Mohun Bagan will be looking to regain the I-league trophy from the hands of Bengaluru FC going into the new season of the I-league starting 7 January. Sanjoy Sen’s Green and Maroon brigade have been top performers in Indian football for the past couple of seasons alongside Bengaluru FC. Though they missed out on the I-League to BFC by just two points last season, Jeje and Co. managed to lift the coveted Federation Cup for the Mariners.
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The Green and Maroon Brigade have assembled a solid team ahead of the league, with them successfully retaining their star players in Sony Norde and Jeje Lalpekhlua. The Mariners have also roped in the services of Darryl Duffy, a former Hull City and Swansea City player to lead the attack for Sanjoy Sen’s men, while also having added important defensive reinforcements with the likes of Eduardo and Anas Edathodika.
The Mariners should be in the mix for the title race with Sanjoy Sen having had a couple of years to set up his core team according to his liking and having performed well in the past seasons.
Here we take a look at five Mohun Bagan players who could prove to be the difference through the season as they look to lift this year’s I-League trophy.
Honourable mentions: Katsumi Yusa, Pritam Kotal, Anas Edathodika
#1 Debjit Majumder
One of the most crucial cogs in the Mohun Bagan machine will be Debjit Majumder. The Indian international has had a terrific season with Atletico de Kolkata, to say the least. Having started almost every match for the Kolkata-based franchise in the ISL, Debjit consistently put on one solid performance after another as he guided Atletico to their second ISL glory in three years.
Debjit has impressed at Mohun Bagan and in the I-league too, as his stellar performances between the sticks earned him the best goalkeeper award of the I-League last season as he helped Mohun Bagan finish runners-up behind Bengaluru FC.
A cool customer and a brilliant shot stopper, Debjit has evolved leaps and bounds since breaking into the Green and Maroons first team in 2015. Though often criticised for his command in the penalty box during set pieces, Debjit has silenced his critics by putting match-winning displays in this year's ISL and will be essential as the last line of defence for Bagan behind central defenders Eduardo and Anas.
#2 Sony Norde
There is perhaps no player in the Mohun Bagan camp who is as influential in attack as the Haitian international Sony Norde.
Norde represented his national team in last year's Copa America Centenario and put in an impressive display against Ecuador as the minnows bowed out in the group stage. However, in India, Norde has been absolutely sensational in the past couple of seasons for Mohun Bagan and will look to continue his form going into this season's I-league.
Sony Norde was instrumental in winning Bagan's first ever i-league trophy back in 2015. His rampaging runs and cut-ins on the left flank, much in the likeness of Eden Hazard who he admires, left the opponents bamboozled with his speed and trickery. Norde scored an impressive 9 league goals and assisted another 13 as he helped Mohun Bagan snatch the trophy from Bengaluru FC.
It was a mixed season last year for Norde. Though he put on good displays for the Green and Maroons, he could not help them win the league. The onus will be on Norde once more this season to guide Bagan to I-league glory. With the formidable attacking duo of Jeje and Darryl Duffy to support him, it will take much effort to stop him and Mohun Bagan.
#3 Souvik Chakrabarti
One of the upcoming stars of the Indian football scene, Souvik Chakrabarti put in some standout performances for Delhi Dynamos in the recently concluded Indian Super League season.
Described as a hard-working box-to-box midfielder, Souvik’s strength lies in his passing and pressing up front when the opponent has the ball. Though a midfielder, the Mohun Bagan Academy graduate was used as a full-back by Delhi Dynamos manager, Gianluca Zambrotta, where he played every minute through the season for his team.
Chakraborty's tenacity and creativity will be essential in Mohun Bagan's title push this season, with him expected to form a midfield partnership with the likes of Pronoy Haldar and Sehnaj Singh. His versatility could also come into play if Sanjoy Sen decides to slot in this ever improving player in the fullback position where he played so comfortably in the ISL and with Dhanchandra Singh likely to miss out with an injury, this might be.
#4 Jeje Lalpekhlua
The new poster-boy of Indian football, Mohun Bagan managed to retain the services of the Mizoram star of the 2017 edition of the I-league. Jeje has been raising a storm for the last couple of years with him winning both the I-league with Mohun Bagan and ISL with Chennayin in 2015.
Jeje was the top scorer in last season's Federation Cup and helped Mohun Bagan win the coveted cup.
A deadly striker in front of goal, Jeje's performances last year was rewarded with the Player of the Year prize by the AIFF.
Jeje will be of immense importance for the Green and Maroons as he is expected to provide necessary support on the goal-scoring front alongside Darryl Duffy. Sanjoy Sen generally likes to operate a 4-4-2 system with the width being offered by Sony Norde and Japanese Katsumi Yusa who are expected to create ample chances for both Jeje and Darryl Duffy to score as they bid for their second I-League title.
#5 Darryl Duffy
The former Hull and Swansea City striker, Darryl Duffy took the I-League by storm when he joined Salgaocar FC in 2013. He was the top scorer for the club in each season he played in racking up 27 goals in just 50 appearances for the Goan club.
The former Scottish Under-21 international has an immense amount of experience in his pocket from playing in the English and Scottish Championships. Therefore, when he joined the Green and Maroons in the summer as a replacement for Cornell Glen, he was already coming with a lot of expectations from the Bagan supporters, as they will be looking to regain the I-League title which they lost last year by a whisker.
Darryl Duffy will need some time to adapt to Mohun Bagan’s tactics and the ground conditions. But he should be up and running as soon as the season begins with no dearth of creativity and supply being offered to him from the likes of Sony Norde, Jeje Lalpehlua, Katsumi Yusa and the up and coming Kean Lewis.
