Simon Grayson: I'm working extremely hard to correct things

The tactician also outlined an analysis of their opponents Mumbai City.

Bengaluru FC are staring down the barrel after three consecutive losses. The downtrodden side face Mumbai City in a repeat of this year’s Durand Cup final. Simon Grayson's side have got off to their worst-ever start in the league and sit at a lowly ninth. Their opponents Mumbai City are on a rampage and are currently unbeaten in the second position behind the runaway leaders Hyderabad FC.

This is what BFC coach Simon Grayson and midfielder Suresh Singh Wangjam had to say in the pre-match press conference.

The road back to victory

BFC were left stunned by a vastly improved East Bengal, who rode on Cleiton Silva’s goal to clinch a shock win on the road. The run-in has not been easy for Bengaluru, who take to the road again to play an in-tune Mumbai City. Coach Grayson spoke about respecting the quality of their opponents and said, “We are playing a team that is very much in form. They got an excellent result at the weekend. We respect them and everything they do, but we have to concentrate on ourselves and get back to winning ways.

"We have worked hard in training and tried some separate things. As much as we can talk about Mumbai, we must do what we can to win football matches again. It's about tweaking a few things, to get from getting close to winning games, to actually winning games. I don’t think we are too far away from winning matches. We did not have that end product all season,” he added.

Analysing their opponents

Mumbai City are a free-scoring side and have found the net 16 times, the most among any team. They are fresh from handing a 6-2 thrashing to Chennaiyin. In contrast, BFC have scored the joint-lowest goals with just two from five matches but have conceded the second fewest goals.

Grayson analysed his opponents and the potential match-up saying, “We’ll be trying to score because our plan is not to sit back and nick something or go for a 0-0. We want to find the right balance, but also respect the potent players that they have at the top end of the pitch.

He continued, "They play with a freedom about them with the talent they have up top. Mumbai have got a mix of some very good foreign players - Greg Stewart is a name that stands out. They also have some good Indian players that have taken their game to the next level. They are playing with confidence and belief.”

Achieving momentum through consistency

Bengaluru FC have tried a variety of formations and systems with minimal success. The consistency required to ignite a shift in momentum has been found lacking for a coach who is new to the league. After chopping and changing for five straight games, Simon Grayson admitted, “I have looked at different formations, and even in the first few games where we played three at the back, we lost to the odd goal and was never out of those games.

"Momentum can change very quickly. If we score the first goal somehow and eradicate one or two mistakes, the mindset will change. The psychological aspect changes if we get the first goal. We've been positive around the players, and they've responded really well. There's nobody other than us staff and the players that can change where we are at this moment. We all believe we can change this run of form and get successful,” the tactician added.

Feeling in the camp after losing three on the bounce

BFC’s worst start to the league season has prompted some introspection from both players and the coach. Grayson mentioned that he is determined to bring the club back to winning ways and said, “I spoke to the players on Saturday morning, that people back home in England said to me when I came here - 'oh, you're going for a nice holiday.' Believe me, these last results are hurting me more than ever before. This is the club I'm working for.

He continued, "When I lost a match at Leeds, it was my club, I grew up there, the team I supported. It hurt me then. But this is really hurting me a lot too. I want to be successful, and this is the job I am employed to do. It's in my blood and that's why I do it. I'm working extremely hard to correct things, to turn it around and I know I won't be far away from doing that.

"The supporters were fantastic the other night. I can't wait for us to get back-to-back home games and play like we did on Friday night. It's amazing how loud they were until the very last minute, and that's because of the belief they have in this team,” Grayson praised the fans.

A repeat of the Durand Cup final

The two sides met in Kolkata for the Durand Cup final, where BFC edged Mumbai 1-0, courtesy an Alan Costa header, to lift the trophy. Grayson said, “We'll take bits from the game in the Durand Cup, but it's not major. What I will say is that we have beaten them and draw confidence from that. On the reverse, I'm sure they will be saying they owe us one for beating them in the final. It works both ways.”

Sunil Chhetri’s poor start to the season

BFC skipper Sunil Chhetri has endured a lean patch in front of goal and is itching to break the duck. For someone who was a major source of goals and assists, Sunil’s slump has been a worrying factor for BFC. Simon Grayson spoke about Sunil’s frustration in not getting more shots away, “When you are Sunil, you are under the microscope of everybody. He is the icon of Indian football and rightfully so.

"He’s a fantastic player and a fantastic human being. Every player cannot be going on an upward curve. He will be the first to admit that he is not living up to his standards. Sunil is frustrated that he is not shooting enough on target. As a team, we don’t have the numbers that we want. You expect a little more quality in the final third from our strike force to work keepers more,” he added.

Suresh’s approach to training

Suresh Singh has been a key part of the Blues’ setup and has impressed again this year. He believes that he is capable of better performances and said, “As a team, we are encouraging each other to keep our chins up, and even in training I can see that every single player is eager to turn the corner.

He continued, "I am not happy with my performance by my standards. I've had a slow start, but I've spoken to the coaches and my teammates. I know what I'm capable of, and I fully believe that I can get back to my best very soon. Before the season began, I had an injury and missed some pre-season matches but that is not an excuse.

"I'm getting a lot of confidence from my teammates, and I think everything's going to be alright. I take the positives and the negatives from each game and training session; I keep a notebook that I write things in and I'm looking forward to improving,” he asserted.

Tactician Simon Grayson added to the same:

“When you've won just one game out of five, and drawn the other one, if you ask any of the players, they'll all tell you that they're not playing to the best of their abilities. It's not that they're not confident or feeling low. A little more can turn it around very quickly. I will be very surprised if any players tell me they are playing to the max because if they are, not sure they’re telling the right stories.”