Sailors Are A Smelting Pot Of Gold

Strong defence and attack, good coaching and spirit behind successful season: Pundits

- Jeremiah Ong

A solid foundation at the back and unrivalled firepower have provided a winning formula for the Lion City Sailors on the pitch.

That, combined with a strong family spirit, has helped them dominate the 2024-25 Singapore Premier League (SPL), football pundits told The Straits Times, as the Bishan-based side stand on the cusp of clinching their second domestic league title since privatisation.

The Sailors, who need at most two more points from their remaining three games to add to their 2021 triumph, could seal the deal when they visit cellar dwellers Tanjong Pagar United at the Jurong East Stadium on May 10 (6pm).

SPL commentator Rhysh Roshan Rai feels the key to the Sailors' dominance this season is their 5-4-1 set-up that "turns into a 3-4-3 in attack and gives them the shape and solidity in central positions".

Coupled with the marauding runs of January signing and wing-back Diogo Costa, the transitional attacking play of mercurial winger Maxime Lestienne, playmaker Bart Ramselaar and striker Lennart Thy has become their winning formula, he added.

"What they have done is build a solid foundation at the back with the likes of (Toni) Datkovic and Bailey Wright," said Rai, a former league player.

"They have been solid in central defence, giving them the platform to let attacking players play on the counter-attack and do the damage with players like Lestienne and Ramselaar, who can take on defenders in one-on-ones.