My team for the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) Matchweek 7 goes like this: Prabhsukhan Singh Gill starts in goal in front of an all-Indian backline. I have picked two foreign players in attack and one in the midfield.

For my pick as head coach, I’ve gone for Josep Gombau because his side came out as a completely different side in the second half and won the game from two goals behind. 

Formation: 3-4-3

Goalkeeper:

Prabhsukhan Singh Gill (Kerala Blasters FC)

He’s one of those good young goalkeepers who is looking very dominant in the box and comes out, great collection, and I think he’s got superb technique. His build-up play from behind as well, his passes are really good, he also made some solid saves. He just looked very controlled and sound in between the sticks.

Defenders:

Rahul Bheke (Mumbai City FC)

Another player who has been doing really well under Des Buckingham, very solid, very experienced, and he put in some challenges as well in their clean sheet against Bengaluru FC.

Aiban Dohling (FC Goa)

He scored a goal, kept bombing up and down the left flank, and putting the challenges when it was required. It was a tough game for him because he was coming up against a very strong ATK Mohun Bagan side but looked very solid in keeping Manvir (Singh) in check.

Anwar Ali (FC Goa)

He’s very experienced, there were so many occasions where he could have just cleared the ball and kicked it forward but he always got it down on the ground and looked for the pass forward. He’s so well suited for this FC Goa side because they like to keep possession and play out from behind.

Midfielders:

Lallianzuala Chhangte (Mumbai City FC)

Again, he’s another player who’s improving each game and what’s more important is that, in the final third, he’s showing a lot more composure and he’s being very clinical. He’s getting those goals, getting in those positions, very importantly. Just so much pace and you don’t want to be involved in a 1v1 situation against him.

Apuia (Mumbai City FC)

Apuia has found a new role under Des Buckingham. Generally, he would sit in front of the defence and be more like a defensive midfielder but Des has converted him into, more of a, box-to-box midfielder where he is bombing forward a lot more and chipping in with goals. So, it’s good to see him in this new role.

Ivan Kaliuzhnyi (Kerala Blasters FC)

Ivan was fantastic against Hyderabad FC, he covered so much of the ground, and defensively put in those challenges. As soon as he gets the ball, he bombs forward with those long strides to make sure he’s combining with Adrian Luna and Dimitrios Diamantakos. It was a superb game for Ivan.

Nandhakumar Sekar (Odisha FC)

I thought he had a decent first half in the game against East Bengal FC, but he really picked it up in the second half and scored an important goal as well. He put in some decent crosses, looked very solid, and he’s another player who’s got so much potential and is improving with each game.

Forwards:     

Pedro Martin (Odisha FC)

Pedro was brilliant. He came on in the second half, was the Hero of the Match, and scored those two important goals to get the team back into the game. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t start in the games going forward now.

Petar Sliskovic (Chennaiyin FC)

He scored the opening goal for his side and is an all-round player. As soon as he gets the ball, he looks forward, looking for the pace of Prasanth Karuthadathkuni and Jockson Dhas. His all-round play is brilliant, can hold up the ball, can run in behind the defences, and had a really good game against Jamshedpur FC.

Abdenasser El Khayati (Chennaiyin FC)

I like to call him the bubble gum player because he’s got such great close control, he doesn’t really get any heavy touches ever. He’s got some tricks and flicks, can go past players for fun, and another player who I’d love to see start games and play a lot more because he is somebody with a lot of quality.

Head coach: 

Josep Gombau (Odisha FC)

They were 2-0 down at half-time in an away game against East Bengal FC and we know how Constantine keeps it very tight at the back. However, I don’t know what Gombau said to his boys at half-time but they came out as a completely different side and downed East Bengal FC in that second half

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