Mailson Alves and since his departure, the latter struggled to regain his form.
Chennaiyin just weren’t able to properly replace the defender and they were made to pay.
Eli Sabia didn’t do too badly. In fact, his loyalty during a tumultuous season has been rewarded with the decision to keep him in the squad for the sixth season of ISL. Interestingly, he is the only foreigner to be retained by Chennaiyin.
But what he needs a centre-back partner who can lead from the back and they now have just the player to do that – former Mumbai City skipper Lucian Goian. The Romanian defender has led the Mumbai City backline with aplomb for several seasons. Chennaiyin have a player who will fight with tooth and nail to ensure success for his team – something that was lacking last season.
“In Lucian (Goian), we are signing a leader who has rich experience in Indian football. His commitment and aggression on the pitch have been quite evident from his time in Mumbai. Our goal at Chennaiyin is clear: to win a third ISL title, and we believe Lucian (Goian) can contribute significantly towards that objective,” head coach John Gregory had said upon signing the player.
Goian has the ability to fill the void left by Sereno. It will be up to the others in the squad now to follow him out onto the field put in maximum effort.
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