Fanzone: Who is more important for ATK, Roy Krishna or David Williams?

The former Wellington Phoenix duo combined to score 56% of the team's goals last season.

Sealing a victory over Chennaiyin FC in the final, ATK capped a wondrous 2019-20 season in the Indian Super League by lifting the trophy for a record third time. While many credit head coach Antonio Habas for the success of the Kolkata-based outfit, one cannot ignore the influence of the attacking duo of Roy Krishna and David Williams.

The two strikers combined to score a whopping 22 goals and register 11 assists for the team, as they tore apart opposition defences at will.

However, there has been a long discussion about which of the two forwards edges the other. Within the club's huge fanbase, we found a couple of fans who shared contrasting opinions on the players. Here's how the debate:

Mahitosh Maiti (For Roy Krishna)

Roy Krishna and David Williamsare both top quality strikers with very good goal conversation rates. But for me Roy Krishna's contribution is more important and has been fruitful for ATK in this successful campaign in the ISL.

Previously, Roy was a Golden Boot winner and MVP in the A-League 2018-19 season and also won Best Player of the Year award then. Coming to ATK, Krishna became the top scorer of the team this season and also in the history of the club, with 15 goals and six assists in 21 appearances. 

There is no doubt that he is the most loved player in the ATK squad and a fan favourite too. Whenever he scores a goal at the Salt Lake Stadium the crowd goes wild and the team gets a morale boost. Kolkata is a City of Joy, but for ATK fans it's like 'City of Roy.'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEtC9BDEnMY&t=5s

Roy Krishna is a player whose efforts on the pitch reflect in his stats and his numbers suggest that he is a total utility player. That means, he can score goals and provide assists. His main strength is his brilliant pace which is quite difficult for defenders to tackle.

The Krishna-Williams partnership is also a reason for ATK to qualify for AFC Cup apart from winning the trophy for a record third time. They had a major role in that because they performed consistently throughout the season. 

Yet, for me, Roy Krishna has been more important than David Williams for ATK.

Soumyadip Chaudhury (For David Williams)

The Indian Super League 2019-2020 season witnessed an incredible run from ATK as they clinched their third title. The duo of Roy Krishna-David Williams upfront helped the team find their lost glory.

However, in my opinion, David Williams was more influential in the team's success this season. In a lethal partnership with the Fijian striker, the duo combined to score 56% of goals scored by ATK. The 31-year-old forward had previously represented Australia at the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Peru and was also capped twice for the senior national team.

Earlier, David Williams was brought in by the ATK management with the recommendation of coach Antonio Lopez Habas for his versatility. He could play as a striker and also on either wing. He also had good pace and technique.

During the season, he scored seven goals and registered five assists in 18 appearances with an average of 0.39 goals per game. We can clearly see how clinical a finisher he is. As per the coach's statement, he always gave his 100%, whether in training sessions or on matchdays. More importantly, he is disciplined.

On 4th January, during a match against Mumbai City FC, David Williams was pulled out with injury. However, after returning to the field, he scored twice in the semi-final second leg against Bengaluru FC.

In the second leg of the semi-final, where ATK made a thrilling comeback to reach the final, beating the then defending champions 3-1, Williams earned a penalty for his team and also scored a beautiful header from a cross delivered by Prabir Das.

Though the final of the ISL was played behind closed doors, there was no difference in the intensity compared to other matches. In the 10th minute of the gaame, Roy Krishna delivered an assist to Javi Hernandez, as Williams performed a dummy only to let the Spaniard score. Moreover, after Roy’s injury, Williams took all the onus on himself upfront.

The second half began and within three minutes, Edu Garcia scored from a through ball from David Williams and doubled the lead.