India U23 vs Thailand U23: Positives and Negatives from India's harrowing defeat

Thailand scored four goals against India U23 in the international friendly.

The India U23 football team conceded a heavy defeat on the road against Thailand on Saturday. The Blue Colts were playing against Thailand in their own backyard and had to face a rout at the hands of the hosts. Thailand scored four goals, with India failing to register any on the scoresheet.

This is a major setback for Naushad Moosa, who is building a core of players at the U23 level. This is the most disappointing result for the Blue Colts in the last few months, where they have experienced considerable success on the road. In this article, we will look at the positives and negatives of this defeat for India U23 in Thailand.

Positive

Game time for new faces

In what was a dismaying result for the India U23, the only positive that emerges is the opportunity that several young faces got. Naushad Moosa had ten new players in the squad, and many of them were introduced onto the pitch.

Naushad Moosa has made his intentions clear that one of the primary targets in front of him as the head coach of the U23 team is to build a core of 50-60 players who are ready to take the next step and turn up for the senior team when called up. He will be eagerly waiting for the next international fixture where he will be able to test more of these youngsters.

Negatives

Lack of chemistry

The most striking aspect of the game was the lack of cohesiveness among the players. The last time the U23 team played an international fixture was against the Indonesia U23 team in October and registered a strong performance in away conditions.

However, many of the players from the squad for the October FIFA International Window were not present in the squad against Thailand. They have been picked up for the national team, leaving space for new players to fill in. However, it was evident that this shake-up will take time to bear fruit, and players will have to create that chemistry to fire as a unit.

Also Read: India U23 vs Thailand U23 Live: Follow International Friendly Live Updates

Non-existent midfield

India had a poor game overall, and they lacked sharpness in all departments. However, the midfield was one area that saw the team struggling the most. The Blue Colts could not exert any authority in the midfield, which led to Thailand dominating the proceedings from the start.

Players like Ayush Dev Chhetri, who was also wearing the captain’s armband, had a poor show in the centre of the park. The lack of passing accuracy in the midfield was a major reason for the collapse, and Indian players complicated simple moves, which resulted in Thailand gaining territory.

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