The Chennaiyin gaffer called the 1-4 loss to Hyderabad the worst of their campaign …
Chennaiyin FC’s lack of effectiveness in front of goal is the factor that hurt them the most in the first half of the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) season, believes head coach Csaba Laszlo.
As the Marina machans getting ready to face Odisha FC, days after a goalless draw against the same opponents, the Romanian-born coach is in desperate need of three points. Even in this goalless draw, Chennaiyin was guilty of rejecting a number of scoring chances.
He said: “I’m not concerned about the draw (cramped matches). Both teams need three points. Everyone needs wins, as in our situation. Yesterday you saw the match between the two teams (Mumbai City and ATK Mohun Bagan) from the top of the table and our best matches were against these teams, ”he added.
Chennaiyin missed a flurry of chances in their 1-2 loss to Mumbai City and held ATK Mohun Bagan to a 0-0 draw. Naturally, their goal was Laszlo’s greatest concern.
“I don’t mean to say that we created the most chances in the league, but somehow we didn’t score enough goals. If you don’t score goals, it is very difficult to win games. You can’t always just defend and expect to be error-free at the back. We are organized at the back but I would like us to mark the chances that we create, ”he stressed.
Chennaiyin has also conceded quite a few set pieces goals and is currently in eighth place with 11 points in 10 games.
“We don’t concede a lot of open play goals. We have reorganized our form and we are better organized now. East Bengal scored two goals from a corner (2-2 draw) and Mumbai City scored two from indirect set pieces. Every team can improve and we improve too.
“We had to reorganize the team in the last game (against Odisha) because our captain had a serious injury. In the next 10 games we have to be in a different form and we have to continue like this, ”the former Dundee United coach said.
They also lost captain Rafael Crivellaro, their main creative force, to injury for the remainder of the season. Laszlo further updated that Crivellaro’s replacement at Manuel Lanzarote is expected to join the camp in around three weeks and offered a mid-season evaluation of his squad.
“In short, our strategy and tactics have been correct. We didn’t dominate every game but we were mostly active (creating chances) in the games. From 10 games, we have a very bad game against Hyderabad.
“I think we also featured players like Deepak (Tangri) and [Rahim] Ali because they are players who have not played much in the ISL. The problem is that with Rafa’s injury we have lost not only the captain but a leader, but it’s the goal that has to be better. I hope that the next part of the season will be more positive for us, ”he signed.
