Month: February 2016

MB 3-1 Salgaocar

Mohun Bagan earns vital 3 points against Salgaocar in Goa today. Jeje (1) and Glen (2) scored for Bagan.  All three goals were scored in the first half. Salgaocar’s Duffy reduced the margin in the second half. Glen undoubtedly was Hero of the match. However had his team mates been a bit more positive in the second half , he could have got a hattrick.

Debjit was beaten only once today. Otherwise he had a good game.

Balmuchu replaced Luciano and definitely played well. Dhanachandra ,Kingshuk and Raju were the other defenders – and Sanjay Sen must consider bringing back Pritam in place of Raju.

Midfield , particularly central midfield with introduction of Lenny is playing well. Brandon was outstanding. Rather Yusa needs to work hard on his final passes.

Jeje and Glen got few more chances , however were satisfied with the goals scored.

 

Mohun Bagaqn 5-2 Maziya

Mohun Bagan moves to the top spot of Group G after they won against Maziya by 5-2. Sony, Jeje (2) and Glen(2) scored for Bagan. Maziya was able to reduce margin from grave mistakes of Raju who failed during the first goal and scored an own goal later.

In short :

MB 5-2 Maziya
Yangon 2-1 South China.

Squad: Shilton, Dhana, Luciano, Raju, Prabir, Sony, Lenny, Pronay, Yusa, Glen, Jeje

Goals scored : Sony (19′), Jeje (33′ , 69′), Glen (37′, 73′), Raju (Own goal (77′), Imaaz (61′)

Sub : 54′ Kean (Sony), 84′ Bikramjit (Lenny), 88’Sanjay (Raju)

Top spot retained

Mohun Bagan goes past Sporting Clube de Goa to retain the top spot of the iLeague. Katsumi Yusa scored the only goal for Bagan.

Refereeing

For a quality football it is utmost important that refereeing is upto a quality. However today’s refereeing might raise eyebrows and pose a question if the referee was impartial. While the referee targeted Pronay and Luciano from the beginning , he failed to show cards for nastier or at least similar fouls committed by SCG players. He failed to see fouls committed in SCG box on Bagan players which could have resulted to penalties. One wonders what is the stand of AIFF on its refereeing standard. Why referees like Bala are not asked to officiate matches that decides who will be title contender.

Goalkeeping

Bagan could have actually lost the game had Debjit not been under the bar. The decision of playing Debjit , who fumbled against SCG  in the last game the two teams met, seemed to be right and Debjit committed no mistake today.

Defense

Bagan coach can consider moving Raju into central midfield and having Pritam in the field. Dhanachamdra needs some rest. Too many mistakes committed by him could be dangerous in upcoming games.

Lucinao did well to guard Odafa and lead the defense. Raju and Kingshuk did theiur jobs well excepting for one or two occasions.

Midfield

Pronay will be missed in the next game. He might be replaced by Kean, which means Souvik will need to work hard in the central midfield. Brandon was impressive, and should be continued as U23. Sony and Katsumi still need some time to understand where they should place the final ball for Glen.

Sony is holding ball for long at times and opponents are snatching the ball from him. He needs proper support.

Forward

Coach can consider starting Balwant and Jeje and bringing in Glen as substitute when opponents are tired. Though Glen is trying to operate from both ends, he still is fighting hard to avoid tough guards – a fresh Glen in last 30 mins against tired defenders might help.

Yusa was adjudged Hero of the Match today.

 

 

 

 

2 Points wasted again

Mohun Bagan once again wasted two vital points just because they messed up in the final third. A series of wasted opportunities (the count ia 6 in the second half) led Bagan to end up a 1-1 draw with Shillong Lajong FC. SLFC actually played very positively until they got the lead in the first half. It was inevitable that Bagan would concede a goal any moment. With Pranoy not in field, Sarthak and Dhanachandra acting as lost kids in a Mela, Bikramjit unsure of what he is supposed to do, Lajong had quite a few chances in the first half. The goal was scored from a corner that was gifted by Bagan boys.

Glen tried to move a lot but Lajong did a good job to cover him. Sony was more of a target, nasty fouls were committed on him in the first half.

In the second half Kean was replaced by Souvik and later Glen with Balwant. Souvik operated from middle and Balwant started creating panic in Lajong box. This continued until Jeje scored brilliantly. After they conceded the goal Lajong became prodefensive and played for a draw. Bagan failed to break the jinx as a series pf wasted opportunoties took place. Lajong goalie messed up during this session for few times , it seemed a shadow of Shilton Pal is present in him.

 

Jeje was adjudged MoM. Sony could have been selected as well.

 

Coach should consider resting Dhanachandra. Perhaps moving Kinshuk to left, Raju in the middle and bringing back Pritam in the right can consolodate the defence. Balwant and Jeje should play together more often.

Open letter to Westwood

Ashley Westwood, Bangaluru FC coach seems to defy FIFA’s rules of Diversity and Anti-discrimination, and this time once again Mohun Bagan officials were at the receiving end. Here is an open letter from one of Mohun Bagan fans for Westwood.

Dear Ashley Westwood,

Back in 2013 when Bengaluru FC played their first ever I-League match and before the time West Block Blues were born, I was present in Bangalore to see your side go up against Mohun Bagan. We had an awful and confused team back then, we barely scraped a draw with a late CS Sabeeth goal. At that time what I did like about your team was how well organized your team was, how every player seemed to know their roles well. It was all good stuff. Then you romped to a well deserved I-League title. A lot of Mohun Bagan fans did appreciate it, especially given you edged out our arch rivals and your brave and courageous attitude was laudable. For five years we had struggled and it was refreshing to see a new club doing well.

Then, something changed. Mohun Bagan, India’s most successful club got their mojo back. Thanks to a man who was never a star during his playing career we began to dream about success yet again. On 31st May, 2015 I was yet again present in the stands when Mohun Bagan silenced the home crowd under a rain soaked sky to seal our 4th National League title.

And then, you begin to reveal your role as a sore, bitter loser. This is where your trash talks start.

Sample 1: “Bagan has won only two away games, which is poor away form. If you want to win the league, you need to win more than two away games”. (31st May, 2015)

Fact: While Mohun Bagan’s away record wasn’t exemplary they on the other hand, had one of the best home records in history of I-League, dropping points just once in ten games. BFC had a better away record but not by much, having lost just one less game on the road. And let us not forget what happened when your team which is supposed to be good on the road, came to Kolkata for your most important away match. You were humbled 4-1. Humbled. And let us not forget how ordinary you were at the so called fortress, dropping almost 40% points at home, you need to do more than that to win the league.

Sample 2: “They’re [Mumbai FC] just a bad team” (28th Jan, 2016)

Fact: In five meetings till date you have NEVER defeated Khalid Jamil’s Mumbai FC. 4 draws and a loss. Now Jamil’s team isn’t the most eye catching in the league but unlike you, they are not bankrolled by a wealthy steel company. Jamil operates with a limited budget and doesnt have luxury of getting the best facilities. Yet he ALWAYS outsmarts you tactically. If they are a “just a bad team” then I wonder what the team which has not beaten them in two and half seasons is.

Sample 3: “He [Sanjoy Sen] doesn’t have a history as a good coach.” (13th Feb, 2016)

Fact: You do? Pray tell us the list of UEFA Champions League and World Cup trophies you have won as a coach before coming down to India. Or did Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers win EPL when you worked as a staff member with them? Sanjoy Sen has won Durand Cup with United SC (despite being assistant coach he coached the team for most of the tournament) then another IFA Shield. He won IFA Shield with Mohammedan SC. He won I-League with Mohun Bagan. That’s double of what you have achieved as a coach. Oh, and lets not forget head to head you have NEVER beaten Sanjoy Sen, got thrashed 4-1 once and then again 0-2 at your own backyard.

Sample 4: “Three players on the pitch should not have been on. Jeje, Pronay Halder and Prabir Das. They were called for the SAG camp and never got sent and nothing was ever done about it. I know for a fact they got called. I have seen the official sheet and spoke to Lee Johnson who confirmed their names. I am quite certain there is a rule, I-League or FIFA rule, stating that you have to release players for the camp.
“We did, and it ended up killing us today as we missed Udanta (Singh). He scored three goals and we could have done with him today. We release and no one else does. It is not a fair playing field,” (13th Feb, 2016)
Fact: Firstly, SAFF Games is NOT a FIFA tournament. It doesnt affect the FIFA rankings and it is not even the main tournament of SAFF. So FIFA rules don’t quite carry the same weight for it and any club can well enough choose to release any players they want. Mohun Bagan released one player Pritam Kotal, same as Bengaluru FC. Udanta Singh is a great prospect but we are all sure that he isn’t the explosive combination of Messi, Ronaldo, Pele and Maradona that you are making him out to be. No one else releases players? You mean the Indian team which played a whole tournament was solely made up with BFC players?
Sample 5: “Mohun Bagan have been fortunate. They’ve been looked upon favourably. They got one of their games postponed and another brought forward. They actually got drove to the airport by the AIFF, so they’ve been more fortunate than us, ” (12th Feb, 2016)
Fact: AIFF didn’t drive Mohun Bagan to airport. It was done jointly by Mohun Bagan and DSK officials.
Secondly, while we are on the topic of being looked upon favourably by AIFF, I wonder what your views are regarding the fact that first SIX games BFC played in their title winning season were all home games. Those matches helped BFC to build a momentum which carried them through. How about the fact that AIFF has also helped out BFC by securing them from any chances of a relegation in first 3 seasons. If these aren’t favours from AIFF, then we need to have a different definition of the word.
Mr Westwood, you are not the first foreign coach in India. Nor the first one to win I-League or Fed Cup. Foreigners who won it before you didn’t look down upon Indian coaches like you do (despite having a better CV). Armando Colaco, a man who won five I-League titles had a grudge against Kolkata clubs but never did he doubt the coaching credentials of his rivals. If you think this atmposhere of hostility that you are trying to create will be something like what Sir Alex Ferguson used to do in Aberdeen or Manchester United, then you are sorely mistaken. Fans in Kolkata aren’t based on the lovey dovey European model of chants and banners. And I am sure unlike travelling Mohun Bagan fans, hundred of whom made it to Kanteerva, not many of four club’s fair weather fans will make the trip to Barasat stadium. Given your boorish statements in media recently Mohun Bagan fans are likely to give you and your team a welcome you may not have received in India till date.

 

 

[Somnath Sengupta is an urdent Mohun Bagan fan and lives in Pune, India.]

 

Rightfully got back 3 points

Mohun Bagan rightfully got back 3 points- what the team deserves. With plenty of misses upfront, Jeje and Sony rightfully scored for Bagan. Kean Lewis was rightfully chosen MoM. BFC rightfully got a marching order.

 

However Bagan needs to improve upon the understanding of Sony, Glen and Yusa to rightfully retain the iLeague.

MB 0-0 MFC

Mohun Bagan split points with Mumbai FC in their away match. With virtually zero central attack and a very slow Glen, Sony missed the easiest chance of the day when he got an open net and hit the ball at the bar. Arata was awarded MoM, while Eric or Pradeep were better than him, questioning the credibility of the selection.

 

Bagan players seem to have lost the touch and understanding when in final third. Lots of miss passes marred the opportunity of getting 3 points. Glen is also becoming a liability in the attacking third. Her can’t even reach for the ball in number of occasions. Balwant is really been missed.

 

Shandong 6-0 MB

Shandong Luneng Taishan FC humiliates Mohun Bagan with a 6-0 scoreline. The skeleton of Bagan’s defence were barely exposed by the oranges in the game. Two goals were scored in the first half and four in the second. Debjit Majumder’s inexperience in international football also mattered. Sony, Jeje and Kean got chances to reduce the margin but they failed. Twice Bagan’s shots were hit in the post. Pranoy and Sony tried their best, however Glen’s absence was clearly felt.

 

Bagan will now play in Tier 2 championship on 24-2-2016 against Maziya Sports & Recreation (Maldeves)