AGENCIES
MARGAO
Former Barcelona assistant coach said that Bengaluru are the strongest team in the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) at the moment. But at the same time, he maintained his team would do its best to get the desired result and entertain our home fans.
"Bengaluru knows how we play and we know how they play. But what is important to me is that we need to maintain our ideas and philosophies and our style of play. We need to focus on our strategies and ensure we execute what we plan to do. Bengaluru FC are a strong team at this point in time. They have shown they are the team with the best form. For us, it will be important to get the right result against the team that has been most superior so far," the 40-year-old Spaniard said.
Even though Goa conceded an early goal against Mumbai City FC, they still managed to enjoy over 65 per cent possession. Lobera will be hoping to repeat the same against Bengaluru FC when the teams meet for the first time.
FC Goa midfielder Brandon Fernandes, who has faced Bengaluru FC in the Hero I-League, said, "Bengaluru FC are a much stronger team and we have to take that as a challenge. So we need to plan as a team and play confidently. Then we can take it from there."
On the other hand, Bengaluru FC coach Albert Roca wants to capitalise on their good start to the season. The Spanish coach, however, was full of praise for his counterpart Lobera. He said he was looking forward to the encounter. "For sure it is going to be a tough game. Goa has a Catalan coach who has been on the same team as me: Barcelona. We have similar philosophies: maintain possession, press high. They have shown that in their first two games. For me, they have been one of the most impressive teams in the Hero ISL even though they lost their last match."
Roca also tipped FC Goa to make it to the playoffs and go on to win the title. But at the same time, he wants his team to win tomorrow. "We'll try our best to win. Let's see what happens," added the more experienced former assistant coach of Barcelona.
Being a captain doesn't guarantee starting place, says coach Lobera
BASIL SYLVESTER PINTO
MARGAO
Elementary errors happen in lower grades at school but when you play at a top level it is not quite common to commit such howlers manning the horizontal bar in successive games. FC Goa captain, Laxmikant Kattimani has been in the news for the wrong reasons in their two games of ISL4 campaign thus far.
With memes doing the rounds on social media that the Gaurs custodian is their leading goal-scorer to this stage in competition for his inadequacies between the posts, an early axe for the incumbent captain is a clarion call particularly from the disgruntled fans. It draws parallel to the first-choice FC Goa goalkeeper, who after a similar lethargic performance in the initial rounds last season was replaced under the horizontal by another experienced goal-keeper in Subhasish Roy Chowdhury, until he returned in the second leg with regained confidence and a stellar show to keep the doubting fans at bay.
In the Chennai game, Laxmikant Kattimani spilled a regular ball collection from an Inigo Calderon free-kick which rolled into goal. The foul committed by the goalkeeper in the box that led to a penalty which was converted though may be harsh to squarely put the blame on him. But that would be hard to explain his lethargy in a clearance against the Islanders which an alert Everton Santos took full advantage of.
With Kattimani's gaffes between the posts in successive matches, each time at the post-match press conference, his Spanish gaffer, Sergio Lobera defended the Vasco-based shot-stopper as still the best goal-keeper in the country.
Ahead of their first home game against an in-form Bengaluru FC to be played at Fatorda on Thursday, the former Youth Coach at Barcelona acknowledged that a captain is not necessarily the first name on the team-sheet. "Being captain, does not guarantee you a starting spot. I let my team elect the captain. We have four captains (Kattimani, Bruno Pinheiro, Edu Bedia, Mandar Rao Desai). The captain for the match is elected by a voting system. That is the way I like to do it," the FC Goa Head coach maintained.
With Kattimani in goal and as captain, what is the challenge to keep the under-study keepers (Naveen Kumar and Bruno Colaco) motivated to get game time came the next query. "With regards to the goalkeepers, they all have to be professional and be motivated. They have to work hard on the field during training sessions and be professional off it as well as they look at the best possible opportunity (to play)."
While not dropping any subtle hint if Kattimani could be given a break for the BFC game at home, Lobera revealed that he will only take a call on the FC Goa goalkeeper only on match day and accordingly see how they go about bringing solidity in their
weakest link.
