I-League 2023-24: Mid-season drama unfolds as teams prepare for Round 12

Table-toppers Mohammedan Sporting to face struggling NEROCA FC this gameweek.

Common sense dictates that predictions should never be made till at least a halfway point is reached. In keeping with stock market speculators, it is necessary to assign an average before calculating for the future. That said, with two games to go until the season reaches that tipping point, the top and the bottom of the table seem to be set.

Mohammedan Sporting top the charts by four points, while TRAU are rooted to the bottom worse than the nearest by three. The next round hosts a few key games, not least between title challenges and relegation contenders.

Contenders Slump

At the start of the season, Sreenidi Deccan and Gokulam Kerala would’ve fancied their chances at winning the league, and yet, now, they both are seriously off the pace and looking worse for wear with every outing. For the home side, three points are a necessity — seeing as their title rivals Mohammedan will be expected to dispatch second from the bottom NEROCA with ease — to ensure they don’t drop further behind so early. For Gokulam, things are trickier.

While they are 10 points off the top of the table, unsurprisingly, their best performance has come against Mohammedan and they could have arguably edged that encounter. A draw will satisfy neither and do even less for title ambitions, so expect the winners take all approach to the game.

High Scoring Hillbillies

Three teams are on a five-match unbeaten streak in the league right now — Mohammedan, Real Kashmir FC and Aizawl FC. No one has scored more goals than Aizawl in the same period. Despite a dour goalless draw against Kashmir to open the month, they have managed an incredible 11 goals in their past five and have in fact, scored in all but one game this season. In Inter Kashi — a team with the fourth most goals conceded — they will find opponents who aren’t exactly parking the bus. While the goals are good and exciting, Aizawl will also need to tighten up at the back, if they have serious ambitions of making a run to the title.

Hard is the Fall

A perfect encapsulation of how strange the I-League is can be gauged from Shillong Lajong’s December campaign. At the beginning of the month, Lajong were unbeaten, riding high on the table and considered to be among the contenders who could at the very least push Mohammedan hard.

All of this was before they played Aizawl. Since then, they’ve conceded six goals, scored one, picked up zero points, dropped to sixth place and are eight points off the pace. Christmas will hopefully come early for a team desperately in need of some joy, and while Namdhari are resolute and strong, the I-League’s loudest stadium will be a tough place to visit.

Relegation Rivals

Talk about an uptick in form. From not being able to come anywhere near a win, Rajasthan have somehow fashioned an old-school comeback of sorts, and are now unbeaten in four. Three of those have been draws, and each with goals so it’s not like they have suddenly become a hard-man defensive team.

Just as they did against NEROCA, they will fancy some points against the club rooted to the bottom, TRAU. While TRAU have been dreadful this season, they have also just managed to get their first win, against Inter Kashi, and looked good for a point against Namdhari FC too. While TRAU are a long way from safety, Rajasthan’s future could hinge on games like this. They will hope to capitalise, show no mercy and stay the course.

Best of the Rest

Real Kashmir have flown under the radar very well this season, so much so that they are third on the table and no one even knows. As has been their wont they have a miserly defence — having conceded the least goals so far in the league. The perennial problem has been their form away from home. They have played two away games this season, and have a win and a loss to show for it.

If they are serious about being a top team, then they need to travel well and playing Delhi away is as good as any to start. The final fixture sees table-toppers Mohammedan take on NEROCA FC on Christmas eve. Mohammedan will be disappointed at having dropped points in two of their last three, and not having scored at all last time around in Goa. A cheering Naihati crowd should help them get back to good form and keep their top of the charts position secure.

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