Three ways Clifford Miranda could set up Chennaiyin FC midfield with Nikola Stojanovic

Chennaiyin FC finished 13th in 2025-26 ISL season.

While a lot of clubs have been very skeptical about signing new players, particularly foreigners, for the upcoming season, Chennaiyin FC are determined to get things right on the pitch after the abysmal season they had last year and their poor form over the past six seasons.

Despite Clifford Miranda’s not-so-good first season in charge, the club have put their faith in the Indian tactician and handed him a multi-year extension, showing their confidence in the coach.

The club, alongside the coach, have already started the rebuild process, having let go of multiple first-team players, including all the foreigners who donned the club jersey last year.

It is not just the departures either, as they have been very active in the market in bringing new players into the club. They have officially signed multiple players and extended the contracts of their players.

Stojanovic is no stranger to Indian football, having been in the country since June 2021, when he initially signed for Mohammedan SC in the I-League. He spent two years at the club, winning the Calcutta Football League and finishing just behind Gokulam Kerala FC in the race for the I-League title.

He then moved down south to Kerala to join Gokulam Kerala FC for a short stint before signing for Antonio Lopez Habas at Inter Kashi FC for the 2024-25 season. He was instrumental in the club’s I-League triumph that year, scoring nine goals in 22 games, the most for his club that season.

Following that impressive campaign, he made the move to Jamshedpur FC, signing for Owen Coyle to represent the Red Miners in the short, truncated season.

He continued to impress in the top tier and was crucial in Jamshedpur FC’s push for the 2025-26 ISL title, starting 12 of their 13 games and registering four goal contributions while playing in a midfield pivot.

Stojanovic is not just a deep-lying midfielder who is physical and good with his defensive actions. He also possesses a brilliant passing range and the ability to dictate the tempo of the game.

His positional awareness has consistently earned praise from the various head coaches he has played under, while his ability to position himself correctly and make late runs into the box has helped him score many crucial goals.

His threat from set-pieces is another crucial aspect of his game. He can deliver brilliant crosses with his exquisite left foot while also possessing the ability to score directly from free kicks within scoring range.

How Clifford Miranda packages all of these attributes and sets up his Chennaiyin midfield to get the best out of Nikola Stojanovic will be the biggest challenge. Let’s discuss three ways in which he can do so.

Double pivot of Ayush Chhetri & Nikola Stojanovic

The most realistic and practical position in which Clifford Miranda could use Nikola Stojanovic is in a deeper midfield role, playing alongside Ayush Chhetri in a midfield pivot.

This would give the Marina Machans two elite passers of the ball in midfield, allowing them to build attacks through the center with ease.

Nikola’s positional awareness could allow him to turn into a third defender while building up play in possession and a destroyer out of possession, as he has the knack for making crucial interceptions and blocks to break down opposition attacks.

This would also grant more freedom to Ayush Chhetri, who has at times displayed the elite vision to play threatening balls into the final third.

Maheson Singh or any foreign playmaker Chennaiyin FC could potentially sign could then be pushed further forward in midfield, allowing them to make their mark around the edge of the box rather than dropping deep to get on the ball.

Nikola Stojanovic and Ayush Chhetri as two number 8s

If Clifford Miranda prefers to play with a more traditional number nine, having two number eights behind the striker could be an effective way for Chennaiyin FC to play free-flowing attacking football.

Nikola has proved time and again during his time in India that he is not just a defensive midfielder who can break up play and dictate the tempo from a deeper role, but also an elite passer with exceptional technical ability on the ball.

Stojanovic can be very effective with his line-breaking passes and his calmness on the ball in the final third, something that could be crucial in picking out the dynamic Chennaiyin wingers.

This way, more of his technical abilities can be utilized in the final third, alongside his ability to make crucial runs into the box and drift into wider areas to play dangerous crosses, something he may be unable to do while playing in a deeper midfield role.

Playing with two number eights could also open up opportunities for Glan Martins to operate in deeper midfield roles for Chennaiyin FC.

Nikola Stojanovic as an attacking midfielder

While this could be the least preferred option for Clifford Miranda when setting up his Chennaiyin midfield in reality, Nikola could be used as an attacking midfielder if the other options are unavailable or the players in those roles are out of form.

Nikola played a similar role for Jamshedpur FC last season when Madih Talal was injured, and he excelled in the position, creating multiple chances in attack while also taking dangerous shots from around the edge of the box.

The Serbian midfielder is known for scoring goals and providing assists, having registered 32 goal contributions in the I-League.

He is more than capable of playing as an advanced playmaker in midfield, possessing the physical strength to shield the ball and glide past opposition midfielders, while also having the technical ability to play intricate one-touch and line-breaking passes.

He is aerially dominant as well and could make use of his aerial prowess in this role by making late runs into the box to score when opposition defenders are occupied with the main striker.

His intelligent movement into free spaces inside the box has always helped him find goals, and this aspect of his game could also be unlocked in an advanced midfield role.

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