A reinvigorated Pahang side will be travelling to Alor Setar this weekend as they prepare for a massive clash against Tan Cheng Hoe’s Kedah side, who will undoubtedly be looking to break JDT’s monopoly in the Super League this season.
The volatile nature of the Super League means that tides turn relatively often – ask Pahang fans these days, and they’d attest to it. After a horrendous 2016 campaign, the Tok Gajahs off-season squad revamp seems to have worked perfectly, as they sit on top of the MSL table, having secured seven points and scored seven goals in their first three MSL matches.
The more impressive bit though, is their defence. Barring the one goal they conceded against Perak on the opening day of the season, Pahang’s defenders have been nothing short of astute. Two clean sheets against T-Team and Sarawak means they have the best defensive record in the league as of now – which is quite ridiculous, when you consider the rate at which they were shipping in goals last year.
Of course, the entire squad has been altered but their newfound defensive swagger is due in no small part to the defensive partnership of Afif Amiruddin and Jaewon Hwo. More importantly, the presence of Kiko Insa in defensive midfield has also been crucial to their defensive structure. Inadvertently, the Kiko-Afif-Jae triangle allows Matthew Davies and Mohd Faisal to push higher up on the flanks, providing terrific support for Mohamadou Sumareh and Syamim Yahya.
But this weekend, the actual strength of their defence will be tested. T-Team and Sarawak aren’t the greatest outfits going forward, while Perak were still struggling to find their feet in the first game. Kedah’s offensive threat, on the other hand, is real. Liridon Krasniqi continues to be at the heart of everything positive about the team, while Ken Ilso is slowly adapting into his role upfront as well, opening his Kedah account in their 1-1 draw against Felda United last time out.
It’s a crucial year for Kedah and Tan Cheng Hoe. The last two years have been positive, which also means the bar has been set high – a fantastic MPL triumph and Malaysia Cup final spot in 2015, before winning the Malaysia Cup in 2016, having secured third spot in the MSL in the same year. The only way you do better than that is by winning the league or at least securing continental football for 2018 by finishing second.
It’s easier said than done, especially in the context of everything that’s transpired in the off-season. Sides like Pahang and Perak have beefed up their squad, and the competition seems to have tangibly increased. At the same time, you’ve still got Johor DT, who are still bookmakers’ favourite to run riot, despite the issues they’ve faced in recent weeks. In a battle that’s expected to be tough, long and controversial, Kedah need to rack as many points as possible, especially from clashes against these favourites.
The odds for this one are pretty balanced, though it isn’t difficult to see why some may regard Pahang as slight favourites, due to their early-season form. But Kedah faced Johor DT, Sarawak and Felda United in their first three games and still emerged out of it with five points – a no mean feat considering JDT and Felda were the top two teams in the MSL last year.
On paper, it’s balanced as well. But the determining battle could very likely be the one between Kiko Insa and Liridon Krasniqi. There are no doubts on how devastating Liridon can be on his day, in front of a boisterous home crowd. But Kiko Insa’s reading of the game has been crucial to their efforts in dismantling opposition attacks, particularly against T-Team and Sarawak.
Pahang fans are slowly being encouraged to dream again, but you’d expect them to err on the side of caution, when they travel to Alor Setar this weekend. Yes, they’ve scored seven goals in three games. Yes, they’re on top the MSL table after a strong start to the season. But like anyone who has been to the Darul Aman Stadium will tell you, playing Kedah in their proverbial backyard, is a whole new ball game
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