Analysis: Are FC Goa ready to compete with Asia’s best?

The Gaurs will carry the weight of huge expectations from Indian fans in their first foray into continental football.

The Indian Super League has been officially anointed the premier league of India. The league table-toppers, FC Goa, will get a chance to play in the AFC Champions League, something no Indian club has done in the history of football. The AFC has increased the number of teams participating in the continent’s top league from 32 to 40, thus allotting a spot to India. For better understanding, this tournament is Asia’s parallel to the UEFA Champions League.  After the departure of inspirational head coach Sergio Lobera and his support staff, there was a buzz in the fans of ATK and Bengaluru FC of hope. In a three-way battle to the top of the Indian Super League table, competitors expected FC Goa to slip. However, it didn’t happen. The building (FC Goa), laid on the foundations of possession-based football from Lobera, still stands tall and strong and will become the first club to represent India at the highest stage in Asian club football.  [KH_ADWORDS type="3" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS] The first two games FC Goa played after the departure of the Spanish coach saw them score a whopping nine times, against Hyderabad FC and a relatively stronger Mumbai City FC. Clifford Miranda has taken over the reigns, while experienced tactician Derrick Pereira has been made the Technical Director at the club. With two able footballing minds at the helm, it seems to have been a smooth transition for the club and players.

FC Goa's ISL 2019-20 league phase in stats

Strengths And Abilities

FC Goa play a fluid, possession-based football that sees their players pass a lot. They are not shy of running ahead and passing back to defenders as and when the situation demands. The club have creators in Brandon Fernandes, Hugo Boumous and Jackichand Singh, players who find forwards regularly. Boumous, as a No. 10, runs deep into opposition boxes and scores regularly as well. He’s a free-spirited player who excels in space and is equally dangerous when on the ball or making runs off it.  FC Goa possess arguably the best foreign striker the ISL has ever seen. In Ferran Corominas, they have a captain who has a calm demeanour even in the most challenging of situations. Coro, as he is fondly called, takes a backseat whenever defenders man-mark him and ensures space is available for the other runners in the team’s attack. This is what makes Goa tick going forward.  [KH_ADWORDS type="4" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS] Mourtada Fall and Carlos Peña are rock-solid at the back and with Lenny Rodrigues and Ahmed Jahouh sitting just ahead of them as a screen, breaking them down looks a difficult proposition. Md. Nawaz, under the bar, has taken long strides and is slowly turning into one of the best young goalkeepers India has.  The team, thus, looks set, at least on paper. Their full-backs, Mandar Rao Dessai and Seriton Fernandes are not shy of holding the ball and running forward whenever they get an opportunity. This is a team capable of unlocking opposition and knows how to hold onto the ball and control the pace of the game. They have a handful of set-piece takers in Boumous, Corominas and India’s free-kick expert Brandon himself. The team have Manvir Singh, Seiminlen Doungel and a handful of others to bank on off the bench, completing the roster. It shows the team certainly have the ability, having performed well at the top level for three seasons now. The core of the squad has also been retained and that works in their favour. 

Weaknesses And Challenges

Moving on to the weaknesses, the first that comes to mind is the departure of Lobera. The Spaniard etched himself on everything the club did and was even involved in some controversies. Lobera never minced his words and often took a jibe at poor refereeing. It was his style that has brought the team this far. Where do they go from here? When someone new comes in, will the project be as effective?  [KH_RELATED_NEWS title="Related News | Article Continues Below"][/KH_RELATED_NEWS] Moreover, the team also have a poor record coming back after conceding, something that the entire football fraternity knows. FC Goa have a poor record in the final stages of competitions, a trait that has seen them lose two ISL finals. Goa also have like-for-like replacements on the bench. However, the strength of the same sees a slight drop in quality. At the continental level, this could have a massive impact.  Thus, the club look ready to box it out with the bigwigs of Asia. It will be interesting to see how they adapt their style against faster and better opposition. Nonetheless, this is India’s first foray into the AFC Champions League and FC Goa’s consistency has earned them the right to be the flag-bearers.