ISL: Kratky sets sights on improvement after goalless draw vs Odisha FC
Xtreme News India
06-12-2024 15:16:06
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ISL: Kratky sets sights on improvement after goalless draw vs Odisha FC
Bhubaneswar, Dec 6 (UNI) Mumbai City FC played out a goalless draw against in-form Odisha FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) match at the Kalinga Stadium here on Thursday night.
The Islanders dominated possession, but the home side's disciplined defence restricted them from converting their chances.
The visitors had eight shots on target but failed to capitalize.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Mumbai City FC Head coach Petr Kratky praised his team's defensive effort while emphasizing the need to improve their finishing in attack.
"Our approach was very good from the start of the game. One of the better games that we played. The boys were working hard, and everything we said in the changing room they tried to execute it so
I was very happy with that. The determination and energy were there...they know now this league will not be easy, and they need to dig deep. I think they did very well today against Odisha FC, who scored ten goals in their last two games. So, we stopped that," Kratky opined.
"I think they had only one shot on goal. This is something we can build on. But obviously, I’m a little bit disappointed because we could have won the game. In my opinion, we deserved it more than Odisha FC. But, you know, football is sometimes a lot. So, we will work on the areas where we need to improve," he added
Nathan Rodrigues was awarded the Emerging Player of the Month for November ahead of the game. The young defender has scored two goals in eight appearances this season and was recalled to the starting XI against the Kalinga Warriors tonight after coming off the bench in the previous match against Hyderabad FC.
Speaking about him, Kratky said, "He's a very good player. But he needs to do a lot of work as well. Consistency in performance is very important for us now. He knows what he needs to improve, and we will keep working. We need to keep him honest; he needs to work hard. Without that, nothing will happen to him. In football, you have to prove yourself season by season or game by game. He's one of the young ones coming through, and we've got more young players with potential coming in.”
After sharing the spoils with Odisha FC, Mumbai City FC remained in 8th position on the table with five draws and just three wins.
Speaking about converting chances and areas for improvement, Kratky said, "In football, it doesn't happen day by day. Where I'm very happy is that at least we're creating goal-scoring opportunities. We're getting into great areas, so it's a good start. But we need more. We will work on it in training, come back, and allow the players to improve in that area.
"A lot of defenders are in the box; it's very crowded. But again, consistent work is what we need to improve. I think we are on a good track…. We are not built on one or three players. While they are very important for us, we've got a strong squad overall. We will assess how the games go. It's unfortunate to miss those players, but they will come back,” he said.
Mumbai City FC will next face Mohammedan SC next week as they aim to convert more chances into goals.
Looking ahead, Kratky spoke about the difficulty of away matches, including today's and the upcoming one against Mohammedan SC, saying: “It's always difficult. You travel and there's a lot
of flying, a lot of travelling in the bus. But the boys are used to it. It's the same for everyone. So we need to fight for every point…we go to Mohammedan SC again and we will do the same preparation.”
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