Chennaiyin FC travel to the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium in Pune to face FC Pune City on Sunday, in their first away fixture of Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2017-18. After their initial setback in their opener against FC Goa, they came back strongly to beat NorthEast United FC 3-0 in their second match and will look to carry forward their form when they face an in-form Pune side.

Speaking to the media at the pre-match press conference was Chennai’s head coach, John Gregory who admitted that his team was aware of Pune’s attacking threat but wanted to stick to their natural game. “We will try and play our normal game. We have scored goals in our two games, but obviously, the first 45 minutes against Goa was a big learning curve for us. However, keeping a clean sheet against NorthEast was the most pleasing aspect of the game for me. We will need to be at our best against Pune. Two of their boys have grabbed all the headlines. (Emiliano) Alfaro and Marcelinho have been playing really well, and we will have to be at our best to try and keep those two quiet,” he said.

He further added, “They (FC Pune City) are on a very good run at the moment, and when the game comes, the players are always ready. When you are winning, playing well, and scoring lots of goals, you can get up and play next morning. We have had a long rest since our last match, and Pune have been playing many games, but when you are winning, you play every day and it doesn’t bother you at all.”

Although Chennai have managed to score five goals in their two games, their attacking focal-point Jeje Lalpekhlua’s form has been a matter of concern. However, Gregory backed his main striker and believes that he will soon be back on the scoresheet, “He likes scoring against Pune. His record against them is very good, so I am hoping that things might change. I have said it many times in the previous month or so, that he has literally been playing and training since last April, non-stop. When he has been away with the national team, he has worked hard with Stephen (Constantine) – probably harder than he would with us. He has had a really tough schedule, and sometimes without realising, you get a little stale doing the same thing every day. He has set his own standards. He scores goals, and you have to live up to that. I am hoping that he gets on the scoresheet this weekend, but he is just as happy if we win.”

Gregory also heaped praise on Chennai’s midfield talisman Raphael Augusto. He shared, “Sometimes when you have outstanding footballers who are very creative, they are wasted in their own half. I was looking back at his videos from last season, and he has done a lot of great work in his own half of the pitch. If I was playing against him, I would be very happy if he went into his own half. I wouldn’t be as happy if he came and played in my half of the pitch because when he is 20-30 yards from goal, he can create something from nothing. So, we just try to move him up the pitch a little more. We can use his ability to hurt the opposition, and certainly, in the last game, everything worked out well for him in particular. He has set his own standard, and we expect him to play like that every week.”

When asked about the young Chennaiyin brigade that includes players like Baoringdao Bodo, Jerry Lalrinzuala and Anirudh Thapa, the Englishman added: “The new regulation where you can have only five foreigners on the pitch enables every club to field an extra domestic player, and you have to focus on the domestic players, and you have to try to make them better. You have to try and improve them because you are going to need them. We are very fortunate to inherit some very good and talented Indian players, and I need to get the best out of them.”