Atletico de Kolkata take on Delhi Dynamos in their second home game of the Indian Super League this season on Thursday, and the Kolkata outfit will be looking for a turnaround to their run of form so far.
The ISL champions are without a win or a draw from their previous two games, and the support of their 12th men -- the crowd -- will be expected to give them the much-needed impetus to get their campaign this year back on track.
More than the supporters, there are some noteworthy players who can still do the trick to give ATK their third win of the season today:
Atletico de Kolkata – Key players:
Javi Lara – The Spanish midfielder remained brilliant for the side in the first few matches, but he suddenly found a dip in his form. And Lara will be looking to getting back on track as soon as possible as ATK return to their home ground once again. Brilliant with the set pieces as well as the crosses and the incisive penetrating passes, the 29-year-old has some unfinished business to take care, and he will be looking to converting from the missed chances he had in the previous games.
Arnab Mondal – The lanky Indian defender is expected to take all the responsibilities in his shoulders today in the absence of the experienced Josemi, and make no mistake, Arnab has the ability to become one of the most instrumental players on his day. The 26-year-old East Bengal star, who has almost cemented his position in the Indian senior national team, will face a challenge in stopping the likes of Florent Malouda, Richard Gadze and Robin Singh today, but his no-nonsense attitude can come to his rescue once again.
The visitors can also in no way be undermined today, as they also possess several players who can give them another victory.
Delhi Dynamos – Key players:
Florent Malouda – The ex-Chelsea star still has the magic left in him, no matter how many years have passed on. His lethal crosses inside the box has made it look so easy for Gadze or Robin to score through wonderful headers. Malouda has a lot of experience to turnaround the game and add the much-needed pace to change the complexion of the game in an instant. Look out for his penetrative runs inside the box today, and it is for sure that the ATK backline would be having a hard time to stop him today.
Robin Singh – The lanky Indian striker has shown the world once again why he still remains a key inclusion in the Indian national team forward line, despite all the criticisms. The presence of Malouda in the midfield as well as players like Hans Mulder and Gustavo has brought out the best out of Robin. The 25-year-old Delhi lad has got a more free role in the attack now and he has used his aerial ability in the best way to score two goals in as many matches so far.
