Indian Super League 2020/21: Mumbai City vs Chennaiyin FC – tactical analysis

Sergio Lobera vs Csaba László was always supposed to be an exhilarating affair and it did not disappoint. Chennaiyin FC looked to be a better team throughout the match. However, Mumbai City took home all three points. Chennaiyin registered 3.21 xG compared to Mumbai Citys 1.44.

In this tactical analysis, we will analyse the tactics and intricacies of both the managers. This analysis of the high-voltage Indian Super League fixture would also delve into the reason why Mumbai City could manage a relatively smaller xG compared to other games.

Line-ups

Sergio Lobera stuck to his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, however, made several changes to the line-up. Adam le Fondre returned up top. Cy Goddard, Mohammad Rakip, and Mehtab Singh were replaced by Raynier Fernandes, Amey Ranawade, and Hernán Santana respectively.

Csaba László has used two formations this season, 4-1-3-2 and 4-2-3-1. He preferred the latter in this fixture. Though on paper, the formation reads 4-4-2, Rafael Crivellaro operated behind Jakub Sylvestr, making it 4-2-3-1. Anirudh Thapa was a huge miss in this game, as he was injured against Bengaluru FC. Germanpreet Singh replaced the youngster in the middle of the park. The only other change was Fatkhullo Fatkhuloev in place of Isma.

Mumbai’s high press and Chennaiyin’s build-up

Mumbai pressed Chennaiyin high in a 4-4-2 man-oriented zonal marking. In man-oriented zonal marking, the reference point is the opponent. Players position themselves flexibly in their respective base positions with closer access to their respective opponents. Even though in this method, the reference point is the opponent, the main focus is the access space and access distance.

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