Lee, Miguel score in 2nd Half to bring home 3 points!
Why is Chhangte playing on the left?
That was the first question that popped into my head when I first saw the team sheet for yesterday’s match against SC Delhi. Chhangte, who is probably one of the best attacking Indian players from the current crop was the headline signing from the summer transfer window. Known for his blistering pace, his tendency to cut inside and take a shot with his left foot is a sight all Indian fans know by heart? Why then play such a player on the left, stay half the time behind and just kill all his goal scoring prowess? Did you ever see Arjen Robben play on the left? There’s a reason he didn’t. There’s a reason for everything.
A weird way to begin a review, wasn’t it? Well, not as weird as some of the team choices that Panos made. A team that begun it's pre season almost 2 months ago still has players who have zero cohesion. Players who can't anticipate a run from their team mate, players who don't know what strategy they are following? Mohun Bagan may have scrapped past Delhi yesterday, but if that performance is anything to go by, this team is not even in the contention for a top 4 finish at this point!
MATCH BREAKDOWN
Let's begin with the basics: The team sheet. Well, here's what it read. Kaith started as the usual number one, coz we didn't bother to sign someone who might have challenged him for a spot, especially in the games against the less fancied opponents. Abhishek Tekcham, Alberto, Bheke and Mehtab made up the back four. Mehtab started as the right back, because we didn't sign anybody to replace Ashish Rai or Subhasish Bose. Apuia and Thapa were back together in the heart of the midfield. Chhangte started on the left. Yes, on the left! Drazic started on the right wing and Lee Erwin was the obvious choice up front with Miguel playing in that number 10 role just behind him. A solid team on paper. But that's all about it.
🟢⚔ 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐗𝐈 ⚔🔴
— MBFT (@MBFT89) October 16, 2026
Mariners, here's how we are lining up against SC Delhi, in our 2nd MG Indian Super League 2026-27 Match of the Season!
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And don't get the wrong idea, Bagan did attack well. In the first 10 minutes or so, Bagan looked to threaten the Delhi goal. But there was no cohesiveness between the players. Nothing. An odd pass here and there was made in anticipation that something might happen. But in reality? Nothing came to bear any fruit. And that is what Delhi capitalized on. Delhi with Rodriguinho and Aimen upfront kept up the tempo. Hnamte, who was playing against his former side looked like a livewire upfront. Delhi kept pushing with the same long ball strategy with fourteen thousand odd people watching in the stadium, waiting for a breakthrough. And then calamity struck.
Hnamte had looked dangerous all evening and finally his perseverance paid off. Hnamte met the long ball with a run behind Alberto, squared off Vishal Kaith and slotted the ball past him. And yes he celebrated, like he should. He always had the talent, now he got the opportunities. A brilliant run, a brilliant finish, and suddenly Delhi were looking to hand Bagan their second successive loss of the new season.
The best opportunities for Bagan in the first half fell to Anirudh Thapa and Lee Erwin. First it was Thapa who forgot where his feet were when he couldn't connect with a low driven cross across the face of the goal. Second, it was Lee Erwin, who from a Thapa cross, couldn't slot it into the net. Within a span of 5 minutes Bagan displayed what the fans have grown to hate about this team. This team cannot finish. And in football, you cannot win matches without scoring goals. Mohun Bagan's players, sadly, showed no synergy at all. Sometimes the pass was there, the player wasn't. At other times, the players were too lethargic to even trigger a quick counter. The first half ended shamefully for Bagan. The most expensive squad in the league was trailing by a goal to the young Delhi team.
🟢⚔ 𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐅𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 ⚔🔴
— MBFT (@MBFT89) October 16, 2026
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Bagan needed a response. If there's one thing Durga Puja teaches us, it's the will to fight! To fight for good, to never give up! And Bagan did try their best in the second half. Slowly and slowly, they grew their influence on the game. Bagan started to look dangerous, and the equalizer seemed moments away. And finally it came. Miguel played a through ball in the box for Anirudh Thapa. Thapa was left free and he drilled in a low cross and the ball ricocheted off Rahul Bheke to Lee Erwin. Erwin finished off from 3 yards out and slotted the ball into an empty net. The score line read 1-1. Bagan suddenly found their mojo back. But the job was far from over.
Bagan kept up the pressure and the reward was almost instant. Apuia made a blinding run through a congested midfield and laid a through ball for Miguel, who opened his body and struck it past a hapless Lara Sharma. A majestic goal, worthy of the calibre of the player that Miguel is! And within 5 minutes, Bagan had overturned a one goal deficit to get the lead. From here on, it was all about game management. But it wasn't without the usual hiccups.
Delhi never gave up and met Bagan's fire with fire. A scuffle between the players in the middle of the second half did fire up the crowd as well as the players. But football is about keeping your head in the right place and winning on the pitch. And that's what Bagan did. Every player used one hundred percent of their experience to see off the waves of attacks that Delhi mounted on Bagan. Samir and Sahal had a wonderful opportunity to secure the win in the 84th minute but Samir's shot from the latter's pass was right at the keeper. Manvir came close minutes later but his shot hit the crossbar only.
🟢⚔ 𝐅𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 ⚔🔴
— MBFT (@MBFT89) October 16, 2026
Amidst Durga Puja festivities, Mohun Bagan is returning home with +3 points from the match.
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Bagan secured the win and a big 3 points away from home. From the outside, it might seem like a good performance. Even the stats might say so. But the eye test? Absolutely failed! Instead of modern football, we witnessed disintegrated football. Why can't the players still link up well? How many games do they actually need before things fall into place? Why is Panos hell bent on playing important players out of position? Where are the youth players, whose development was one of the key reasons for the appointment of the Greek Coach? With all due respect, if you are not going to play young players against teams like SC Delhi, then when are we going to see them play under the badge? Panos seems to have more questions than answers at this moment! Even after so many matches to know this team properly, there is no finished product. It's still a work in progress!
WHAT'S NEXT FOR MBSG?
Can Panos fix the issues and make this team the super team it was supposed to be? Time is running out for him to answer that. No one is a fan of having a new coach every year, but when a coach doesn't yield his tactics to his team's strengths, it becomes a difficult decision for the management, whether to continue with him or not. That question mark over Panos' future will linger for the time being. Mohun Bagan will face Chennaiyin FC next on 26th October at VYBK in front of the home crowd!
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