would look to turn around their fortunes at home when they host a refreshed ATK, managed by their former coach Steve Coppell, in an Indian Super League match here on Sunday.
The Men of Steel, under Coppell, managed a mere three wins at home from nine matches last season and just missed out on a play-off spot.
Coppell, meanwhile, has got off to a difficult start, as has been the case with his teams in the previous seasons as well. ATK succumbed to defeats in their first two games. But the Kolkata-based club struck back with a 2-1 win against Delhi Dynamos.
Coppell's teams are usually solid at the back but John Johnson and Gerson Vieira are yet to hit the peak of their form after three games. The win against Delhi Dynamos, however, helped their forwards regain confidence.
Balwant Singh and Noussair El Maimouni got on the scoresheet for ATK in their last outing and Manuel Lanzarote looked to be back to his best. Kalu Uche was also instrumental in linking up attacks upfront.
ATK showed that they were not all about defensive football. Their usage of space during quick counter-attacks will be lethal against Ferrando's men who will be expected to dominate the proceedings at their home ground.
SQUAD:Jamshedpur's new additions have all clicked so far. Mario Arques already looked to be one of the signings of the season while the familiar face of Memo has offered him unconditional support in midfield. Sergio Cidoncha and Pablo Morgado have hit the ground running as well.
In fact, have the most number of individual goal scorers (4) in the ISL this season. They also have the most number of debutants (4) this season to score a goal as well.
Tim Cahill's presence upfront and his impending battle against seasoned campaigner John Johnson may make for interesting viewing. Add Sergio Cidoncha to the mix and ATK defence will have their task cut out.
MANAGERS SPEAK: "It's great to be back. I am very proud of what we did last year, even though we did not make the play-offs. It was a great achievement for a new franchise and I look forward to the game tomorrow," Coppell said at the pre-match media conference.
Current boss Cesar Ferrando's team has impressed in their first two matches of the season, both away from home. They defeated Mumbai City 2-0 and then followed it up with an exciting 2-2 stalemate against Bengaluru FC.
"ATK are a good a team. Their team has improved from the first match and they have a good coach. The ATK game, for me, is the most important match of the season. We will try our best. We need to play like a team and I am sure we can win tomorrow," Ferrando said.
"Steve (Coppell) did a good job when he was here. He knows a lot of the players. I hope we play well in front of him," he added.
"Although it has just been two games, they (Jamshedpur) have made a solid start. We will be looking to press forward as well. It is a good challenge for us. We will look to pick up points," said Coppell.
HEAD-TO-HEAD: ATK and Jamshedpur have faced either other on just two occassions with Jamshedpur winning one and the other ending in draw.
FORM: Under new head coach Cesar Ferrando, Jamshedpur have looked threatening in attack, employing an attractive possession-based approach, with the likes of Sergio Cidoncha, Jerry Mawhmingthanga and Tim Cahill upfront. All three will be responsible for troubling the opposition defence with their pace, creativity and power.
Jamshedpur FC have scored four goals while having eight shots on target. The team also boasts 69.22 per cent passing accuracy.
Spearheaded by Kalu Uche and Balwant Singh, ATK looked dangerous on the counter, creating a host of chances against Delhi. Manuel Lanzarote and Everton Santos will serve as the chief creative outlets, ably assisted by Pronay Halder and Komal Thatal in midfield. John Johnson and Gerson Vieira will be handed the tough task of containing Jamshedpur’s lethal attackers. However, their experience can prove crucial in garnering full points on the road.
ATK have scored just twice despite having 14 shots on target. They have the passing accuracy of 61.42 per cent.
PROBABLE 11s:
Jamshedpur FC: Subhasish Roy (GK), Yumnam Raju, Raju Gaikwad, Tiri (C), Bikash Jairu, Mario Arques, Memo, Jerry Mawhmingthanga, Michael Soosairaj, Sergio Cidoncha, Tim Cahill
ATK: Arindam Bhattacharja (GK), Aiborlang Khongjee, Gerson Vieira, John Johnson, Ricky Lallawmawma, Pronay Halder, Komal Thatal, Manuel Lanzarote (C), Everton Santos, Balwant Singh, Kalu Uche