Experience and knowledge of Indian players has helped Habas, Lobera and myself – Cuadrat

Bengaluru FC suffered their first defeat last week when they went down to ATK Mohun Bagan. The Blues are third on the Indian Super League (ISL) table with 12 points from seven matches.

Carles Cuadrat was asked to explain why Bengaluru haven’t looked at their fluent best this season. The Spaniard pointed that despite the criticism, only three coaches in the ISL, namely Sergio Lobera and Antonio Habas, have been helping their team qualify for the play-offs regularly.

“The other team also has a tactical plan. They will not allow you to play your best football. The three coaches, Antonio Habas, Sergio Lobera and Carles Cuadrat, that have more experience in the league have achieved around 80 points; the only three coaches to have achieved that. It means you have been working for a while, knowing the league and the Indian players. The teams that we have managed have been getting results, season after season. We were losing only four games last season and Goa maybe just three in the previous season,” reasoned Cuadrat.

He also highlighted that games between teams managed by Lobera, Habas and himself are decided by fine margins. Against ATK Mohun Bagan, Cleiton Silva had a gilt-edged chance but the Brazilian couldn’t convert which in the end made the difference as David Williams scored his first this season.

“Of course, we know coaches the league and we have been achieving play-offs season after season. It is a game of tactics. Normally the matches between us are decided by close details. In the semi-final, we won 1-0 and then they beat us in Calcutta. The three coaches know the league and little details are making the difference between us. Bagan were making a competitive game and if Cleiton scored then the discussion will be entirely different.  A moment of talent made the difference that day,” he elaborated.
He reiterated that Williams’ quality shone in the last game while his team couldn’t convert the chances that came their way.

“It was a tough game. We knew it could be a game of little margins. The plan was to defend well and move for the counter-attacks. Williams showed his quality with the goal and he was good enough to create the opportunity.  The two teams had little difference but three points went to ATK Mohun Bagan,” he said.

Silva has three goals to his name from seven games but the Thai league’s all-time topscorer hasn’t been able to set the ISL on fire. Cuadrat stated that a player isn’t judged just on putting the ball into the back of the net per say.

“(Roy) Krishna and Williams have been scoring the goals for ATK. And we have got three victories till now and Cleiton and Sunil (Chhetri) have been scoring for us in those matches. In football analytics, you have to understand the game. Cleiton has been doing a great job. Only if you put the ball in you are a great player and if out then you are not, that is not the case,” he defended his striker.

ISL

Up next are Jamshedpur for Cuadrat’s side and the Spanish coach believes that a combination of poor refereeing and late goals haven’t helped their cause.

“Jamshedpur are doing good work. They deserve to have more points. Bad refereeing and some last-minute goals have cost them the points. Their foreigners are getting better week after week. The young Indians are also doing well. It is going to be a difficult game for both teams. They are a tough team but we have our plan and we will try to get three points,” he stated.

Cuadrat mentioned that his team do play with a high line of defence and that Nerijus Valskis, who was the topscorer in the ISL last season with Chennaiyin FC, couldn’t breach the Bengaluru defence.

“We have a plan, a good structure and we have conceded the least goals in the previous season. We will miss Ashqiue (Kuruniyan) and so, we have to restructure. But we are a team with a plan and we have been working together for a long time. We have stopped brilliant strikers like Coro (Ferran Corominas), (Modou) Sougou or (Batholomew) Ogbeche.

“We maintain a high line and it is part of the plan. Valskis could not score against us last season and we will try to do the right things in the next game as well,” he pointed.

Ashique Kuruniyan suffered an injury against Odisha FC after getting operated upon, he is expected to move to his hometown in Kerala in order to recover.

“Ashique will be travelling to Kerala to be with family. We cannot tell for how many weeks he is out. He is positive and the treatment is going in the right way,” said Cuadrat.