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Simon Grayson’s Bengaluru FC started their season in promising fashion as they got their hands on the Durand Cup, defeating current league leaders Mumbai City FC in the final. As a result, the Blues faithful believed that their side can fight the front runners in the Indian Super League after a few years of struggles.
However, what started as a season of redemption soon turned into a bundle of frustration, with Bengaluru FC winning only three of their opening 12 games while being on the wrong side of the scoreline on eight occasions. By the end of 2022, their playoff hopes were unquestionably hanging by a thread.
Grayson’s time was coming under scrutiny, but the experienced English tactician turned their fortunes around. They are currently on a five-game winning run and have leapfrogged into sixth in the standings with just three games remaining.
There are plenty of positives in Bengaluru FC’s revival, so this article dives into the tactical aspects of their successful turnaround.
The combination
Grayson has stuck with a back-five formation for the majority of the season, but he has tweaked a few things in recent weeks. After a period of experimenting with his squad, the English manager appears to have found his best starting lineup.
In front of the ever-present Gurpreet Singh Sandhu in goal, the 3-4-1-2 system includes three centre-backs - Alan Costa, Sandesh Jhingan and Parag Shrivas. Last season’s emerging player of the year Roshan Singh Naorem has been a mainstay at left wing-back, while 29-year-old Prabir Das is preferred ahead of Namgyal Bhutia at right-wing back.
The midfield pivot includes Rohit Kumar and Suresh Singh Wangjam. The two players have laid the base for Bengaluru FC and are certainly an important reason for their success.
Meanwhile, Spanish attacking midfielder Javi Hernandez occupies the number 10 role, while Roy Krishna and Sivasakthi Narayanan play as the front two.
The rise of Sivashakthi has forced the influential Sunil Chhetri to watch the game from the sidelines. The partnership between the strikers has been telepathic at times, and their profiles certainly suit Grayson’s blueprint.
Bengaluru FC - In possession
From an initial back-five shape, the Blues shifted to a back four in possession, with Roshan Singh advancing from the wing-back position. Rohit Kumar has been a key figure in midfield and often joins the frontline, while his partner Suresh Singh holds the fort and keeps the game moving.
Bengaluru FC’s shape aims to isolate Roshan against the full-back and this aligns with his strengths since he has the pace and trickery in one-versus-one situations. Additionally, the 24-year-old is an energetic presence and tracks back quickly when his side loses the ball.
Meanwhile, right wing-back Prabir Das usually stays behind to protect the spaces. Their chance creation is left-side-oriented due to the attack-minded presence of Rohit Kumar and Roshan Singh on that side of the pitch.
Another source of the Blues’ progression in the final third is through Parag Shrivas. He starts on the left side of the back three but also acts as an overlapping center-back when their opponents sit back and stay compact.
Grayson has used Shrivas’ versatility to full effect as his runs create overloads on the flanks to stretch their opponents. The sequence below against NorthEast United serves as a perfect example of how Bengaluru FC exploited the space.
Roshan, who holds the width, tucks inside, allowing Parag to make an overlapping run into space. Meanwhile, Rohit Kumar stays deeper to protect the area vacated by Parag. The move created a three-versus-two situation on the left side as the Highlanders were caught out.
Their goal against ATK Mohun Bagan was another situation where Parag’s movement posed trouble. This time, the centre-back drives forward with the ball, attracting players, while Javi Hernandez finds a pocket of space.
It is a three-versus-two situation yet again as the Mariners fail to mark Roshan on the far side. His cross eventually found Hernandez, whose thunderous volley hit the back of the net.
While Grayson’s men have used various approaches to progress, the major source of opening up their opponents are the channel runs made by the two strikers. In the passage of play below, Roy Krishna makes a run that drags ATKMB's Brendan Hamill with him.
Hernandez, who plays in the pockets, now occupies the space that was vacated by the center-back. Sivashakthi and Roy Krishna have caused nuisance due to their pace and physical presence in the forward areas, often dragging players out of position.
Additionally, Bengaluru FC’s counter-attacks have been lethal, and they are at their best when committing men forward when their opponents lose possession. Sivashakthi’s opening goal against Chennaiyin FC and Pablo Perez’s goal against Odisha FC originated from a corner for their opponents.
As mentioned above, Roy Krishna and Sivashakthi’s pace and intelligence are vital, while Hernandez and Rohit Kumar are also quick to join the counter-attack when necessary.
Bengaluru FC - Out of possession
Bengaluru FC chose their moments to press their opponents, but push forward with intensity when they initiated. The Blues stay in a medium-block when the ball stays central and their trigger to press is when it moves to the opposition full-back.
In the sequence below against Odisha FC, Prabir jumps from his position with intent. The entire team then squeezes in their opponents and remains compact to form a back four. In this scenario, the Juggernauts lost the ball due to pressure, with Hernandez winning it back and testing the goalkeeper.
They use a man-marking approach in midfield, while the two forwards look to block the passing lanes. Much of their success is down to Parag and Alan Costa’s ability to read the game and shift across the pitch when necessary.
Bengaluru FC are also more than adept at absorbing pressure, as their centre-backs are an enormous presence at the back and defend their box expertly. They form a 5-3-2 shape when defending deeper, and it is certainly difficult for their opponents to find space as a result.
Grayson’s flexible approach has seen them move closer to the playoff spots. The profile of the players suits the starting lineup, but more importantly, he has the squad depth to change things if Plan A isn’t paying dividends. Momentum can be a crucial factor, especially towards the end of the campaign as the Blues have hit their stride at the right time.
