Champions become those whose players has clear role clarity. While no team can be perfect and every side has its loopholes, this necessity was exactly what Mohun Bagan lacked badly against Mumbai City FC.
-: 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS from Mohun Bagan vs Mumbai City FC :-
1.Lack of Full Back Support
We praised Subhasish for his performance against BFC and how he was regaining his form. But, surprisingly, the graph saw a drastic decline against the Islanders; it turned into a nightmare game for him. In Sergio Lobera’s system, we all know how crucial the role of a fullback is. Subhasish started as a left back as usual and shifted into a left wing back role in the first half.
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| A. MCFC initiate a transition. With Mohun Bagan’s previous attack not coming from the left side, Bose is positioned too high, leaving exploitable space behind. B. Chhangte accelerates into that space. Bose fails to match his pace during recovery. C. Chhangte beats him comfortably in the race, with Bose unable to close the gap. (Vishal saved eventually) Via: FanCode |
What was surprising, however, was his failure to track back. Chhangte kept making dangerous runs, forcing Vishal to deal with one-on-one situations, while Subhasish was nowhere in sight! Even after conceding, Vishal had to pull off a double save and just before that, the way Chhangte made Subhasish smell the dust so easily was both pathetic and extremely frustrating to watch. It often felt like Subhasish was just standing on the flank, almost as if he had forgotten his defensive duties.
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| A. Chhangte meets a looping ball. B. Bose reacts late, allowing Chhangte to clear ahead. (Vishal had to make a double save!) Via: FanCode |
In the second half when Mohun Bagan trailing by a goal, Deepak Tangri was introduced in place of Anirudh Thapa. Tangri, being a more appropriate defensive midfielder, indicated a shift towards regaining physical control in the middle and to neutralize Kauko and Zothanpuia. Simultaneously, Robson Robinho was brought on, adding a natural attacking outlet on the left flank.
This change, in theory, should have benefited Subhasish Bose. With a genuine winger like Robson ahead of him, Bose had the opportunity to overlap, provide width, and create numerical superiority in wide areas. However, instead of pushing forward, he remained unusually defensive-minded, adopting a conservative, withdrawn positioning possibly to contain the threat posed by Chhangte – a completely contrasting performance from what he had done in the first half.
From a tactical standpoint, an alternative adjustment could have been made by Lobera, for instance, introducing Amey Ranawade to operate on the right flank and shifting Abhishek subsequently to the left flank. While this adjustment was not executed, the larger issue lay in Subhasish's in-game awareness and role clarity.
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| No support for Robson. Subhasish Bose was absent. He was not even seen coming. A clear contrast between the two halves. Via: FanCode |
There was a clear lack of coordination on the left side. When Robson attempted to initiate attacking moves and was often double or triple-marked, Subhasish failed to provide the necessary passing outlet or overlapping support. This resulted in poor spacing and a visible disconnect between the fullback and the winger. The responsibility of progressive play and supporting Robson on the left flank primarily fell on Bose. This is a role he has done well in, so far in the previous seasons, especially while combining attacks with the skilled wingers like Liston. Viewers watching the match on screen often could not find Bose within the frame, while those in the gallery could clearly observe the excessive distance between the two players!
However, on this occasion, his performance was uncharacteristically underwhelming. Whether due to tactical instructions following a difficult first half or individual hesitation, his lack of game awareness was evident. Besides tactical instructions, there are always decisions and responsibilities that players must execute themselves on the field. As the team captain and a senior player with years of experience, it simply cannot be dismissed as an off day; rather, it reflects a deeper issue of role clarity and a significant lapse in game awareness and positional responsibility.
Although Tekcham Abhishek Singh gave a decent performance, he often found himself scrambling back to defense, thanks to stamina being on his side. However, he too failed to bring the X-factor in the attack. He showed indecisiveness while delivering crosses and was too afraid to make the runs down the line and into the box. At times, there was an empty space on the right wing and he rather chose to move the ball towards midfield.
2.Ineffective Dimi
In terms of form, effectiveness, and overall impact, Dimitri Petratos, unfortunately, ranks towards the bottom end amongst Mohun Bagan's six foreign players at the moment. Even though he looks better than last season and tries to take on more responsibility, he didn't have much of an impact against Mumbai City FC, which was both disappointing and frustrating for the fans to watch. He began on the left, with Liston Colaco on the right and Jason Cummings in the middle. But whenever Petratos plays from the wing, that side tends to lose its attacking edge. Fullbacks can give a team width, but they need a complementary player in front of them. This could be a natural winger like Manvir or Robson, or at least a dynamic player like Sahal Abdul Samad or Cummings who can drift wide.
Even after shifting centrally, Petratos failed to improve his impact. His ball progression was largely negative– receiving under mild pressure, turning backward, and recycling possession with square or back passes that could have been executed earlier. Statistically, his carries lacked penetration– minimal forward progression compared to total distance (32 meters out of 177 meters)– reflecting a reluctance to break lines. While his heatmap may suggest involvement, his pass map reveals a lack of quality and attacking intent.
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| Petratos’s passmap against MCFC. (Via: Sofascore) |
Tactically, he does not currently fit the profile of a central attacking midfielder, lacking the dynamism, progressive passing, and quick decision-making required for that role. His optimal position remains that of a second striker, where he can operate closer to goal, provided natural width is maintained by proper wingers on both flanks.
Given the squad composition, players like Sahal and Cummings offer greater tactical value in these roles. Even considering Sahal's inconsistency, his ability to carry the ball and operate between lines provides more attacking thrust. Similarly, Cummings is most effective centrally and should not be deployed out wide.
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| Poor numbers after playing for (90+4+8) minutes. (Via: Sofascore) |
Ultimately, Petratos’ underwhelming display also reflects incorrect usage of his potential. Without sustained minutes and a clearly defined role, he appeared disconnected against Mumbai (and against most other teams since the beginning of the previous season) – an issue that affects both individual performance and overall team structure. Some fans might still be living in a hyperreal world, but a coach must not.
3. Formation Can Be Changed, Not the Roles
A structural shift in buildup is essential in this system, but altering player roles is not. In this match, Mohun Bagan maintained their usual defensive shape similar to previous games – Apuia dropping into a Right Centre Back zone during the attacking transitions, Alberto holding the left, and Mehtab stay further back, with full backs pushing higher up the pitch. Deploying Apuia to distribute balls from the back line shifts the entire structure behind. If the other Centre-Back(in this case, Mehtab) stays further behind, it leaves the defence vulnerable to counter attacks. Apuia's strength lies in linking defence to attack and operating between the lines. While pushing him into a pseudo defensive role had worked earlier, it became counter-productive here. Against the team who has Joni Kauko in midfield and a tactician like Kratky that uses wingers to break the offside trap, it was a contradiction of Sergio Lobera's style which rather emphasized on quick progression and sustained passing sequences in the opponent’s half to create overloads and attacking superiority. This led to Mohun Bagan losing central progression, the authority and attacking penetration through midfield resulting in sterile circulation.
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| A. No support for Robson. B & C. Even after losing possession, the gap is evident. Bose is too far. Passing to Apuia and Liston from that position allowing Mumbai to regroup defensively and nullify any attacking advantage. |
Even if Anirudh Thapa had a slightly off day, the solution was not to displace Apuia deeper but to retain him in an advanced midfield role alongside Thapa to ensure verticality. Meanwhile, Abhishek, who is still developing and not naturally likes to cross– could have been kept within a more conservative fullback structure alongside Alberto and Mehtab.
In short: the formation tweak was acceptable, but the role distortion, be it of Apuia or Cummings or Bose, blunted Mohun Bagan’s midfield progression, attacking efficiency, and sometimes defensive shape.
4. Dire Need of Variation in Set-Pieces
Another major concern was the lack of variation in setpieces. Mohun Bagan had 17 corners, yet barely one or two looked remotely threatening. Statistically, even by basic probability, such volume should yield at least a few high quality chances but there was neither sharpness nor unpredictability.
Delivery and execution were poor. Robson, returning from injury, lacked impact, while Mumbai's defenders such as Nuno Reis and Chhetri, dealt with the crosses comfortably. Most deliveries were predictable, allowing routine clearances, with the goalkeeper rarely tested beyond basic saves.
The issue also extended to decision making. In the 96th minute, a freekick from just outside the box was taken by Dimitri Petratos, with both Robson and Liston being there in the field, raising questions about role clarity. Setpiece hierarchy and execution should be clearly defined in training, identifying the best suited takers for specific zones.
Going forward, Mohun Bagan must introduce variation and role clarity in setpieces. Players like Robson Robinho, Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad, Jason Cummings, and Liston Colaco should be more actively utilized depending on the situation. Incorporating structured routines: near post flick-ons, decoy runs, short corner combinations, and rehearsed patterns (as seen in teams that play following this kind of system): can significantly improve results.
5.PRESS. ENABLE. SCORE.
Giving up one or two goals is fair given the proactive style of game Mohun Bagan is attempting to adopt. But there are two important issues that need to be addressed.
Firstly, there can't be such a bad way to concede. We are not blaming the goal we conceded against Mumbai but players like Chhangte and Noufal were able to create gaps with ease, which was unsatisfactory from a structural and defensive standpoint. Pressing can be an effective way to counter this. In modern football, ball development usually begins from defence and as we have seen countless times, the opponent presses all the way to the keeper's box from all angles, to capture the ball and score. If Bagan presses effectively in the opponent's half, it would be enough for the opponent to fumble or gain ample time for Bagan's midfield and defence structure to get back into proper defending position.
Vishal Kaith made 3 incredible 1-on-1 saves this match, to protect Mohun Bagan from a humiliating defeat. In one such instance, he rushed out to deny Chhangte from scoring and got back up in a flash to deny Pereyra Diaz from scoring. With 303 saves for the club, he will be crucial in Mariner's quest for glory this ISL season.Mariners, you've chosen Vishal Kaith as your MBSGvMCFC Player of the Match, on our website https://t.co/6NOhg7YCn8!
— MBFT (@MBFT89) March 23, 2026
Vishal has accumulated 81% Votes, in 722 responses 👊#JoyMohunBagan #MBFT pic.twitter.com/rpPX9KGabh
Secondly, if the team is willing to accept high-scoring games (e.g. 4-2, 5-2 compared to last season’s controlled 1-0, 2-0 wins), then attacking penetration must significantly improve. This requires better integration of Jamie Maclaren into the system. At present, he remains too isolated for two consecutive matches.
To engage Maclaren more effectively (as seen in previous matches), the team must increase early vertical deliveries into the box rather than slow buildup plays, create cut back zones through overlapping fullbacks or wide overloads, ensure closer support around him (second striker/ more preferably a proper CAM like Jason), deliver more low crosses and through balls rather than predictable aerial balls. More players need to make the run into the box and attract defenders allowing Maclaren to get into the right spaces and score.
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| "He builds. We believe." Can Sergio Lobera keep the trust? (Photo: ISL Media) |
Next is a crucial away game against Jamshedpur FC, where Mohun Bagan struggled last season (1-1 draw in the league, 2-1 loss in the semifinal first leg). For this match, a balanced setup would be: Alberto, Robson, Maclaren, and Cummings as the four foreigners, with Cummings ideally in a CAM role. Liston Colaco or Manvir Singh can operate on the right, while Thapa and Apuia continue in midfield but higher up the pitch executing the main role of ball distribution and attacking transition. Bose can start despite his dispicable performance last game, given his experience and attacking value.
Jamshedpur, under Owen Coyle, will be a tough opponent. Special attention must be on key players like Madih Talal and Stephen Eze. Mohun Bagan have the quality, and the only real threat is their own inconsistency in maintaining what they're actually planning on executing. To conclude, everyone must recall that we have a coach with sheer tactical brilliance, and the coach himself must recall that he has full authority over selection and decisions on who to play and who to bench.
As of now, Mumbai City FC claims the top spot. After 6 matches, we drop down to the second place with 13 points. 7 matches remain!
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