Semi Finalists, Dark Horses, Below Par teams of ISL 2015. Check where your team stands!
THE MONTHS OF BUILD-UP, the signings, the auctions, the trasfers, the promotions, the pre-seasons... it's all over. The second season of the Indian Super League kicks off today, in Chennai, amidst much fanfare.
The teams have prepared as hard as they could for the next two and a half months of incessant footballing encounters. Last year saw a close competition for the four coveted semi-final spots. NorthEast United, who finished bottom of the table, were only four points behind fourth-spotted Kerala Blasters. The semi-finals and the grand finale that followed were all tightly-fought games, and did not have a clear frontrunner until the very last minutes.
Since most of the teams have gone through some hard shuffles since last year it's hard to put a finger on how things will turn out. But as teams have attained more footballing maturity and come better prepared this season, the competition is expected to be even tighter, with one match or one goal having the potential to radically alter the face of the points table for a majority of teams.
Other factors like injuries and fatigue from frequent travelling, too, are expected to force the coaches to take improvised, hurried decisions about team line-ups and strategies, which will have significant bearings on the results.
But based on the teams' strengths and weaknesses, player quality and durability, as well as the pre-seasons they have had, we at TFG have divided the eight franchises into three categories: three Top Contenders who are more or less likely to find a place in the top four, three Dark Horses who have the potential and will put up a fight for that fourth ticket to the semis, and two Below Par teams who look set to miss out on the big fight.
So without further ado, here's the #TFGtake on the ISL 2 regular season. Categories are put up in worst-to-best order. Teams inside each category are listed in alphabetical order.
Click to see where your team is likely to end up this time around >>>
