ISL 2022-23: "We didn't deserve to win" - Kerala Blasters coach Ivan Vukomanovic on loss to Mumbai City FC

Kerala Blasters succumbed to a 2-0 defeat to Mumbai City FC in their fourth match of the 2022-23 Indian Super League (ISL) season on Friday (October 28).

Mehtab Singh opened the scoring for the Islanders 21 minutes into the game at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi. Jorge Pereyra Diaz added to Kerala Blasters' woes, doubling the visitors' lead 10 minutes later.

Kerala Blasters struggled to get a grip on the match in the first half but produced an improved performance in the second period. However, they ultimately failed to get back in the game and have now lost three games on the bounce.

Speaking ahead of the match, Kerala Blasters head coach Ivan Vukomanovic stressed the need for his players to come on top at certain moments, like aerial duels and second balls. However, the Yellow Army struggled to do that against Mumbai City, especially in the first half.

Responding to a question about the same after the match, Vukomanovic said:

"As a coach, it makes me unhappy first of all, because of the loss, because of the fans and everybody. Then it makes me frustrated because as a coach, using your energy to repeat these kind of things every day and these kind of things are actually the things that have to be there.

"On the other hand, looking at that reaction and the difference between the first and second half, it makes you wonder and ask yourself why we can't start like that. Because nobody can say that we cannot do it because in every game, even last season and so far, we have shown that we are capable of doing that."

The Serbian added:

"So it's about moments of personality, motivation, being responsible, having that part of being brave, where you want to go into fights, and these kinds of things at this level, not just ISL, worldwide, if you don't have those kinds of things, you can never win games. That's, clear. Full stop."

Vukomanovic went on to point out how Kerala Blasters showed glimpses of their potential in the second half. He said:

"From one side, I was angry and frustrated watching that first half when we were not good in duels, we were not good in second balls, we were not doing those things, and then in the second half, it happened.

"Of course, there were certain things that we had to say during half-time to make that moment awaken. In the second half, we saw the way we wanted to play, the way we wanted to push our opponent today, the way we wanted to create chances."

He added:

"Then it made me happy because I saw a couple of good moments, a couple of good chances. In football, we can speak about bad luck but you know in professional sport and especially football, luck, you have to deserve.

"So I think that today, seeing the facts of the first half, we didn't deserve to win. Even the chances we had in the second half, it makes us have this positive attitude, mindset and a reference."

Vukomanovic also explained the need for the Yellow Army to take the positives from their second-half performance against the Islanders and build on that. He said:

"We have to be like that, we have to continue like that and then work on that because these kinds of things, especially three losses back-to-back, it makes you doubt.

"But again, we as a team, the only way there is sleep, work hard on football, work even harder and then prepare for the next game. That's the only way."

---

Rahul KP was dangerous, says Kerala Blasters boss Vukomanovic

Rahul KP, who was handed his first start of the ISL season, was one of the bright spots for Kerala Blasters on the night. Vukomanovic waxed lyrical about the young winger's display after the match and said:

"Today, we knew exactly why we wanted Rahul on the right side, making these actions, having these situations, one against one, we wanted to create those things.

"He was good, I'm very happy. The fact that it was his first game that he started since the start of the ISL. He was good in possession, he was good in pressing, he was good in individual actions, one against one, He was defending, he was dangerous."

The Kerala Blasters boss, though, expressed his disappointment with how his midfield was stretched in the first half:

"The less good thing was that our midfield was stretched in the first half. We were losing many balls, we lost all the duels, and it gave the impression that our team was disconnected because we didn't have the heart of our team in the first half."

Vukomanovic has changed his personnel in an effort to turn things around in recent games, but to no avail. Asked if he is now tempted to change the team's shape in the next match, he said:

"This is something that the technical staff takes into consideration every day, believe it or not, every team worldwide. There is always talk in the office among the technical staff about changing, trying something else, or maybe exploring something new.

"So of course, there are many new ideas that we want to try, but it always goes [according to] the material and the players, how they will fit in a certain formation."

However, the Kerala Blasters boss pointed out that his team lost to Mumbai City because they lacked character and not because their formation or tactics were poor:

"Today, it was not a question of shape or formation. It was about character and mentality, how you will respond because all tactics and all shapes are good."

"So, there is not one that is bad. All of them, they're good. So, the way how we played, of course, we'll try to work on that, try to solve problems and issues. And, who knows, maybe we'll change something."

Kerala Blasters are now ninth in the ISL table with three points, having won just one and lost three of their four matches so far.