Owen Coyle has a monumental task at hand of helping Jamshedpur reach their first ever ISL play-offs this season.
Jamshedpur FC are yet to make a mark in the Indian Super League (ISL) as they continue to wait for their first play-off appearance. They have had their moments but have lacked the consistency which would see them finish in the top-four after the league stage.
However, the current squad looks good on paper and has the potential to turn heads. Owen Coyle proved his credentials when he helped a whimpering Chennaiyin side get back on their feet and reach the finals. And after an underwhelming previous campaign with Jamshedpur, the Scottish tactician would look for a response from his players.
Let us have a look at Jamshedpur FC’s squad.
Jamshedpur FC Squad
Goalkeepers: Pawan Kumar, Rehenesh TP, Vishal Yadav.
Defenders: Jitendra Singh, Laldinpuia, Narender Gahlot, Ricky Lallawmawia, Eli Sabia, Sandip Mandi, Laldinliana Renthlei, Karan Amin, Peter Hartley, Anas Edathodika, Boris Singh.
Midfielders: Pronay Halder, Alex Lima, Mobashir Rahman, Ritwik Das, Greg Stewart, Len Doungel.
Forwards: Nerijus Valskis, Jordan Murray, Farukh Choudhary, Ishan Pandita.
What are the strengths of Jamshedpur FC?
It seems that the Jamshedpur FC firmly believe in ‘a good defence wins you titles’. Peter Hartley will once again marshall the back four and he will have an experienced campaigner in Eli Sabia for company. Even if Coyle wants to go with one overseas defender in his line-up, he has a couple of reliable Indian centre-back options at his disposal in Narender Gahlot and a veteran in Anas Edathodika, who would be keen to prove a point or two after having had fitness issues in the last few seasons.
Meanwhile, the team can boast of having two most prolific strikers in Nerijus Valskis, who will look to improve his performance after an injury-ladden campaign last time around, and Jordan Murray, who scored seven goals for Kerala Blasters last season. And if you need some firepower from the bench, Ishan Pandita will be the one that Coyle will count on. If the trio get going then there will be no shortage of goals for Jamshedpur FC. Pandita has a knack of scoring important goals and this season could see the Indian striker strengthen his case of being included into the Indian national team set-up.
What are the weaknesses of Jamshedpur FC?
The Red Miners have a glaring weakness in their squad, i.e. they lack a creative midfielder. They have several players who can fill in at the back and also boast a formidable attack. However, what they do not have in their squad is a player who can spilt open a rigid opposition backline. At Chennaiyin, Coyle had the luxury of deploying Anirudh Thapa or Rafael Crvillaro however, at Jamshedpur, the midfield options are more defensive and box-to-box.
Greg Stewart has played as an attacking midfielder previously in his career but he usually operates from the wide areas or as a centre-forward.
They will have to be heavily reliant on their wingers as they have Komal Thatal, Len Doungel and Boris Singh in their ranks. However, in Coyle, they have an astute tactician and it remains to be seen how he sets his team up to make up for this.
Who are the key players of Jamshedpur FC?
The three key players of Jamshedpur FC who might be the difference-makers are Peter Hartley, Nerijus Valskis, and Ishan Pandita.
What are the fixtures of Jamshedpur FC?
| Date | Fixture | Time | Venue |
| November 21 | SC East Bengal vs Jamshedpur FC | 19:30 | Tilak Maidan Stadium |
| November 26 | FC Goa vs Jamshedpur FC | 19:30 | Athletic Stadium, Bambolim |
| December 02 | Jamshedpur FC vs Hyderabad FC | 19:30 | Athletic Stadium, Bambolim |
| December 06 | Jamshedpur FC vs ATK Mohun Bagan | 19:30 | Athletic Stadium, Bambolim |
| December 09 | Mumbai City FC vs Jamshedpur FC | 19:30 | PJN Stadium, Fatorda |
| December 14 | Odisha FC vs Jamshedpur FC | 19:30 | Tilak Maidan Stadium |
| December 20 | Jamshedpur FC vs Bengaluru FC | 19:30 | Athletic Stadium, Bambolim |
| December 26 | Kerala Blasters vs Jamshedpur FC | 19:30 | Tilak Maidan Stadium |
| January 2 | Jamshedpur FC vs Chennaiyin | 21:30 | Athletic Stadium, Bambolim |
| January 6 | Jamshedpur FC vs NorthEast United | 19:30 | Athletic Stadium, Bambolim |
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