Introduction
The Kerala Blasters standings in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season has been the topic of much debate with fans and analysts. After finishing eighth in the league their performance was not a perfect one and a glimpse at their potential, but without reliability and vigor in the crucial moments. In this article we’ll look at Kerala Blasters’ season performance look at the strengths as well as weaknesses and examine what they need to be changed to improve their standings in the coming years.
Kerala Blasters Standings in ISL 2024-25
The 2024-25 season saw the Kerala Blasters finish 8th in the Indian Super League standings. Despite showing some promise and flair in the past but the team’s inconsistent performance resulted in them falling far short of getting to the top of the playoffs.
Current Kerala Blasters Standings Snapshot:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Position | 8th |
| Matches Played | 24 |
| Wins | 8 |
| Draws | 5 |
| Losses | 11 |
| Goals For | 33 |
| Goals Against | 37 |
| Goal Difference | -4 |
| Points | 29 |
This result is an evident signal of the Kerala Blasters struggled with both offensive and defensive consistency which ultimately contributed to their failure to make the playoffs during this season.
1. Strengths of Kerala Blasters in ISL 2024-25
Resilient Defensive Play
Although it is true that the Kerala Blasters standings show a mid-table performance but the defense of the team wasn’t the primary problem. The team conceded 37 goals over 24 games (a goal differential of 4) isn’t too bad particularly when compared with other teams that are at the bottom in the league. The team was resilient even in the toughest of times, keeping games within their reach.
Key Defensive Stats:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Goals Conceded | 37 |
| Average Goals Per Game | 1.54 |
| Clean Sheets | 4 |
Key Players:
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Alvaro Vazquez: The veteran Spanish striker has shown glimpses of brilliance, however injuries and inconsistency kept him from guiding the team to regular goals.
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Raju Gaikwad known for his imposing defensive capabilities, Gaikwad was one of the main players in Kerala’s defense during the season.
Key Takeaway:
Although Kerala Blasters did have a fairly solid defense, they must improve their backline in order to limit goals conceded and stop games from drifting into a stalemate due to tiny errors.
2. Offensive Struggles
One of the biggest weakness of the Kerala Blasters standings was their weak attack. With just 33 points scored over 24 games The Blasters were among the lowest offensive outputs in the league. Inability to break down defensive lines and turn opportunities into goals was the primary element in their failure to get into playoff contention.
Goal Scoring Stats:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Goals Scored | 33 |
| Goals Per Game | 1.38 |
| Top Scorer | Alvaro Vazquez (8 goals) |
Key Issues in Attack:
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Insanity Even with players such as Adrian Luna and Vazquez The team was often unable to come up with fluid and effective attacking games.
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Goal Scorers who are Limited In addition to Vazquez as the main goalscorer, Kerala was without a third alternative in the on the front.
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Poor finishing: Kerala Blasters missed crucial chances, which cost the team points in close matches.
Key Takeaway:
The team must invest in offensive reinforcements to help Vazquez and help them increase their goals. The addition of a reliable playmaker or second striker is essential to increase their offensive performance.
3. Kerala Blasters’ Inconsistency
The inconsistency is possibly the most annoying part of Kerala Blasters standings. Despite sporadic flashes of greatness, the team could not keep their momentum throughout the entire season. The inconsistent team resulted in an array of draw and defeats and 11 defeats throughout the seasonwhich is a high number for a team aiming to achieve the goal of qualifying for playoffs.
Performance Breakdown:
| Outcome | Matches |
|---|---|
| Wins | 8 |
| Draws | 5 |
| Losses | 11 |
This evidence indicates that Kerala often lost in games that they could easily have won, particularly against lesser-ranked teams. That’s where their performance fell from competition for the playoffs to the level of a middle-table place.
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4. What Went Wrong in Kerala Blasters’ Season
The Kerala Blasters standings could have been considerably enhanced with just a few tweaks:
1. Inability to Close Out Games:
The Kerala matches were a bit competitive, however they didn’t manage to finish games. Losing 5 games and drawing 11 matches suggests that the team could not make a move or make the most of opportunities that were favorable to them.
2. Inconsistent Midfield Play:
The middle of the field for Kerala Blasters lacked the creativity and flair to link the defense with the attack. Players such as Sahal Abdul Samad showed moments of brilliance, but were not consistently enough to control the game and provide scoring opportunities.
3. Squad Depth:
The team did not have enough depth particularly in midfield and attack. Kerala Blasters often relied too heavily on crucial players such as Vazquez or Luna. Injury to these players had a negative impact on the team in a significant way.
5. Areas for Improvement in 2025
To increase the Kerala Blasters standings during the forthcoming year, their team will need to be focused on:
1. Attacking Reinforcements:
As we’ve seen by the Blasters, they need to have a more varied attack. Inviting one or two goal scoring players will alleviate pressure on Vazquez in addition to give more energy in their forward play.
2. Midfield Creativity:
Invigorating the midfield to increase the creativity of players and increase their the game is going to ensure Vazquez along with other attackers receive more opportunities and better service.
3. Better Squad Depth:
In addition, adding diversification to your team will enable them to improve their performance throughout the season, without relying too heavily on a handful of important players. This also means having replacements who are able for players such as the Vazquez or Luna.
4. Mental Resilience:
Enhancing your psychological resilience of the team will allow them to transform difficult games into wins particularly in the later phases of the season, where every point counts.
Conclusion
The Kerala Blasters standings during this season’s ISL 2024-25 season show the potential of a team, however lacking the rigor and aggression required to make the playoffs. Their 8th-place finish was a disappointment, however with targeted improvement in midfield, attack, and depth of the squad, Kerala Blasters can look to improve their performance in the coming season. The fans will be hoping for an improved and consistent performance as the team expands.
