After going down to Hyderabad in their last game at home, the Men of Steel now gear up for their away game against Chennaiyin FC. Gaffer, Aidy Boothroyd talks about the team’s performance in the season so far, facing Marina Machans and much more…

Here are the excerpts from the pre-match press conference - 

1. On the thoughts on the performance of the team so far…

Aidy: We just want to get back to playing at the moment. I think when things are going well for you, everything goes well for you. We’ve got a good balance on the ball but I’ve got to say there are not a lot of wrongs in our style, really. I'm quite pleased with so many aspects like the way the players have settled in, gelled together, how they’ve worked together and we're all very positive about the season. We just had a couple of results that could have ended differently and we would have been in a much better position on the table and everybody would have been happy. Well, this is what football is. It's ups and downs. We also have a few injuries but this gives other players an opportunity to step up and show what they’re all about. So we'll see what happens tomorrow and hopefully, we get to see a good performance and the desired result tomorrow.

1. On facing Chennaiyin FC next who lost their last game by a big margin…

Aidy: Well, I think their team (Chennaiyin FC) is a good team. They've got a few more points than us at the moment and I like the way they play. I think anybody can have a really good result and I think sometimes you can do well but when you look at the scoreboard and see yourself lose then it is not very helpful. Like the other day against Hyderabad FC, we hit the post in the last minute, otherwise, the result would have been different. So I think, that's how competitive the league is. I think Chennaiyin FC is a good team with a good coach and I expect us to be a very difficult team for them to play against which is what we're yearning for.

1. On the team dropping points despite putting up strong performances… 

Aidy: We've been really good in possession some of the times and not so good sometimes. We've been very good when we have the possession some of the time as well as in transitions, in set plays and other aspects on separate occasions. But we are yet to settle completely as a unit. So we know we can produce wins and play smart football. But it's good that the fans are recognizing that we are doing some really good things on the pitch.  I think if we continue to do that, then results should come.

1. On having added pressure of the fans being back to the stadium for the fixtures…

Aidy: I think winning the shield in the bubble will be different from winning the shield in the original format. But having the support of the fans at home really isn't an added pressure rather it's more of a bonus to us because they’ve been very, very supportive from day one. But honestly, getting back to playing games in different arenas against our opponents and their fans is an exciting part of the journey. I think where we are at right now, we're a work in progress. We're getting better all the time. What we need to do, like all good teams and the ones that are at the top, is to be more consistent than we have been individually and collectively as a group. When we do that, I think we'll be a really good team.

1. On the injury status of the players ahead of the game…

Aidy: So Germanpreet, Eli Sabia, Dinpuia and Dinliana won’t be available for the game. So around five recognized defenders won’t be playing but we’re not complaining about that as we're all the same and we all have injuries. The idea is to keep as many fit as possible and available for tomorrow's game. But what it also means is that it gives the other players an opportunity to step up to the occasion and show what they're all about. We're aiming for the more experienced ones to continue to lead and to get us through the game and also into more happy days where we score goals, perform well and win matches.