Delhi Dynamos and Chennaiyin FC will lock horns at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi today. Both teams will head into the game after failing to win any of their first three games. Delhi though has had two draws on the road but Chennaiyin FC have failed to take any points from their first three games and sit at the bottom of the table.
Delhi Dynamos played some decent football in the first three games, however, their lack of quality in the final third has massively let them down. One disadvantage Delhi will have is that they are playing their third game in the span of seven days, this would certainly favour Chennaiyin FC who will be fresher heading in into this game.
If we go by history Dynamos have always dominated this fixture. Out of 8 matches played between these two sides, Delhi have won four, Chennai have won one and three games have ended as draws.
Line-ups and Tactics
Delhi will go into this game with their usual 4-2-3-1 formation. Marcos Tebar is set to return from an injury and expected to take back his place in the starting 11.
Chennaiyin FC have tried different approaches in their first three games, and nothing seems to be going their way. There are some rumours that John Gregory might consider benching a foreign defender for an attacker. I expect them to bench one of Eli Sabia or Mailson Alves and play young Laldinliana Renthlei at the right back position.
Delhi Dynamos have always believed in playing attacking football. They have done that in the past under different manager and are trying to do the same under Josep Gombau, They have dominated the majority of the play but their lack of quality in the final third has let them down. They have managed to score three times so far this season but two of them have come through their defenders while their attackers have struggled and managed to score only a single goal so far.
Chennaiyin FC were struggling to create any chances in their first two games; in their last game against NorthEast they managed to score three goals within the first 32 minutes but ended up losing the game due to some very poor defending. John Gregory will have some big questions for his defence which has conceded seven goals in their last two games at home.
I expect Delhi Dynamos to dominate possession in this game. Chennai will be more cautious in the defence and will drop back a bit deeper after their high defensive line being exposed in their last two games. John Gregory should consider playing on the counter-attack this time around.
Summary
Considering the fact that both teams are yet to taste victory this season we can expect them to go all guns blazing. Chennai will have an advantage over Delhi as they would be fresher having played their last game on Thursday while Delhi Dynamos played Kerala away on Saturday and this encounter would be their third in the last seven days.
If we go by form Delhi look a better side they have dominated play in most of their games. Chennaiyin FC have been struggling defensively, and their defence which was the reason behind their triumph last season looks very poor.
