Chennaiyin FC is lingering at the 7th position with ten points from eight games. However, the numbers suggest the Marina Machans should have earned more points. Chennaiyin FC have recorded the most xG per match with 2.01 xG, among the Indian Super League teams, however, they have scored only 0.88 goals per match. Along with underperforming in front of the opposition goal, the Marina Machans are also struggling to defend set-pieces, especially corners. Chennaiyin FC have conceded only seven goals and five of them are from set-pieces, three being from corners.
In this tactical analysis, we will analyse the struggles of Chennaiyin FC in defending corners.
General structure
Lets look at the basic structure and the tactics in which Chennaiyin defends their corners. Csaba László varies his structure depending upon the opposition and their offensive structure. The Hungarian coach mostly opts for either a complete zonal structure or a semi zonal structure with most of the players in a zonal setup. However, whoever is the opponent, the first line (deepest) always consists of five players in a zonal structure. The players keep on changing in the first line except for the defensive pair, Enes Sipović and, Eli Sabiá who protects the most dangerous regions of the six-yard box.
Against East Bengal, Csaba László went with a complete zonal structure with three lines of 5-2-2 and another player was Lallianzuala Chhnagte who positioned himself at the edge of the 18-yard box to provide an outlet for Chennaiyin counter attacks. I have annotated one player as semi man-marker as he was mostly in a zonal structure covering a lot of area which we do not see in a zonal marker as well as he did not entirely man-mark his opposition.
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