Kerala Blasters FC coach Peter Taylor says starting both halves well is key for his team in their 2015 Hero Indian Super League encounter against Delhi Dynamos FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Sunday.

Kerala started their campaign with a thumping 3-1 win against NorthEast United FC and then split points with Mumbai City FC before losing to reigning champions Atlético de Kolkata. After the match against ATK, Taylor had admitted that his team started both halves unsatisfactorily and that led to their losing the match 2-1.

Speaking to the media on Saturday ahead of the Delhi match, Taylor said they were ready to remedy their mistakes against ATK. “…No excuses in the last game they started better both halves, we conceded poor defensive goals. This time we have to start as the better team. In the last match we finished both halves well,” Taylor said.

“Yes, I understand we lost the match. Kolkata played better, the plan wasn’t to defend deep and then counter-attack. It was to attack from the start. They had better possession and we needed to be sharper. The last 15 minutes we had good possession but unfortunately we could get the second goal.”

With the return of India players Sandesh Jhingan and Cavin Lobo from national duty, Kerala have received a big boost going into this match. Taylor was happy to have them back. “I’m very happy to have them back, especially injury-free after national team duties. I know Sandesh had a wonderful last season and I'm expecting him to repeat it this season. The same goes for Cavin, we had a few friendlies before he flew for international duties and he was playing well. I was disappointed to lose him for three matches. But now they're back and I want them to play as well as they can,” Taylor said.

In another good news for the team, Kerala’s marquee player Carlos Marchena is also set to play his first game this season after missing out on the previous matches on account of injury. Taylor confirmed his participation. “He is set to feature in this match, it just a question of whether to feature him in the first eleven or as a substitute. He's been training with us and he can play a half,” Taylor said.

“…I know that he can play central in our back four or three, he's a very good passer of the ball and I just want to make sure that I send him in at the right time,” Taylor further spoke of Marchena.

When asked to assess his rivals for Sunday’s game, Taylor said, “I think Delhi have made some good signings. Big names like [Florent] Malouda and [John Arne] Riise, I've seen them in England and they're amazing plyers. But we're entering the field with an apt amount of respect and we don't intend to show them the ball, we are very capable of being a good team and cover the grass.”