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Fan vs Fan: East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan
Goal.com caught up with fans of East Bengal and Mohun Bagan before the big match between the two sides this Sunday...
20-Feb-2009 12:39:19 AM
We caught up with Rabi Shankar Sen (East Bengal) and Shiladitya Mitra (Mohun Bagan), both of whom are not only big supporters of their favourite clubs but they also run fan websites of their respective clubs.
Mohun Bagan are unbeaten in nine games against East Bengal, so do they hold the upper hand?
Rabishankar Sen (East Bengal): Not really these derby matches are always 50:50. You can never predict a result in these matches beforehand and the form that each team carries coming into this match cannot be considered also. Yes comparatively Mohun Bagan seem to be in a better form after winning 10 matches in a row, but that does not mean they will walk away with the match. East Bengal also have now gained some momentum after two back to back wins. The team which holds its nerve will win the match. So lets wait and watch.
Shiladitya Mitra (Mohun Bagan): Apparently the jinx and the inferiority complex that was present during the 1970s with the Club footballers or supporters are no more there now. Currently, most of the players are either outstation players or foreigners and therefore for them it is like any other football match that has to be won. Coach Karim has infused the self-belief in the players. Therefore, the players just need to play well to continue the winning streak. Our main target now is to win the I-league, so I am sure the players will treat the match like any other game and try to get three points that will help us maintain our position at the top.
East Bengal's Syed Rahim Nabi said that Mohun Bagan have everything to lose from Sunday's game since they are chasing the title, do you agree with that?
Rabishankar: Yes to a certain extent. It is crucial match for them as they are aiming for the I League. There is no doubt that in case they lose the match it will be huge dent to their title chances. For them it is more than pride at stake here. East Bengal will be coming into this match more relaxed and determined to defend their pride more than anything else. So it can be said that MB will be under more pressure.
Shiladitya: Mohun Bagan have still seven (7) matches left in the I-League 2009 and therefore this one match is not the title-decider. Agreed, this is an important match for Mohun Bagan in their quest for the I-League but definitely not the end of the road in case we fail to win. On the contrary, it is a must win for East Bengal Club because if they don’t win on Sunday then they will have to live with the jinx that they have not been able to beat Mohun Bagan Club for quite some time. About Nabi's statement, may be he said this to boost the morale of his team mates and supporters, as they fear not many people will turn up to support them as they have suffered a number of defeats at the hands of Mohun Bagan, the National Club of India.
East Bengal, look to be out of the title race, so is Sunday's game their season's biggest match now?
Rabishankar: Every match in the I League is big. We should single out one match and make it more important just to create more pressure on us. East Bengal will take this match as any other match in the I League. However the overall intensity and grandeur of this match is any day bigger than any other game and both teams will give it a bit more importance than other gamest. Even if we consider that East Bengal look to be out of the title race as of now, we also believe that there is lot to play in the league. You never know which way the course of the league changes.
Shiladitya: As far as the I-League 2009 is concerned, East Bengal it seems has missed the bus. The Club’s only hope is to manage a favourable result against us just for consolation and pride and to keep themselves in a respectable position in the table. Another thing, it is the dream of every team to win against a title contender (laughing).
Have Mohun Bagan been lucky to be where they are now?
Rabishankar: They are definitely having some championship luck, but then you cannot win 10 matches in a row by sheer luck. The performance of the team has been creditable and it is the culmination of both performance and luck which sees MB at the top of the I League.
Shiladitya: Definitely not. There is a saying in English, “Fortune favours the brave”. Mohun Bagan have won 10 matches on the trot both in the league. By sheer luck a team can at best pull out a result in its favour in maybe a match or two but certainly not in ten matches. The people from the media world who are saying these kind of things either do not understand football or may be they support our rivalss. Out of this 10 matches, Mohun Bagan played with 10 men against Dempo and JCT and in Mumbai, they beat Mumbai FC and Air India quite convincingly. All this is termed "luck" by few sections of the media to demean the efforts of Mohun Bagan.
How big a role will the referees play in the match?
Rabishankar: As mentioned earlier no one can match the intensity of this derby and it is obvious that the referees will also be under pressure. Also the expectation of the crowd is such that one bad decision can result in serious consequences and even change the course of the match. They will definitely play a huge role in this match so they will have to very careful with their decisions.
Shiladitya: Thankfully, the referee and the linesmen will be from some other state and therefore will not get overwhelmed by the occasion. Besides, all the referees are from the FIFA panel and will not consciously be biased in favour of a particular side. Of course, they are human beings and may choose to interpret the football rules in their own ways which may or may not be palatable to the contesting teams.
Which opposition player should be closely watched by your team?
Rabishankar: The addition of Marcos in the midfield has bolstered the strength of the team and their ever-dependable Brazilian Jose Ramirez Baretto has really performed well to take Mohun Bagan to the top of the league. The greatest strength of the team lies in the combination of Baretto and Bhaichung and also the way the link up with Marcos. This is the trio, who needs to be monitored closely by our team.
Shiladitya: Football is a team game and all eleven players contribute towards a team’s win or loss. East Bengal's defence is like any other 2nd division team in Kolkata. Their side halfs are very good, especially Renedy Singh and Sonju Pradhan. Renedy it seems is back in form and is delivering his crosses to perfection. There will be a interesting battle on Mohun Bagan's left side when Ishfaq will play against Sonju Pradhan with both the players having good speed. In central midfield, we hope that Ishmael Addo plays as that will be a huge advantage for us with the likes of Marcos in our midfield. However, the pair of Yakubu and Sunil is extremely dangerous and special attention has to be given to them. Both of them have the ability to score goals. The weakest link of East Bengal is their goalkeeper
Which player from your team should the opposition fear?
Rabishankar: The duo of Yakubu and Sunil Chettri. Injury problems and various other issues had prevented this duo from performing at their best in the early parts of the season. However, they seem to coming back to form at the right time. If Vasco match is any indication, so MB need to watch both of them closely. We can just hope they continue with their good form and demolish MB. Mohun Bagan- beware of this awesome duo.
Shiladitya: They will be afraid of the name Mohun Bagan as East Bengal supporters have forgotten when their team had last beaten Mohun Bagan in Salt Lake. Thinking about Baichung and Barreto in offence surely is a nightmare for them
Your Prediction?
Rabishankar: We will win 2-0.
Shiladitya: It will be a low scoring and tactical match. Both teams will not be getting many chances to score and the referee will have to work overtime with the whistle as both sides will be committing lot of fouls and give away free kicks to stop each other from playing fluent attacking football. I would say 2-0 in favour of Mohun Bagan.
Amoy Ghoshal
Mohun Bagan are unbeaten in nine games against East Bengal, so do they hold the upper hand?
Rabishankar Sen (East Bengal): Not really these derby matches are always 50:50. You can never predict a result in these matches beforehand and the form that each team carries coming into this match cannot be considered also. Yes comparatively Mohun Bagan seem to be in a better form after winning 10 matches in a row, but that does not mean they will walk away with the match. East Bengal also have now gained some momentum after two back to back wins. The team which holds its nerve will win the match. So lets wait and watch.
Shiladitya Mitra (Mohun Bagan): Apparently the jinx and the inferiority complex that was present during the 1970s with the Club footballers or supporters are no more there now. Currently, most of the players are either outstation players or foreigners and therefore for them it is like any other football match that has to be won. Coach Karim has infused the self-belief in the players. Therefore, the players just need to play well to continue the winning streak. Our main target now is to win the I-league, so I am sure the players will treat the match like any other game and try to get three points that will help us maintain our position at the top.
East Bengal's Syed Rahim Nabi said that Mohun Bagan have everything to lose from Sunday's game since they are chasing the title, do you agree with that?
Rabishankar: Yes to a certain extent. It is crucial match for them as they are aiming for the I League. There is no doubt that in case they lose the match it will be huge dent to their title chances. For them it is more than pride at stake here. East Bengal will be coming into this match more relaxed and determined to defend their pride more than anything else. So it can be said that MB will be under more pressure.
Shiladitya: Mohun Bagan have still seven (7) matches left in the I-League 2009 and therefore this one match is not the title-decider. Agreed, this is an important match for Mohun Bagan in their quest for the I-League but definitely not the end of the road in case we fail to win. On the contrary, it is a must win for East Bengal Club because if they don’t win on Sunday then they will have to live with the jinx that they have not been able to beat Mohun Bagan Club for quite some time. About Nabi's statement, may be he said this to boost the morale of his team mates and supporters, as they fear not many people will turn up to support them as they have suffered a number of defeats at the hands of Mohun Bagan, the National Club of India.
East Bengal, look to be out of the title race, so is Sunday's game their season's biggest match now?
Rabishankar: Every match in the I League is big. We should single out one match and make it more important just to create more pressure on us. East Bengal will take this match as any other match in the I League. However the overall intensity and grandeur of this match is any day bigger than any other game and both teams will give it a bit more importance than other gamest. Even if we consider that East Bengal look to be out of the title race as of now, we also believe that there is lot to play in the league. You never know which way the course of the league changes.
Shiladitya: As far as the I-League 2009 is concerned, East Bengal it seems has missed the bus. The Club’s only hope is to manage a favourable result against us just for consolation and pride and to keep themselves in a respectable position in the table. Another thing, it is the dream of every team to win against a title contender (laughing).
Have Mohun Bagan been lucky to be where they are now?
Rabishankar: They are definitely having some championship luck, but then you cannot win 10 matches in a row by sheer luck. The performance of the team has been creditable and it is the culmination of both performance and luck which sees MB at the top of the I League.
Shiladitya: Definitely not. There is a saying in English, “Fortune favours the brave”. Mohun Bagan have won 10 matches on the trot both in the league. By sheer luck a team can at best pull out a result in its favour in maybe a match or two but certainly not in ten matches. The people from the media world who are saying these kind of things either do not understand football or may be they support our rivalss. Out of this 10 matches, Mohun Bagan played with 10 men against Dempo and JCT and in Mumbai, they beat Mumbai FC and Air India quite convincingly. All this is termed "luck" by few sections of the media to demean the efforts of Mohun Bagan.
How big a role will the referees play in the match?
Rabishankar: As mentioned earlier no one can match the intensity of this derby and it is obvious that the referees will also be under pressure. Also the expectation of the crowd is such that one bad decision can result in serious consequences and even change the course of the match. They will definitely play a huge role in this match so they will have to very careful with their decisions.
Shiladitya: Thankfully, the referee and the linesmen will be from some other state and therefore will not get overwhelmed by the occasion. Besides, all the referees are from the FIFA panel and will not consciously be biased in favour of a particular side. Of course, they are human beings and may choose to interpret the football rules in their own ways which may or may not be palatable to the contesting teams.
Which opposition player should be closely watched by your team?
Rabishankar: The addition of Marcos in the midfield has bolstered the strength of the team and their ever-dependable Brazilian Jose Ramirez Baretto has really performed well to take Mohun Bagan to the top of the league. The greatest strength of the team lies in the combination of Baretto and Bhaichung and also the way the link up with Marcos. This is the trio, who needs to be monitored closely by our team.
Shiladitya: Football is a team game and all eleven players contribute towards a team’s win or loss. East Bengal's defence is like any other 2nd division team in Kolkata. Their side halfs are very good, especially Renedy Singh and Sonju Pradhan. Renedy it seems is back in form and is delivering his crosses to perfection. There will be a interesting battle on Mohun Bagan's left side when Ishfaq will play against Sonju Pradhan with both the players having good speed. In central midfield, we hope that Ishmael Addo plays as that will be a huge advantage for us with the likes of Marcos in our midfield. However, the pair of Yakubu and Sunil is extremely dangerous and special attention has to be given to them. Both of them have the ability to score goals. The weakest link of East Bengal is their goalkeeper
Which player from your team should the opposition fear?
Rabishankar: The duo of Yakubu and Sunil Chettri. Injury problems and various other issues had prevented this duo from performing at their best in the early parts of the season. However, they seem to coming back to form at the right time. If Vasco match is any indication, so MB need to watch both of them closely. We can just hope they continue with their good form and demolish MB. Mohun Bagan- beware of this awesome duo.
Shiladitya: They will be afraid of the name Mohun Bagan as East Bengal supporters have forgotten when their team had last beaten Mohun Bagan in Salt Lake. Thinking about Baichung and Barreto in offence surely is a nightmare for them
Your Prediction?
Rabishankar: We will win 2-0.
Shiladitya: It will be a low scoring and tactical match. Both teams will not be getting many chances to score and the referee will have to work overtime with the whistle as both sides will be committing lot of fouls and give away free kicks to stop each other from playing fluent attacking football. I would say 2-0 in favour of Mohun Bagan.
Amoy Ghoshal
Inside Goal.Com
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