ATK Mohun Bagan continued its sway over traditional rival East Bengal with a 2-0 win at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday, to extend its winning record to five matches in the Indian Super League (ISL).
Here are the excerpts from Juan Ferrando’s press conference:
What is the one point from the match would you like to improve on?
The most important thing for me today was to find free space. Towards the end, the team managed to find free space behind the right back and left back. Of course, we need to improve in transition as it is difficult because the size of the pitch is quite big and it’s necessary to change the team’s mentality and that has to be accomplished before the next match.
How much will ATK Mohun Bagan celebrate this win?
We are professionals. We are happy but it’s important to not think a lot about the win. Today was the day for our supporters, but we have to prepare for the next match. Three weeks ago, we were not the worst team, and now (after three games), we are not the best team. It’s important for us to keep calm and keep going. From Sunday, we will prepare for Mumbai City FC.
Sportstar got to experience one of the oldest footballing rivalries, ATK Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal FC, as the Kolkata Derby made its home soil ISL debut last weekend. From Lozenge Maashi and the tifos to our takeaways from the experience, check out the reporter diary.Are you more satisfied that you came out with a clean sheet?
My preference is always the three points. Clean sheets don’t matter, it’s about the three points. What matters more during the season is the points that you have and not the clean sheet. Clean sheets are individual awards. For me and the team, the most important thing is to get three points every game.
For all the domination the team had, and as you said the team was finding the free space behind the fullbacks, do you think decision-making in the final third needs to be improved for all the possession the team manages in the games?
Professional football is proof that it’s hard to create the space and perfect the timing of the move, to work in tight spaces is not easy but I’m happy with the team, everybody is learning our process and I believe with each passing game the team will be more confident.
Manvir Singh was on the scoresheet for the team tonight. How important do you think the goal will be for his form and for the team?
The most important thing for me is he’s giving his best effort every day, he tries to be the best player in the training sessions. He knows his position well, he knows the press, he has a lot of things, but of course, you have to work on some points because it’s not so easy. For one number 9 to find spaces between the centre-backs, there is a moment to close down one centre-back, there is a moment to go back into your space.
But I’m happy with him because he is the kind of a player who is ready to work on these things in the training and wants to improve himself. Last season, he worked incredibly hard and his performance was good. Now, his performance is amazing, he’s got much better with spaces, he controls himself during the press, and knows when to make the runs. I hope in my game, he continues to improve because the potential he has is very high and it is not necessary that it will work in the same way.
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