Cannot concede goals like last season, MCFC coach Des Buckingham warns

The Islanders played a 3-3 draw against Hyderabad FC in their season opener.

Mumbai City FC head coach Des Buckingham outlined his objective of conceding fewer goals in this campaign of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23. The tactician heaped high praise on his squad depth ahead of Mumbai City FC’s next match against Odisha FC on Saturday.

Buckingham pondered comprehensively on the planning and preparation that Mumbai City have put in during the pre-season and hoped those efforts will translate into positive results during the course of the ongoing season.

The Mumbai City FC head coach along with player Lallianzuala Chhangte also welcomed the fans as the Islanders return to their home turf at the Mumbai Football Arena (MFA) for the first time since February 2020.

Here are certain excerpts from Des Buckingham's press conference:

Will Ahmed Jahouh or Alberto Noguera start against Odisha FC?

“You will find out tomorrow,” Buckingham succinctly replied to this query. The head coach had surprised many by benching both Jahouh and Noguera against Hyderabad.

However, it was the duo’s introduction in the second half and their subsequent goal contributions that helped Mumbai City seal a late draw. The tactician did not let out whether the two midfielders would feature in the starting XI on Saturday. But he did open up on the versatile midfield and what the personnel brings to the table this year.  

“We have the luxury and benefit of a wonderful midfield. That’s been done purposefully. We went out in the off-season and recruited players who will not only allow us to play the way we want to play, but also allow us to play in different ways. So that was important for us to start that way last week and then certainly to finish the game and to finish as strong as we did,” the 37-year-old said.

He added, “We know against any team in this league how tight the games could be. And to have different ways to approach these games either at the start or throughout the game is going to be very important to come out with not just results, in terms of a draw, but with more wins than not.”

5-4 or 1-0 — Which victory does Des Buckingham prefer?

Buckingham had apparently implied last year that he would much rather want his teams to win games by a margin of 5-4 rather than 1-0. He was quizzed whether he holds on to that approach at the start of this new season as well.

“You don’t get any more points for 5-0s than you get for 1-0s. What we do know is that we cannot concede as many goals as we did (last season) if we want to have success this season,” Buckingham distinctly clarified.

He added, “We have got players across the field that we know can score goals from nothing, let alone speak about playing style. We have seen last year and we saw some of that last week. We have also got Rostyn Griffiths and Sanjeev (Stalin) in the backline and have tried a few different things with our goalkeepers.”

Mumbai City had twice come back from behind to secure the draw against Hyderabad last week. Though Buckingham appreciated that effort, he simultaneously expressed that he wouldn’t want his team to go down that route often.

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"For me, it doesn’t matter if it’s a 5-4 or if it’s a 1-0. I will prefer not to concede too many this year because it does make very difficult to come back. That’s what I was pleased with last week as well. We went one up. Then we found ourselves 3-2 down. So we had to respond twice.

"That’s difficult to do but that also shows the mindset of the players. But it is not something that we want to continue doing. A 1-0 will suit me. But if it has to be a 5-4, we will take a 5-4 as well,” the Englishman explained.

Return to the Arena

Mumbai City FC have spent over two-and-a-half-years away from their home ground. Saturday marks a special day for the club as they return back to familiar territory. Des Buckingham is keen to put up a spirited performance for the club’s supporters.

“We are very excited. A lot of these players have done two seasons of that. Everyone is really excited about coming home tomorrow, and playing in front of not just the fans but also their friends and families. And then putting on a show and showing what we can do, not just tomorrow but also the remaining home games for the rest of the season,” he said.

Buckingham further added, “No pressure. Just a real opportunity to show what we can do to people who have been watching and supporting us on the TV for the last two years.”

Learning from last year

Mumbai City spent a considerable period at the top of the standings before slipping down to fifth last year. They have recruited promisingly in the summer. However, the team needs to get some wins in the bag to obtain their objectives in this long season. Des Buckingham spoke rather generously about the work that the squad has put in during the off-season. He said that the team could reap rich rewards if they remain consistent with the exceptional standards that they associate themselves with.

“The key learning has been in our planning and preparation. I love how we can speak about the last two campaigns, the Champions League and the Durand Cup, the consistency and work that we have been doing. The consistency in the playing group that we have now and the quality that we have added to that…If you can add that to the planning and preparation and get things the way you want them working, if people are aware of what they are and what we can work within that…I think we have shown what we can do in the Champions League and we obviously got to the finals of the Durand Cup,” Buckingham detailed.

“That’s the bit of learning that we have had. The best thing now is that everyone knows what we do and how we operate both internally and on and off the field. If we remain consistent to those high standards throughout the season…we will put ourselves in a very good space week to week and then come to the end,” he further added on the topic.

Chhangte - Getting acquainted with Greg Stewart

Chhangte is getting acquainted with some new faces in the forward line. He spoke highly of Greg Stewart and mentioned that the two of them are gradually developing a good understanding on the field.

“Initially, we (Stewart and Chhangte) were struggling a little bit at the start of the pre-season. But as the game went on and as the pre-season went on, we have been gelling up very well. We understand each other and as you can see, we both are left-footed. We have been gelling up really well on and off the field,” the former Chennaiyin FC player said.

“And I hope if we play tomorrow (laughing), we can put on a good show for the fans, our family and of course, Mumbai City FC,” Chhangte signed off.