Bengaluru FC head coach Simon Grayson believes his team will 'keep going to the very end' | ISL 2022-23

Despite showing some promising signs in the last few matches, Bengaluru FC’s performances have once again been below par this season. In their opening 12 encounters, the Blues have emerged victorious only thrice and have already suffered eight defeats.

As a result, they are languishing in ninth place just above Jamshedpur FC and Northeast United FC.

Simon Grayson’s men have struggled to put together a good run. However, they are set to face a team void of any confidence at the moment. Northeast United FC will come into the game on the back of a 6-1 thumping at the hands of Hyderabad FC.

Grayson, however, believes that their game against the bottom-placed side on Friday (January 6) will be challenging. Asked about the prospect of facing NorthEast United at the pre-match press conference, he said:

"We have got to get back to winning ways as quickly as possible and they (NorthEast) got a new coach. I watched their game against ATK Mohun Bagan where they won it and played well against them. Different style of football, some different players in there, so it’s never easy going up to NorthEast in the first place. It’s a new challenge for us."

Nevertheless, the English manager feels that his team are capable of achieving positive results if they believe in themselves. He continued:

"Again, it’s another team, whether the bottom of the division or top of the division we respect but we certainly are not fearful of anybody. We got a point to practice this a lot of things that we have done well, do better in certain other aspects of it all, but keep the belief and confidence I feel that we do have in the squad."

"I think we have seen that in the last few weeks, performances against ATK, Hyderabad, East Bengal, that we are not a team playing without confidence. It’s a team that are believing in themselves, will keep going to the very end, and not giving up on games with five, or ten minutes to go. We keep to the very end and we got to do that again on Friday night."

“I don’t know if it has an impact on the players” - Simon Grayson on former Bengaluru FC player Cleiton Silva scoring against them

Bengaluru FC were given a hammer blow when they faced East Bengal in their previous outing. The Blues’ former star - Cleiton Silva scored twice, including a stunning last-minute free-kick to seal a crucial victory for the Red and Gold Brigade.

Asked about the goal’s impact on the players, Grayson stated.

"I don’t know if it has an impact on the players. It’s probably more frustrating to see former players scoring against you, especially the level of the quality. He did really well for the football club and left before I came to the club. It was quite a poignant day; I suppose. A Brazilian scores twice on the day of Pele’s death and sometimes these things happen in life, that things are meant to be on a particular day things happen."

Highlighting Cleiton Silva's qualities, he continued:

"He’s a good player, he’s proved that but it’s got nothing to do with our players, he’s paid to play and paid to score goals and he did that against us and we are not the only team he has scored against."

"But what we got to do is a group is to make sure that any star players or any good players don’t get opportunities against us and that's something we need to keep working and striving towards till the very end of the season."

Roy Krishna also joined his manager at the press conference. The Fiji international has failed to hit the ground running for Bengaluru FC, with just one goal to his name so far.

Speaking about his poor form and how he is handling it, Krishna revealed:

"I know how to deal with this. I’m more experienced. If you ask me this maybe 10 years before, then I’d struggle, but if people know me, I’m a different character even though I don’t score. I train hard and I’m doing everything right off the field."

"On the field, I need a bit of luck to score that goal and hopefully, it’s against NorthEast but I just keep doing my thing. Just work hard for the team and hopefully, this new year can bring something special.

Bengaluru FC will hope that their solid performances will help them pick up the three points. Meanwhile, Northeast United have a point to prove after their disappointing defeat against Hyderabad FC.