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Nehru Cup Media Watch: What The Papers Say On India's Loss To Lebanon?
India suffered their second defeat in the current year as they went down 0-1 to Lebanon in the opening clash of the Nehru Cup last evening. Goal.com summarizes what the Indian media has to say on this:
20-Aug-2009 2:06:46 PM
The Times of India:
Aimless India Falter In Opener
It was baffling to see the Indians play the ball in the air frequently despite knowing the Lebanese had a distinct height advantage... Clearly, despite recent and much publicised training camps in Dubai and Barcelona, India failed to show much penetration. They will need to pull up their socks to make headway in the tournament. Let’s see what Houghton comes up with now.
Kolkata Telegraph
India Begin With a Loss
Lebanon had done their homework and tactically looked a much superior side. They won most of the aerial balls and created gaping holes in the Indian defence on the break. Speed was the factor the Lebanese relied upon but they failed to finish...While the midfielders, especially Dias and N.P Pradeep did well to take charge of the middle, neither Bhutia nor Chhetri displayed the extra grit needed to break the organised Lebanese defence. If Houghton thought that the experienced Chetri would be more effective, he was definitely let down by the local boy.
Hindustan Times
Opening Blues
The park made it difficult to play along the ground and that too helped Lebanon close them down...This is not the end of the road but Wednesday’s result must have left India and their English coach a little worried.
The Statesman
Houghton Humbled
Coach Mr Bob Houghton, whose pseudo-oracular pronouncements about Indian football always reveal his total dissociation from Indian football's primary realities, came a cropper today. Having got the team to go to Barcelona for practice and matches against unheard-of, untested club sides of doubtful quality, the combination he has held on to for some time failed in their first test.
And, euphemistically speaking, Lebanon are not the sort of team you mention in the same breath as South Korea or Japan, let alone Brazil or Italy. Nothing went right for the local side today~ their forward line-up was stingless and defence porous. Sheer luck saved them from conceding a goal at the very third minute. None of the Indian players could put a decent performance.
Indian Express
India Tumble against Lebanon
A sea of saffron, white and green, the Ambedkar Stadium rose as one to welcome the defending champions. Two years ago, India had beaten the odds to lift the title at this venue and the decibel levels matched the high expectations as Bhaichung Bhutia & Co strode out for their opening encounter against Lebanon. The wall of noise, unfortunately, crumbled into silence just four minutes after kick-off.
Goal.com India.
Aimless India Falter In Opener
It was baffling to see the Indians play the ball in the air frequently despite knowing the Lebanese had a distinct height advantage... Clearly, despite recent and much publicised training camps in Dubai and Barcelona, India failed to show much penetration. They will need to pull up their socks to make headway in the tournament. Let’s see what Houghton comes up with now.
Kolkata Telegraph
India Begin With a Loss
Lebanon had done their homework and tactically looked a much superior side. They won most of the aerial balls and created gaping holes in the Indian defence on the break. Speed was the factor the Lebanese relied upon but they failed to finish...While the midfielders, especially Dias and N.P Pradeep did well to take charge of the middle, neither Bhutia nor Chhetri displayed the extra grit needed to break the organised Lebanese defence. If Houghton thought that the experienced Chetri would be more effective, he was definitely let down by the local boy.
Hindustan Times
Opening Blues
The park made it difficult to play along the ground and that too helped Lebanon close them down...This is not the end of the road but Wednesday’s result must have left India and their English coach a little worried.
The Statesman
Houghton Humbled
Coach Mr Bob Houghton, whose pseudo-oracular pronouncements about Indian football always reveal his total dissociation from Indian football's primary realities, came a cropper today. Having got the team to go to Barcelona for practice and matches against unheard-of, untested club sides of doubtful quality, the combination he has held on to for some time failed in their first test.
And, euphemistically speaking, Lebanon are not the sort of team you mention in the same breath as South Korea or Japan, let alone Brazil or Italy. Nothing went right for the local side today~ their forward line-up was stingless and defence porous. Sheer luck saved them from conceding a goal at the very third minute. None of the Indian players could put a decent performance.
Indian Express
India Tumble against Lebanon
A sea of saffron, white and green, the Ambedkar Stadium rose as one to welcome the defending champions. Two years ago, India had beaten the odds to lift the title at this venue and the decibel levels matched the high expectations as Bhaichung Bhutia & Co strode out for their opening encounter against Lebanon. The wall of noise, unfortunately, crumbled into silence just four minutes after kick-off.
Goal.com India.
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