TEAM TRACKER: Same core, new stars - rebooted Chennaiyin FC face challenging title defence

CHENNAIYIN FC WERE NOT the best team last year. That was FC Goa. 

What they were the best defensive team in the tournament; one that did not leak silly goals and managed to remain tight despite some shuffling, conceding only 15 goals in the regular season. And the people who were chiefly responsible for capitalizing on the advantage this created were Elano and Stiven Mendoza. Both of these players stepped up during pressure situations to steal points from them, power them through the semi-finals and in the end steal the trophy from FC Goa's mouth.

So, what did Chennaiyin FC do when they realised the two biggest stars in their decorated offense were not coming back this year? They doubled down on defensive improvements, and went for a couple of targeted replacements for them. The result gives us a team that the fans canc look forward to; not as explosive as last year's, but a good squad to say the least. 

Getting John Arne Riise and Hans Mulder out of Delhi Dynamos was nothing short of a master-stroke; this not only provides a robust leadership for the back four but creates a proven avenue for counter-attack between the two players. Certain under-pressure opponents will be forced to place a man in between these two players, which is a major pain if you are trying to come back from a goal down. Even at the goal, Apoula Edel will find a fitting replacement in Duwayne Keer, a 6 foot 5 Jamaican international. In the midfield, there's a good blend of Indians and foreigners. Apart from Mulder there's the dependable Raphael Augusto and freshly-recovered Indian international Dhanpal Ganesh. The latter made his presence felt in the India vs Puerto Rico game, and will be eager to prove himself in his debut ISL stint. 

It's the attack that has gone through the biggest phase shift. It will be interesting to see to what extent Manuele Blasi and Thoi Singh can make up for Elano's absence. And up front, partnering Jeje will be Chennaiyin's designated Mendoza replacement, Davide Succi, who has the track record to prove his worthiness but lacks the excitement that Mendoza brought to the pitch as a young player visibly improving his game week by week. Chennaiyin FC will desperately hope to avoid injuries on either of these strikers, because their substitutes Baljit Singh Sahni and Dudu Omagbemi don't inspire that kind of confidence. 

All in all, this Chennaiyin FC team feels like the reboot of a hit movie. It's the same thing at the core but different superstars in the lead roles. But whether they will be able to achieve the same storyline of domination, turnarounds and victory remains to be seen. 

One thing's for certain; this will be the toughest test for Marco Materazzi as a head coach yet. Maintaining a decent structure and pulling through without having the two most destructive trump cards in the tournament will be a challenge that may bring out an all-new tactical side of this global footballing icon, pivoting him towards a new level of maturity as a manager, sharing the growth pains of the franchise itself.