Delhi Dynamos find themselves at the bottom of the pile after defeat against Goa on home turf. With coach Harm Van Veldhoven in the stands, the team from the capital city were unable to cause the away side any problems and replaced them at the foot of the table. Delhi now take on 6th-placed Kerala Blasters on home turf as they look to leapfrog them on the table, with the two sides having already played out a goalless draw in Kochi a week ago (November 9). The away side are coming off the back of another goalless draw against Mumbai City at home. Having had the chances to score, Kerala failed to do so against Mumbai and Delhi and David James will be hoping his side take their chances against Delhi.Kerala Blasters tend to keep the ball for longer periods than their hosts, with an average possession of 51.75% to Delhi’s 48.25%. Yet, scoring goals has been an issue for David James’ side. Iain Hume is the leading scorer with two goals. Kerala will need to greatly improve their goal scoring form in order to reach the knockout stage of the tournament. Kerala, however, have been the more attacking of the two sides having taken more shots (96-95) and shots on goal (45-38) than their opponents. Conversion rate has been poor for the away team and they will be hoping to change that trend with victory against Delhi. From a defensive point of view, both teams have kept three clean sheets each. Delhi have been slightly better in defence as compared to the South Indians, having had more interceptions (266-258) and blocks (46-44) than Kerala. They will hope that the performance against Goa was just a blip, and try to get back on track against the Blasters.Form Guide (most recent first)Delhi Dynamos: LDLLDKerala Blasters: DDWLWKristof Van Hout vs Milagres GonsalvesThe Belgian goalkeeper is leading the charts for the Golden Glove having kept three clean sheets so far in the tournament. Getting past the 6’10” behemoth is a task for most strikers. He is able to cover ground quickly due to his large strides. He wasn’t in the best form against FC Goa in his previous match when he conceded four goals but against Kerala, he will look to use his size to his advantage. Milagres Gonsalves has been good for Kerala in the tournament so far. His movement and attacking mentality are superb and he will be the outlet again for the Blasters attack. The Goan attacker has the ability to finish well and Kerala will rely heavily on him against Delhi and for the rest of the tournament to get them the goals.Gustavo Dos Santos vs Colin FalveyThe young Brazilian has been sensational for Delhi despite his club’s poor position in the league table. With the ability to dribble past players, Dos Santos is the perfect link between the midfield and the strikers. He’s already shown multiple times his willingness to run with the ball and take shots. Going forward, he will be an important player in the absence of Alessandro Del Piero. In his way will be central defender, Colin Falvey. The no-nonsense Irishman has been a rock for Kerala so far. His readiness to tackle is a key facet of his gameplay. He will relish the chance to stop Dos Santos from wreaking havoc.Hans Mulder vs Stephen PearsonMulder has been the midfield mainstay for Harm Van Veldhoven from the start of the tournament. His positional sense and ability to both attack and defend make him an important part of the team. As a central midfielder, Mulder possesses great vision and dribbling ability. He can also be used a screen in front of defence. Scotsman Stephen Pearson will be in charge of marshalling Kerala’s midfield. He has formed an excellent midfield partnership with Raphael Romey and will look to take Kerala higher on the table. Having played in the Scottish Premier League and the English Premier League, Pearson brings with him vital European experience.Players to watchDelhi Dynamos FCSteven Dias – Dias is one of the best crossers of the ball in the ISL so far. A good footballer, he’s been an important member of the Delhi squad. With tall strikers like Mads Junker and Morten Skoubo, Dias’ contribution can be vital in the coming matches. The Mumbai-born winger will look to take advantage of the height of his attacking players and play to his team’s benefit.Kerala Blasters FCSandesh Jhingan – The young fullback has shown tremendous promise in the ISL. One of the best players in the Kerala side so far, Jhingan has shown maturity beyond his years. His ability to attack and defend make him a dangerous customer to the opposition. He can run down the wing and swing in a good cross for the strikers and run back equally quickly to do his defensive work.Team SpeakDelhi Dynamos FCHarm van Veldhoven (Head coach): “We gave up a very good position in the league, but we have to react now”Kerala Blasters FCDavid James (Player-head coach): “I think it is only right that if you become marquee player then you have to perform. I demand more from myself than from other players.”
