Second-placed Chennaiyin FC have another chance to go top of the table when they take on NorthEast United FC at home. Coming off a 1-1 draw against league leaders Atlético de Kolkata, courtesy a stoppage-time equaliser from marquee player Elano, confidence is high in the Chennaiyin squad.“The camp is doing fantastic!” exclaimed assistant coach Vivek Nagul at the pre-match press conference. “We have a good bunch of players and we have been training fantastically. The morale is very high,” Nagul added. “We have a good choice of players making selection difficult for Marco (head coach Marco Materazzi),” quipped the optimistic assistant coach.Nagul welcomed new signing Eric Djemba-Djemba, although he was non-commital on whether the Cameroonian midfielder would play against NorthEast. “There is a very, very slight chance for Djemba-Djemba to feature,” Nagul said. “He has been doing mild workouts. We hope to have him ready for the rest of the tournament.”The assistant coach provided updates on defenders Jairo Suárez and Abhishek Das, who have been sidelined through injury. “Jairo Suárez and Abhishek Das should be back in a week or so,” said Nagul.NorthEast goalkeeper Rehenesh TP has been in sublime form, and Nagul was asked whether his team had a specific plan to beat the Kerala-born stopper. The assistant coach was unfazed, however, and sought to place the spotlight back on the 21-year-old keeper. “We have Elano,” he shot back. “It would be Rehenesh who should be working on a plan to stop our team when we have a strong midfield with the like of JeJe, Balwant and Elano.”Chennaiyin’s opponents are known for their quick passing, but Nagul expressed confidence in his team’s ability to counter the threat posed by NorthEast’s attack. He asserted, “We know their system and the way they play. We have done our preparations to deal with them.” Nagul even added a bit of intrigue, stating “There could be an element of surprise in a tactical way.”For the second straight game, Chennaiyin FC go into the fixture knowing that a win will put them atop the league table, and Nagul acknowledged the significance of picking up all three points in this particular fixture. “It is a game which will be important and will give us a huge leap with regard to other competitors. We have to and want to finish in the top, and the first step is to collect three points,” remarked Nagul.Defender Gouramangi Singh joined his assistant coach for the press conference, and highlighted the need for greater defensive solidity from a team that has yet to keep a clean sheet. “We must not repeat our defensive errors in the upcoming game. We try to work with a tactical plan and we must avoid mistakes,” the Manipuri player said. Gouramangi’s willingness to contribute to the team’s cause was showcased when the defender added, “I am willing to play wherever the team requires me to play, and hopefully we can collect the three points.”
