Calcutta Football League 2018: 5 things Mohun Bagan need to improve

3. Solve midfield issues

Mehtab Hossain

The century-old club hasn't looked menacing enough to excite their fans. One big reason behind this is their non-existent midfield. They are not trying to win possession and supply to the forwards.

It is only Mehtab Hossain who is shining brightly. But he is not fit enough to play the full 90 minutes. Shankarlal said that he didn't want to risk him. That's why he was playing him as a substitute, he further added.

But this is the time when he must come from the start. The veteran midfielder knows every grass of Maidan and his experience can change Bagan's approach altogether. Mehtab can dictate the tempo of the game and, his introduction has been vital behind Bagan's victories in the previous two games.

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4. Be more creative

There is no doubt that Mohun Bagan lack creativity. Shilton D'Siva, Pintu Mahata or Sourav das are all one dimensional and can't come up with new ideas when they have the ball on their feet.

Tirthankar Sarkar's inch-perfect cross into the box was headed into the goal by Dipanda Dicka to snatch all the three points against George Telegraph. He made his impact only three minutes after coming from the bench. He also created Bagan's only goal in the first match against Pathachakra.

Sarkar was pivotal in Bengal's recent Santosh Trophy run. Shankarlal must give him more minutes on the pitch as he can extract the best out of the two decent strikers.

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5. Have a dominant wing play

In their opening match, Arijit Bagui ran down the left channel to create the threat in the opponent's box. But with the season progressing, Mohun Bagan are not using the channels with enough precision. The wing-backs are looking lethargic. They are delivering only meaningless crosses and long balls.

The Mariners must use the wings wisely from the next matches and try to deliver as many crosses into the box as possible.