Five positions East Bengal need to fix this summer

East Bengal ended their ISL 2022-23 campaign on the ninth position.

East Bengal, one of the oldest and most prestigious football clubs in India, have had a really bad time in the Indian Super League (ISL) over the past three seasons. Despite having a loyal fan base and a rich history, the club has failed to replicate its past glory.

To bring back the same, East Bengal need to make some significant changes under the leadership of their new head coach, Carles Cuadrat. Cuadrat, who has previously coached Bengaluru FC to the ISL title, brings with him a wealth of experience and tactical knowledge and the first thing that he is jumping for is building a strong squad.

The century-old club have had problems in several positions in the previous editions of the ISL and hence it is a top-priority for the club to ensure that those positions have top-notch players in them.

Here’s a list of some of the most important positions that East Bengal FC will need to strengthen before the next season begins.

Centre-back

East Bengal FC's defensive record in the ISL 2022-23 season had been a major cause for concern. The team conceded a staggering 38 goals, which was the second-highest among all teams, and kept only three clean sheets. This has been a recurring problem for the club in the past few seasons, as they have consistently conceded over 30 goals in every ISL campaign.

To address this issue, East Bengal must focus on drastically strengthening their centre-back position. The team needs to have a stable and reliable backline if they want to compete for championship titles. This is where the expertise of their new coach, Carles Cuadrat, comes in handy.

Cuadrat's preferred formations of 4-3-3 or 3-5-2 rely heavily on a strong defence that can get involved in the build-up play while remaining compact without the ball. His previous stint with Bengaluru FC saw him deliver the most clean sheets across three seasons for any head coach in ISL history, with a total of 26.

East Bengal need to look for experienced and reliable centre-backs who can complement their existing defensive options. Cuadrat's tactical approach emphasizes a possession-based game that requires defenders to be comfortable on the ball, make intelligent passes, and remain disciplined in their positioning.

With the rumoured departure of East Bengal's Spanish defender Ivan Gonzalez, the team must focus on bringing in at least one top-class international centre-back.

Goalkeeper

East Bengal's goalkeeping position is a major area of concern that needs to be addressed heading into the next Indian Super League (ISL) season. This season, the club conceded a total of 38 goals in 20 games, with Kamaljit Singh being the goalkeeper for 17 of those games. In those 17 games, Kamaljit conceded 32 goals, which is a worrying statistic. He only managed to keep three clean sheets, which is not an impressive record for a goalkeeper.

Despite the defensive issues within the team, Kamaljit's visible flaws in keeping have also contributed to the team's poor performance. He has been guilty of conceding some bad goals, including one sloppy mistake in the first derby of the ISL season. The club does not have any prominent backup goalkeepers, which makes the situation even more worrying.

To address this problem, East Bengal is reportedly trying to sign Prabhsukhan Singh Gill from Kerala Blasters. This move would be a step in the right direction, as Gill is a talented young goalkeeper who has shown promise in the ISL. However, the club also needs to look for experienced backup goalkeepers who can provide a solid foundation at the back.

Central Midfield

Carles Cuadrat, the new head coach of East Bengal, is known for his tactical approach that emphasizes building up plays from the back. This means that the team heavily relies on its midfielders to create and maintain possession, and a strong central midfielder is the need of the hour for the club. 

A strong CM is essential for the success of any team, and it is particularly important for East Bengal, given Cuadrat's tactical approach. This midfielder should be able to control the game, make incisive passes, and provide a shield to the backline. He should also be able to contribute to the attack by creating chances and scoring goals.

Jordan O'Doherty and Alex Lima have both shown flashes of brilliance, but they have been inconsistent throughout the season. This inconsistency has been a major problem for the team, as they have not been able to maintain possession at important periods of the game or maintain a stable starting XI. A new foreign midfielder who can bring stability and consistency to the midfield is crucial for East Bengal's success.

Striker

While Cleiton Silva emerged as one of the best strikers in the league with 12 goals in just 20 appearances, no one else emerged to be his partner in a scorer role. Despite repeated heroics by Naorem Mahesh Singh on the flanks and his brilliant crosses, there were very few occasions when someone other than Cleiton was there to respond.

While East Bengal signed two internationals as second-strikers in two halves of the tournament in the form of Eliandro and Jake Jervis respectively, none seemed to leave a mark. This not only reduced the potency of attacks, but also left the team stranded whenever Cleiton was either having a bad day or was fatigued.

Be it as a supporting striker or as a substitute, the need of a second striker is eminent for the club.

It is rumoured that the club is about to bag Javier Siverio from Hyderabad FC. A potential addition of the Spaniard might actually emerge as a great solution to the problem that has been bugging the Kolkata side.

Full-back

Full-backs are integral parts of any team's line-up as they are important in both offensive and defensive aspects. Consistently performing full-backs are hence much like a boon to any side and to be in the top spots of the ISL, East Bengal will also have to strengthen their full-back positions.

While Jerry Lalrinzuala emerged as a regular left-back in East Bengal's starting line-up in the previous season, the right-back position never had a regular option. Players like Sarthak Golui, Ankit Mukherjee and Mohammad Rakip, all were given starts in the position and none were able to leave a lasting positive impression.

Additionally, full-back is a position that requires consistent substitute options because of the immense physical load that the players playing in that position need to take. Hence it is the need of the hour that the club dives in the market to bring reputed and consistent full-backs in their line-up.

According to transfer rumours, Edwin Sydney Vanspaul has already agreed upon a deal with East Bengal. The inclusion of Vanspaul from Chennaiyin FC could really give East Bengal the boost that they were looking for in the right-back position.

The club is also rumoured to be in talks with the veteran full-backs Harmanjot Khabra and Mandar Rao Dessai. In the previous season, Khabra and Desai played for Kerala Blasters and Mumbai City FC, respectively.