Top five players who need to improve to retain Indian team spot

Manolo Marquez will be keen to finalize his squad ahead of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers

Coach Manolo Marquez’s Indian football team are set to face Malaysia in the next international fixture. The game will be played on 19th November 2024 on Indian soil but the venue is yet to be announced officially. 

The Blue Tigers are on a horrible run of form, having not won a game in the last year. India’s last win came against Kuwait on 16th November 2023. The match had ended 1-0 at the Jaber Al-Ahmad Stadium with Manvir Singh finding the back of the net for his side. 

Going into the next international break, the pressure will be on Manolo Marquez to get his team in order. Here are five players who need to improve to retain their spot in the Indian football team.

Manvir Singh

The Mohun Bagan Super Giant star has been a fixture in the Indian national team setup. However, his time could be running out if his form doesn’t improve. Manvir has managed to provide just one assist in four Indian Super League games so far this season. 

On the international front, the 28-year-old has failed to score or assist in his last seven appearances for the Blue Tigers. Manvir was an unused substitute in India’s 1-1 draw against Vietnam in October and hence his position will certainly be on the line if he doesn’t step up in the next few games for his club.

Asish Rai

The 25-year-old is the second Mohun Bagan SG player on this list. Asish Rai has played all five games for his club in this ISL season. Though the right-back has kept two clean sheets, he has yet to make a telling contribution. 

Asish Rai was part of the starting XI in the game against Vietnam. However, One major thing that could go against him is his lack of attacking intent.

Manolo Marquez prefers attacking wing-backs as we are seeing with FC Goa. Hence the likes of Nikhil Poojary, Amey Ranawade, and Laldinliana Renthlei might be considered by the India manager. 

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Jeakson Singh

The East Bengal star has been part of the Indian national team setup since 2021, making 21 appearances so far. He made a substitute appearance against Vietnam coming on for Apuia. However, his current form for his club has certainly put his future with the Blue Tigers under threat.

Jeakson has played four ISL games this season. However, he has created just one chance and has just one shot on target. In a defensive aspect, the central midfielder won eight duels, made four interceptions, and made twelve recoveries so far in the league.

Liston Colaco

With 25 appearances for India, Liston Colaco has been part of the national team set-up for four years now. The 25-year-old came on in the 77th minute in the 1-1 draw against Vietnam. But the Mohun Bagan star is another player who has failed to live up to expectations in the ISL this season. 

In his five ISL appearances for the Mariners, Liston has no goal contributions. The 25-year-old has created five chances and has made four dribbles so far in the league. For the national team too, Liston is yet to score a goal. Hence, inconsistency could cost him a spot with the Blue Tigers. 

Brandon Fernandes

The 30-year-old made a move from FC Goa to Mumbai City in the summer. However, things have not gone as expected for Brandon as he is yet to fit in at his new club. The attacking midfielder has played 201 minutes for Mumbai City FC so far, creating just three chances with an average passing accuracy of 71 percent. 

Brandon Fernandes had started the game against Vietnam and was quite impressive on the night. Having been a part of the national team since 2015, the Mumbai City star has a wealth of experience under his belt.

While not immediately, Inconsistent performances for his club could raise question marks as Manolo Marquez looks to finalize his playing XI ahead of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers that start in March 2025. 

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