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East Bengal FC were handed their second defeat of their Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 by FC Goa in the first encounter of Matchday 2.
The Kolkata giants haven't had the brightest of starts to their ISL campaign. Kerala Blasters FC drubbed Stephen Constantine's men in the season opener. The story wasn't too different when the Red and Gold Brigade met Carlos Pena's side.
East Bengal FC struggled to mount pressure on the FC Goa defense in the first half. The team got back into the game in the second half only to concede cheaply in the game's final moments.
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Second-half changes by Stephen Constantine brought life into the side as the Kolkata giants forced FC Goa to sit back on a few occasions. But before the final nail could be hammered, Constantine's men turned out to be on the receiving end of a defensive calamity.
On that note, let's take a look at three things we learned from today's game.
#3 East Bengal FC's ineffectiveness on the flanks
It is very important for a team to have an effective attacking department that consists of good wingers. But in the case of East Bengal FC's starting eleven, that hasn't been the case for the last two matches. Stephen Constatine's decision to field Sumeet Passi and Tuhin Das was subject to criticism from fans and pundits.
In the match against Kerala Blasters FC, the two wingers were highly ineffective, leading to the opposition exposing the side on the flanks. The encounter against FC Goa had a similar fate.
The wingers seemed clueless throughout their time on the field and were unable to create opportunities for the Red and Gold Brigade. With the likes of Aniket Jadhav and Himanshu Jangra on the bench, Constantine's decision to field Passi and Das came across as confusing.
#2 East Bengal FC's ineffectiveness in transitions
The Red and Gold Brigade did not look like a side that has gelled together as a side. The impact of this is visible in East Bengal FC's performance so far. The team looks dependent on the individual brilliance of a few players rather than functioning as a complete unit. Stephen Constantine's side struggled to string passes together and opted for aimless long balls into the opposition's half.
With a side like FC Goa who prefer to keep the ball, playing direct did not seem like the best route forward in the game. As a result, the side were caught being behind the ball on most occasions.
The Kolkata-based outfit need more work on their transitions as well. After retaining possession, East Bengal FC players have had trouble finding relevant options to progress into the next phase of play. This cost the Red and Gold Brigade against a side like FC Goa.
#1 Ivan Gonzalez's poor performance
Ever since the Kolkata derby in the Durand Cup, Ivan Gonzalez has been lauded as one of the best recruits for East Bengal FC. However, the Spaniard failed to impress against his former club. Gonzalez was all over the place and looked like a shadow of his usual self.
It was his fault that led to the first goal. Gonzalez's rushed attempt allowed Brandon to open the scoring in the match. His rashness was evident in many more circumstances that could have proved costly for Constantine's side.
