5 Things We Learnt from Mohun Bagan's 5-1 win against Odisha FC

bySagnik Chakraborty -

Mohun Bagan ended the Friday 5 pm clash against Odisha FC with many positive takeaways. After days of drama regarding closed door match, fines, disciplinary issues and so on, AIFF eventually agreed to allow the game to be partially opened to fans. As a result, 29,777 spectators returned to the stands, once again turning VYBK into the heaven for the Mariners.

-:5 Key Takeaways from Mohun Bagan v/s Odisha FC:-


1. Jamie Maclaren: A Striker’s Manual:-

The top scorer in A League and a five time golden boot winner, Jamie Maclaren, showed exactly what he is capable of! A natural predator inside the box, his exceptional off-the-ball movement, something young strikers can closely study, proved decisive as he found the net four times in a sensational performance.

Maclaren's first hattrick for Mohun Bagan marks a remarkable feat, as he became the first player since Modou Sougou (Mumbai City FC) in 2018 to score four goals in an ISL match.

The opening goal was a photo finish. Petratos produced a clever backheel to release the ball to Subhasish Bose on the left flank. With ample space ahead of him, Bose delivered a pinpoint first time cross into the box, where Maclaren timed his run perfectly and powered a header past Amrinder Singh, leaving him no chance to respond.

A. Maclaren positions himself ahead of the defender.
B. As Petratos moves forward, Maclaren pulls off his run to avoid the marker.
C. Petratos draws a defender away, and Maclaren arrives at the perfect spot at the perfect moment.
(Via: FanCode)


Liston Colaco was the creator for the second and third goals, finding Maclaren in the box. For the moment, Maclaren intelligently positioned himself to exploit the gap as Jason Cummings and Alberto Rodríguez, who had pushed up following a set piece, dragged defenders away and opened up space, while the third was a classic poacher's finish – sharp and instinctive!

A. The extra man up after a set piece.
B. Cummings dragging one or two defenders away.
C. Maclaren making himself free.
(Via: FanCode)


His fourth goal came late in the second half when he found Manvir Singh's excellent through ball. Maclaren showed great composure to place the ball into the far corner. The goal highlighted one of his key strengths: his ability to evade the offside trap while deceiving defenders – something we also caught a glimpse of in the opening match and in the derby last season.

A. Starts the run at the perfect moment as the ball is released.
B. Accelerates his pace.
C. Meets the ball ahead of Delgado.
(Via: FanCode)




2. Shuffling and Reshuffling in Midfield:-

At the start, Lobera placed Liston Colaco at the middle, Cummings on the right and Petratos on the left. He reshuffled the attack after a while, seeing Odisha intercept early and apply pressure, by moving Liston to the right wing while Cummings dropped deeper into the box alongside Maclaren. Apuia tracked back to play as a pseudo center back, while Anirudh Thapa was allowed space to act as the bridge between Alberto, Apuia, Mehtab at the back and Dimi, Cummings, Liston up front. Subhasish and Abhishek started to overlap.

Liston Colaco's Heat Map. (Via: Fotmob)


After a seemingly haphazard start, Bagan finally looked in conjunction. Lobera did nothing special but continued with what he had done since the first match: overloading the midfield, while side backs at times almost seemed to play as the main wingers. Petratos, who is not a typical winger like Robson, was thus allowed to play more freely and take on more workload.

Dimitri Petratos’s Heat Map. (Via: Fotmob)


Again, at a point of the game, Cummings shifted to the left and Petratos back in the middle. These constant shuffles and reshuffles often unsettles the opponents' tactical shape and plan, something Lobera-ball applied with effortless precision.




3. Flying Fullbacks and Captain Bose:-

One tactical feature is becoming sharper under Lobera is the growing influence of the full backs, especially during attacking transitions, in Mohun Bagan's system.

Captain Subhasish Bose, the AIFF Footballer of the Year 2024-25, had an average start to the season and a limited impact in the second match. However, against Odisha FC, he fit perfectly to Lobera's plan. With Liston Colaco moving inside and the midfield creating central overloads, Bose found more space on the left flank. His assist was a precise first time cross to Jamie Maclaren, which was a perfect example of his attacking quality.

Subhasish Bose's Heat Map. (Via: Fotmob)


Defensively, Bose was sharp, tracked back well and won physical duels. At times, the tactical shape allowed Apuia to shift into a pseudo centre back role, giving Bose the freedom to push forward like a winger.

On the right flank, the young Tekcham Abhishek also contributed with overlaps, combining with midfielders, and delivering solid defensive work. Though his crossing needs improvement, his development has been quite impressive!

Overall, the match highlighted how Lobera's system effectively utilizes fullbacks as key attacking outlets.


4. Final Third Hesitation:-

Indian players showed a lack of decision making in the attacking phases. While the assists throughout the game were phenomenal, players like Liston, Manvir, Abhishek and Thapa seemed to miss the best possible options during several attacking situations. At times it appeared to be a mix of hesitation, lack of confidence, or an over-reliance on the foreign players.

A. Amey gets past the defender with the ball. He could either pass or accelerate.
B. He still has the option to pass or accelerate.
C. He attempts the pass as the defender moves in on Maclaren, though he could have taken two more steps and shot himself.
D. The pass is cleared away.
(Via: FanCode)


They were willing to attempt long range shots, but when they reached closer to the goal, they often failed to make the right choices, with several attempts going wide. On one occasion, Amey found himself in a good shooting position but chose to pass to Maclaren instead, which ultimately wasted the attack. Meanwhile, Liston missed two good opportunities that required only a composed finish. Improving decision making and composure in the final third will be crucial going forward.


5. Defensive Errors in Judgement:-

Sergio Lobera himself has stated that he would prefer a 6-2 or 5-1 victory over a 1-0 or 2-0 win any day. His attacking philosophy, combined with Mohun Bagan's star-studded squad, is beginning to show glimpses of what he intended to build. Naturally, such an approach carries defensive risk, and conceding one or two goals in high scoring matches can be an acceptable trade off.

Vishal saved two one-on-ones. (Via: FanCode)


However, the Odisha FC game highlighted structural issues in transition. Mohun Bagan led 4-1 at halftime, with the solitary goal conceded due to a communication gap between Vishal Kaith and Mehtab Singh. More concerning was the second half defensive shape. Odisha repeatedly exploited spaces in behind, with Rahim Ali and Isak creating two clear one-on-one situations against Vishal. Defensively, the team, with already at a 4-1 lead, and could have managed the second half much better.

Amey's advanced positioning in attack often left the flank exposed during defensive transitions. While Vishal's outing and shot stopping performance mitigated the damage, against stronger teams with more clinical forwards, those structural gaps could easily have resulted in conceding additional goals.

Tom Aldred did not have his best outing, though it would be unfair to criticize him given his usual consistency and the difficult personal phase he is going through. Meanwhile, Mehtab, despite some good tackles, still appears to be on the lookout for the defensive rhythm alongside Alberto.

After establishing a two or three goal lead, the coach can shift to a compact and dedicated three man defense, with a midfielder, like Apuia or Tangri, dropping in as a defender to maintain balance while the full backs push forward.




Lobera ball rolls on. With the numbers of 499 passes at 86% accuracy, 18 shots, 8 on target, 5 goals, and an xG of 1.48, Sergio Lobera once again showed why he is here. His possession-based approach and the constant emphasis on playing the extra pass allowed the team to move the ball with fluidity and control.

However, tougher challenges now await. And we believe that Sergio Lobera will lead the squad through them with his tactical clarity and footballing intelligence.

It was another perfect matchday at home for the Mariners as they thrashed Odisha FC. And to conclude, a gentle reminder: Rosogolla belongs to us. Jamie Maclaren belongs to us. And that's a flex.

Four matches completed. Twelve points secured. Nine more matches remain.

Follow MBFT on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Telegram, Whatsapp & Google News to stay updated with all the Mohun Bagan & Indian Football related News & Updates. Jai Hind Jai Bharat! Joy Mohun Bagan!
Tags:

You might like

View all
Previous Post Next Post
Share to other apps
Copy Post Link