ISL: Odisha FC look to spoil ATK Mohun Bagan’s party

If languishing at the bottom of the table since the beginning of the seventh season of Indian Super League was not enough, Odisha FC found themselves in deeper trouble when head coach Stuart Baxter was sacked on Tuesday following his unsavoury remarks with the analogy of ‘rape’ after their loss to Jamshedpur FC.
Virtually out of the race to make playoffs from here and up against second-placed ATK Mohun Bagan in the 15th round of ISL at GMC Stadium in Bambolim on Saturday, it will be interesting to see if the beleaguered side can take some pressure off and turn a new leaf under interim coach Gerald Peyton, who worked as Baxter’s assistant before.
With six rounds still to play, though Odisha don’t stand any chance of sneaking into the top-four barring some miracle, they can look for some upward movement and spoil others party on the way.
“We had a few meetings and it has been very, very positive from everybody connected. It brought us together and all the senior players and all the Indian players have got together. In the last six games, we are going to show a very positive attitude, determination to win as many games as possible and take the club forward,” Peyton said at the pre-match virtual press conference on Friday.
Looking to turn things around after taking charge, Peyton further added, “We have talked about the way we play. I think it’s important that we concentrate on what we want to do. Me and Stuart (Baxter) have put a very good structure in. I want to keep to the structure but I also want to put more quality in our passing, more quality in our ball accuracy, ball speed and more purpose and commitment while we are going into the box.”
Meanwhile, Odisha will miss captain Steven Taylor through suspension and Peyton would surely find it difficult to replace his defence mainstay against a team with the likes of Roy Krishna, David Williams and Marcelinho, on loan from Odisha, in attacking third.
In their last meeting it was Krishna’s added-time strike which made the difference and ATKMB coach Antonio Lopez Habas is not complacent now despite the gulf of quality between the two sides.
“We have to play against Odisha the same way we play against Mumbai,” Habas said ahead of the clash. “The competition in ISL is very high and there are no small teams. They have a special situation with the coach out now. But whenever there is a change in team or coach the motivation increases by 20%,” the Spanish gaffer said about their opponents’ situation.
Habas, who will miss the services of midfielder Carl McHugh through suspension, would surely aim for three points to consolidate their place in the playoffs.