Mumbai City FC have had a solid start to the Indian Super League season, and have been rewarded by sitting top of the table before the international break. While there have not been any “spectacular” offensive performances, the Islanders have been defensively secure for most of their games. This is a notable structural improvement compared to last season, where attacking issues persisted, but were missing this defensive edge.
The club had to contend with factors such as the departure of the City Football Group, the loss of key foreigners, and going into the season without even filling out the foreigner quota. In spite of these, head coach Petr Kratky has done a fine job to ensure his side remain unbeaten, and sit on top of the pile.
Transfers in and their impact on the team
The Islanders brought in eight players, and re-signed Sahil Panwar after releasing him at the end of the previous season. While not all the players have made their impact on the team, most have been solid additions contributing effectively.
The standout incoming has arguably been Joni Kauko, who has been a major force in what has been a resolute Mumbai City midfield. Coming from a short stint back in Finland, the former Finnish international has re-adapted to the Indian conditions almost-instantly. He has also formed a solid partnership with fellow new addition Lalnuntluanga Bawitlung, with both complimenting each other’s strengths. As backup, Puipuia has been an able deputy, with his solid performances also earning him an India Under-23 call-up.
In defence, Nuno Reis has been the standout, playing every game of the season so far. His partner at the back has varied between Sahil Panwar and Bijay Chhetri, with the latter looking the more stable option. Apart from them, Dhruv Alva and Amandeep have still not played enough minutes to be properly judged.
Going forward, the club’s only signing was bringing Jorge Pereyra Diaz back for a second stint. While the goals have been missing, the Argentine has been adept at linking up play, and bringing other attackers into the game. Part of the reason the likes of Noufal and Chhangte have been finding space out wide has been down to Diaz’s clever movement.
Tactics and team selection
Kratky usually opted for a 4-2-3-1, but has allowed for flexibility. For instance, he set up in a 3-2-4-1 against Inter Kashi, and a formation like a 4-4-1-1 against Mohun Bagan.
Against Kashi, he identified an opportunity to further utilize Valpuia, Chhangte, and Ortiz in more central roles, and accommodated for it with the change in system. Against Bagan, the game needed to be suffocated in midfield to cut the supply line to the attack, and Kratky pushed the team back accordingly.
Issues to be rectified
The main issue for the Islanders so far has been scoring goals. Not enough shots have been created, nor have the shots created hit the back of the net. The side has created an average of 4.3 shots on target per game, and 1.3 goals per game. However, against Inter Kashi, signs of improvement were visible.
Another issue is key attackers not delivering numbers-wise. While Pereyra Diaz and Ortiz have been huge influences on the way the Islanders have played, their numbers do not reflect it. Even if they keep up their influence on games, they will still need a finisher to put the ball into the net. Whether the players around them, like Noufal and Chhangte, can be those finishers throughout the season will be seen.
Standout Player
There have been two players who have primarily stood out for Mumbai City: Joni Kauko and PN Noufal.
Noufal, on one hand, has become a fixture on the left in the past three games. His pace has been a worry for opposition defenders on the counter, and his agility on the ball makes him a fearsome prospect in full flow. He has also added final third composure to his game, one major aspect missing in his game last season.
Kauko, on the other hand, has played a part in every game so far. His chemistry with Tluanga has been noteworthy in the club’s midfield strength. Further, he has shown leadership on the pitch, guiding the players around him and pushing them to do better. Due to age, he is limiting his movement, but his footballing IQ, paired with Kratky tailoring the system around him to his strengths, is leading to him maximizing his impact on games.
While both have a case for being the club’s standout player, Kauko has been a fixture in the team since the start of the season. Noufal, though, was introduced three games later. Hence, on the basis of more good performances due to more matches played, the main standout player so far would have to be the Finnish midfielder.
X-factor for the rest of the season
Jorge Ortiz. The Spaniard looked sharp, but a hamstring injury he suffered in the club’s first game against Chennaiyin took the majority of games away from him. His return against Inter Kashi was a reminder as to why he was so strongly missed. His ability to wriggle out of tight spaces and progress the ball upfield is a huge asset to both his game, and Mumbai City’s game. Whether he can remain injury-free and a threat going forward will determine whether the Islanders can keep up this surprise title push.
Key match to look out for
If Mumbai City’s defence-first approach continuing to work in winning the club points, they can be genuine contenders for the title come the end of May. Mumbai’s last home game of the truncated season is against East Bengal on 8th May.
This is a game that could be significant not just for both sides, but for the title race as a whole. Even teams like Jamshedpur, Punjab, and especially Mohun Bagan would be looking at the game with interest. Whether that game will remain significant in the title race will be seen by Mumbai City and East Bengal’s performances till then.
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