I-League 2018-19: 3 things that East Bengal need to address immediately to rescue title bid

East Bengal have started the I-League season in a fashionable manner, winning the first two matches away from home. Moreover, the performance of the players and their ability earned praise from all quarters and even the fans started dreaming about winning the I-League.

What transpired in the next two matches was unexpected from them. Heart-breaking losses against Chennai City and last boy Aizawl FC have left the Red and Golds in a spot to bother. Though East Bengal have played at least a match less than their opponents, this is the perfect time for them to rise and make the occasion memorable.

EB were on top of the table after two rounds of the league but are now languishing at the eighth position now with six points from four matches. There are still 16 matches to be played and East Bengal will have to target at least 30-35 points from them in order to win the elusive I-League.

They will face a big task against defending champions Minerva Punjab FC on Tuesday. Though Minerva are not in the form of last year, they still have the ability to cause an upset. East Bengal should be cautious not to slip of their own peel.

Minerva are in good form because their recent win against Indian Arrows and they will try to pull off an upset to revive their campaign.

Before the East Bengal v Minerva Punjab match at 5 pm on Tuesday, we present 3 things that East Bengal need to immediately address.

#3 Need to use the familiar home support

East Bengal have a major fan base and they are always behind the team irrespective of the result. But the recent slump in form has concerned them, especially the defeat against Aizawl FC. East Bengal lost their first home match against Chennai City and another loss is sure to invite criticism.

Apart from some foreigners, most East Bengal players are familiar with the home ground and they need to use the atmosphere to put pressure on their opponents. More than 20 thousand people turn up to watch EB games, a major plus point for them.

East Bengal coach Alejandro Menendez also acknowledged the fact during the pre-match press conference on Monday and said, “If we play at home, this is an advantage for us. But we are not feeling any pressure. We are considering it as any other match.”

Defender Borja Gomez agreed. “I love to play in Kolkata rather than in Shillong or Aizawl. The crowd is amazing. We want to register our first win here tomorrow.”

#2 More urgency needed on the midfield

Ahead of East Bengal’s every press conference, there is one question that is reserved for Mahmoud Al-Amna. Monday was no different and when the gaffer was asked about Amna’s condition, he simply said what he’s been saying for the last couple of months, “He is training well, working hard. But we don’t know when he will be match fit.”

It’s true that East Bengal are seriously missing a playmaker like Amna. He was at the heart of East Bengal’s midfield last season. But after the injury which he sustained during the pre-season training camp in Malaysia, time is running out for the Syrian. There’s been a murmur inside the club that Amna will be released by the club if he fails to get fit before the next week.

Considering Amna’s age, it will take more time from him to recuperate. Kassim Aidara too has fallen out of favour after his dismal performance against Aizawl. So the question is who will take up the responsibility in the midfield?

East Bengal coach has shuffled his midfield in all the matches. But apart from Lalrindika Ralte, everyone failed to impress. With Kamalpreet Singh, Yami Longvah and Brandon Vanlalremdika, East Bengal have some youngest talents at their disposal but the constant tinkering might have lowered their confidence.

However, to get a hand on the title, East Bengal midfielders need to show more urgency on the pitch. There needs to be player who supplies the ball to the strikers, which Amna does quite easily. Also, there needs to be someone who will hold the ball and keep the shape on midfield.

Minerva will definitely try to make use of this opportunity. Their coach Paul Munster said, “I wouldn’t pick any specific player of them (East Bengal). But I have seen the number nine (Enrique Esqueda) and our players will definitely keep an eye on him. But apart from him, I haven’t seen any player whom we would fear.”

#1 Defenders need to get their act together

After the signing of Johnny Acosta and Borja Gomez, East Bengal were touted to have the strongest defence. But conceding five goals in the last two matches has brought their ability into question.

More than the number of goals, the way they have conceded is definitely a cause of concern. Against Aizawl, Kamalpreet failed to clear a rebound from goalkeeper near the goalmouth and Felix Chidi easily tapped it home.

As for the second one, Lalkhawmawpuia scored from a goalmouth melee and East Bengal defenders were clearly at fault for that. They failed to clear the corner quickly and also forgot to mark the Aizawl midfielder, who was let free inside the box.

The third goal was the worst among them. Lalkhawmawpuia scored from a brilliant counter-attack for the home side. During the goal, there was a clear miscommunication between Gomez and Acosta, with the latter nowhere near the incident.

Gomez even acknowledged they were at fault when he said, “Our defence put up a good performance overall. But in the last match, we made some mistakes and paid for that. From the next match, we’ll try not to commit a mistake."

True to his words, East Bengal defenders need to get their act together. The gap between the I-League teams is slim and a single mistake can cost you the game.

Edited by Aravind Suchindran