Indian Super League 2020-21: Five things we learned in Gameweek 7

Top three teams consolidate their positions in the league table as others try to play catchup.

Gameweek 7 of the Indian Super League (ISL) was full of close affairs and grandstand finishes. Apart from the fixture involving Kerala Blasters and SC East Bengal, all others yielded results. 

Bengaluru FC started by setting the tone, as Cleiton Silva found a late winner to deflate Odisha FC. While Jamshedpur FC showed grit and grind to end NorthEast's unbeaten record. Csaba Laszlo's men needed a win against FC Goa and their high-intensity football was simply too good for the Gaurs. 

Mumbai City, on the other hand, kept up their classy performances, as a last-gasp goal from Jeakson Singh helped  the Blasters salvage a point against the Red an Gold. 

Here are the major talking points from an action packed week:

5. Have Bengaluru FC found the answer to their goalscoring woes?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJo1gG9Z5-8

Ever since Miku's departure, Bengaluru FC have struggled to replace the Venezuelan talisman. Miku had a different kind of impact during his time in India, which guided the Blues to the ISL title in 2018-19. The 35-year-old not only offered a goalscoring threat upfront but could also deceive defenders with his movement and bring other players into play. 

The Blues have tried several players to replace the Venezuelan, but in vain. However, this season they’ve brought in another South American forward in Cleiton Silva, who has been a proven name in Asian football. Silva has started brightly, with three goals and an assist in only six games. The Brazilian has not been tormenting defences and scoring goals in every game, but the way he brings the likes of Sunil Chhetri, Udanta Singh, Deshorn Brown and others into play has given supporters a glimpse of his highly-celebrated predecessor. 

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4. First defeat will test NorthEast United's playoffs credentials

NorthEast United started as a dark-horse in this season's ISL, with Gerard Nus inspiring his side to grind out results early on. However, after a spell of six games unbeaten, the Highlanders were undone by gritty Jamshedpur FC and Nus will have some questions to answer ahead of their next game. The Spaniard paired his foreign strikers upfront, but both Idrissa Sylla and Kwesi Appiah have not been a huge goalscoring threat. The duo looked unsettled together and while chances came their way, both fluffed their lines. 

Sylla even missed a penalty late in the second half, as TP Rehenesh came up with a great save. The coach will have to mix things up in attack, as he has players who can cause havoc in the final third. With Federico Gallego set to return for the next game, the Spaniard will have multiple options to choose from in attacking positions. However, the Highlanders are a young side and this defeat will test their character and mental toughness, as they will have to iron out the mistakes and start afresh. 

3. FC Goa's squad overhaul to blame for lack of cohesion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv21Wdoto4k

FC Goa's have been very subdued this season, as Juan Ferrando's men have lost their last two matches against ATK Mohun Bagan and Chennaiyin FC. The Gaurs have looked far from a finished article, as they embark on a new project under Ferrando. With a horde of new players coming in, cohesion within the Goan outfit has been seen to be lacking multiple times. 

The Gaurs have struggled to get their combination right in midfield, as Chennaiyin dominated proceedings throughout the game. Also, their defensive organization looked totally off with Aiban Dohling replacing Ivan Gonzalez at the heart of the backline. The back four had no answers to Rafael Crivellaro's exquisite passing and Lallianzula Chhangte's blistering pace. Indeed, Csaba Laszlo’s men could have inflated the scoreline had they taken all their chances. 

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2. Can any team challenge Mumbai City FC in the race for Champions League spot?

Mumbai City FC have made a statement of intent this term. Apart from a hiccup against NorthEast United and an off day against Jamshedpur FC, the Islanders have looked all set to cement top spot in the league table. Sergio Lobera has gradually implemented his style of play into the team and the likes of Adam le Fondre, Ahmed Jahouh, Hugo Boumous and Mourtada Fall have lived up to expectation so far. 

Even the issues the Islanders had with their defensive organization have only gotten stronger with every passing match, as they registered a clean sheet against the high spirited Hyderabad FC. With the foreigners leading from the front, players like Raynier Fernandes, Vignesh Dakshinamurthy and Bipin Singh have also put in a great shift. Seven matches into a new season, Lobera is all set to guide another team to the AFC Champions League. Now, it remains to be seen which team steps up to give Mumbai City a run for their money in the race. 

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1. Kerala Blasters and SC East Bengal- two sides of the same coin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zDYPxYdrcA

It has not been an ideal campaign so far for both Kerala Blasters and SC East Bengal. With only a point and a position separating both the sides in the bottom half of the table, things have been quite similar for both clubs this season. East Bengal were the last team to join the Indian Super League, so it was certain that they could not build a strong Indian core due to a lack of time and the availability of players. Meanwhile, the Blasters had a decent squad with a strong core, which they simply letgo. Kibu Vicuna would have relished tested ISL veterans in Sandesh Jhingan, Tiri and Bartholomew Ogbeche. 

Both sides have struggled to score goals and also lacked cohesion at the back. Kerala Blasters' former Norwich and Celtic forward Gary Hooper has not yet got going, while both Balwant Singh and Jeje Lalpekhlua have looked lacklustre in attack for the Red and Gold. Therefore, both teams have a lot of identical problems and both Kibu Vicuna and Robbie Fowler will be looking to turn things around as soon as possible. 

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