ISL 2021-22: Who is the only Indian in Power Rankings after Phase 2?

Attacking players continue to dominate the rankings after what has been a goal feast so far in ISL 2021-22.

We are back once again with the Khel Now Power Rankings! Last season, our Power Rankings successfully identified the 10 best performers throughout the course of the league campaign and we have been doing the same thing this time as well.

You all know our rules by now - but here's a quick brush-up: For every ISL game, our respective correspondents and editors rank their three best-performing players from the match in order. The player ranked at the top of the list is awarded five points. The player finishing second earns three points, whereas the one at the bottom (third place) is given one point.

Such points are carried forward for every player involved in the league, once he’s chosen by our team. Eventually, the total number of points that they accumulate will decide their final position in the leaderboard at the end of the season. The Khel Now Power Rankings will be published in a series of five articles, as we have divided the league into five equal phases of 22 games each for the same. This piece includes the rankings after Phase 2 of ISL 2021-22!

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Note: Phase 2 of the 2021-22 ISL season began on December 9 with Mumbai City taking on Jamshedpur FC. The phase ended on December 29, after the game between ATK Mohun Bagan and FC Goa.

10. Alvaro Vazquez (Kerala Blasters) - 9 points

Kerala Blasters have seemingly found their main man upfront in the form of the Spaniard Alvaro Vazquez. His performance so far is scintillating. The goal he scored against Mumbai City is perhaps one of the best to have been netted against the Islanders this season.

In eight appearances in the Indian Super League this season, Vazquez has found the net thrice. His debut goal came in a 2-1 victory against Odisha FC, when he picked up a beautiful through ball from Adrian Luna and beat the keeper to place the ball calmly into the net. This victory saw the Blasters finally coming back to winning ways; they had last won a game on the January 20, 2021 against Bengaluru FC. Currently, the Blasters are on a five-match unbeaten run. Convincingly, Vazquez is someone Ivan Vukomanovic will rely for goals in the upcoming fixtures.

9. VP Suhair (NorthEast United) – 10 points

The only Indian in this list, VP Suhair can be claimed as Mr. Dependable for Khalid Jamil’s side. His performance on the flanks and his efficiency in finding the nets have mesmerized the Highlanders.

In his nine matches so far in the ISL 2021-22 season, Suhair has registered 20 shots and 18 crosses. He has also scored thrice and assisted once.

8. Javi Hernandez (Odisha FC) – 10 points

Kiko Ramirez has a magician in midfield in Javi Hernandez. A complete livewire, Javi acts as a link between the midfield and the attacking third. He also relishes in fancying his chances at goal. Like what Rafael Crivellaro did last season, Javi curled the ball directly into the net from a corner kick against SC East Bengal.

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The Spanish midfielder has secured four goals and two assists in his eight appearances so far. He’s expected to deliver more in the upcoming games.

7. Alberto Noguera (FC Goa) – 11 points

The Spaniard has undoubtedly been the most consistent player for FC Goa this season. Noguera’s orchestration in the middle of the park along with his combination with Jorge Ortiz has gelled the FC Goa attacking third.

Alberto Noguera has registered two goals and an assist in his eight appearances. He also enjoys a passing accuracy of 84.74%; a phenomenal feat.

6. Igor Angulo (Mumbai City) – 13 points

The 37-year-old has been the sign of worry for many opposition defenders this season. A typical fox-in-the-box, Angulo thrives in scoring goals for his team. The former Golden Boot winner (2020/21) has already found the net seven times in eight appearances in the ISL 2021-22 season. At the same time, he has also assisted twice for his teammates.

Fun fact – Igor Angulo is only a year elder than Mumbai City FC head coach Des Buckingham.

5. Roy Krishna (ATK Mohun Bagan) – 14 points

The Fijian had a brilliant start to the campaign after he scored on two successive occasions in the first two matches. However, as the league progressed, Krishna was failing to find the net and going through a goal-drought. He scored one against Bengaluru FC on December 16 from the spot and was mostly not at his best in the other matches. Finally on match 44 of the league, against FC Goa, a goal from a ruthless volley declared a sign of comeback for the Mariner.

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With Juan Ferrando now at the helm, ATK Mohun Bagan will be playing more attacking football. Apparently, Krishna who has scored four times in eight matches this season, will be expected to secure more goals under his belt; he also has four assists to his name.

4. Hugo Boumous (ATK Mohun Bagan) – 15 points

The midfielder has nothing more to prove. Hugo Boumous has been one of the finest the league has ever witnessed. With a managerial change, Boumous is now looking even deadlier. In the last two appearances, he has scored twice (both of them came against NorthEast United).

Overall, the trickster has scored five goals in eight appearances, apart from assisting twice.  

3. Adrian Luna (Kerala Blasters) – 18 points

The Uruguayan has been the man to look for in the Kerala Blasters contingent. He has surely surprised everyone through his performance after a somewhat unsuccessful stint in the Durand Cup.

Speaking of statistics, the midfielder has already scored once and assisted thrice in his eight appearances. One of his assists which will be remembered for some time is his through ball to Alvaro Vazquez against Odisha FC, which saw the latter go past the goalkeeper and find the back of the net for the first time in the Indian Super League.

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2. Bartholomew Ogbeche (Hyderabad FC) – 22 points

Age is just a number when we speak of Bart Ogbeche. The 37-year-old, whose career spans over almost 20 years, is currently the top-scorer in the league with eight goals in as many matches. However, he has missed a lot as well.

Ogbeche is currently the man upon whom Hyderabad FC head coach Manuel Marquez relies for goals. Apparently, he is six goals away from becoming the all-time top-scorer of the Indian Super League. In his way are Sunil Chhetri (47 goals) and Ferran Corominas (48 goals).

1. Greg Stewart (Jamshedpur FC) – 27 points

Greg Stewart’s left foot – a free-kick from a goal-scoring position – the back of the net. This has been a sublime path towards something beautiful on some occasions this season. The Scottish is the first player to score a hattrick in this edition; remarkably, all the goals came in the first half against Odisha FC.

The 31-year-old has been the orchestrator for Jamshedpur FC in ISL 2021-22. In eight appearances so far, he has found the net five times and is currently in the list of emerging as the top-scorer for this season. Simultaneously, he has also assisted four times. On a whole, he has registered 22 shots this season apart from delivering 23 crosses.

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