KOLKATA: ATK Mohun Bagan head coach Juan Ferrando was disappointed with his team's performance in the 2nd half as the Mariners went down 2-1 against Bangalore Football Club in the latest fixture of Indian Super League (ISL) at the Salt Lake Stadium.
Inconsistency moved up for ATK Mohun Bagan as they have now faced 3 defeats in their last 6 games. They are currently 4th in the points table with 27 points from 16 games.
Ferrando was dissatisfied with his team's performance and believed that they lacked confidence. Ferrando stated in the post-game press conference: "When we had opportunities, we simply weren't confident enough. The squad is aware of the strategy, but they cheaply traded away possessions. After 62–63 minutes, I was genuinely astonished to see the squad afraid, and I have no idea why," he continued.
Hugo Boumous and Ashique Kuruniyan were absent for the host team, and players like Liston Colaco, Manvir Singh, and Federico Gallego fell short of expectations. In response to a question regarding Liston Colaco's performance, the Spanish head coach expressed his disappointment.
"The team was leaving the game gradually. Therefore, it isn't only about one or two players. The performance of the entire team has disappointed me, said Ferrando.
Roy Krishna returned to haunt the Mariners by scoring a goal against his team to make a point to his old coach. The Fijian was not a part of Ferrando's season-long strategy and was not kept. Ferrando, though, believes it was a mistake for them to pass up the chance in that circumstance.
"Our error led to the goal Roy Krishna scored. That goal's surrender was completely unneeded. The group must advance from its youth level. The head coach remarked, "In India, you have to work as a team and attempt to get better as a team.
The host team was hesitant to alter its lineup during the contest. Asish Rai and Glan Martins were replaced by Fardin Ali Molla and Kiyan Nassiri after waiting until the 85th minute. The Spaniard stated that he was at a loss for what to do because the players were suffering from ailments.
"Some athletes experienced issues with their muscles. They were only available for up to 20 minutes. And on occasion, when the squad is playing well, it is best to deploy young players at the correct time. They will then play with more assurance," he said.
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