Five challenges for Sergio Lobera at Odisha FC

The Spaniard is all set to take charge of the Juggernauts but has a few issues to address.

Odisha FC have appointed two-time Indian Super League Winner’s Shield, Super Cup, and ISL Trophy winner Sergio Lobera as their head coach effective immediately. The manager has penned a two-year deal with the Kalinga Warriors despite being linked with East Bengal in the recent past.

The promise of working in a project that has just tasted success by lifting their maiden trophy- Hero Super Cup 2023- garnered his attention. As he revealed in an interview, he was enthralled by the task at hand and wanted to give it his best. To turn the side into title contenders, he has his former players (Mourtada Fall, Ahmed Jahouh, Amey Ranawade, Edu Garcia, Lenny Rodriguez) and the existing contingent at his disposal.

Even so, there are quite a few obstacles in his way if he wants his energetic brand of football to be embraced by the club. These are the top 5 challenges for Sergio Lobera at Odisha FC.

5. Setting up the perfect support system for Diego Mauricio

After a lackluster return to the ISL with Mumbai City in 2022, the 32-year-old striker completed a switch to the East coast last season. Diego Mauricio managed to match his previous tally with Odisha FC after his homecoming with 12 goals. In doing so, he won the Golden Boot this time, edging out Mohun Bagan Super Giant's Dimitri Petratos and East Bengal’s Cleiton Silva on a better minutes-per-goal ratio.

Additionally, he bettered his assists tally with four to his name, picking up the Hero of the League award. With Mumbai City he was a proper fox-in-the-box, scoring their most crucial goals in a historic AFC Champions League campaign and the ISL. But after his return, he displayed how complete he is as an attacker. From long-range goals (against Jamshedpur FC), free-kicks (against FC Goa) to penalties and deft runs, and near-post finishes (against Mumbai City) Mauricio has it all.

He is the ideal candidate to lead Lobera’s side in attack and help them secure more chances. The Spaniard has to set the Brazilian up as the focal point of attack and field him in a hybrid role. That role would see him utilise his target man capabilities in holding up the ball as well as playing deeper at times.

Sergio Lobera has to figure out the perfect combination with laser-guided passers like Jahouh who created a whopping 36 chances last season. Playing alongside Lenny and Victor Rodriguez, he can easily dictate the tempo and allow Mauricio to create havoc in the opposition’s defence.  

4. Capitalising on the long ball advantages and morphing it with possession-based football

Odisha FC’s primary strategy has been to advance up the pitch with runners in behind and defence-splitting long passes. With that, they have scored multiple chances. One such move came against Bengaluru FC in the Super Cup final.

A deep cross from Victor Rodrigues found Jerry who headed the ball back for Mauricio to score. It’s important to note that Sergio Lobera’s former sides did not exactly thrive on such a direct and acrobatic style of gameplay.

However, one important similarity is his sides’ set-piece proficiency and aerial dominance. Mourtada Fall is a product of the same from his FC Goa and Mumbai City FC days. Alongside Mauricio, he can prove to be an additional threat from corners and free-kicks.

Lobera must instruct the Juggernauts to create wing overloads through quick short passes to draw the opponent. Jahouh or Victor can then switch play and allow rapid wingers like Jerry (Mawihmingthanga) to bring it down for themselves or Diego Mauricio.

They can even apply the same principle while keeping the ball on the ground. Odisha’s creative midfielders will be tasked with breaking the lines and setting the wider players free to get low crosses into the box. Lobera has to identify the varied strengths and all-round capabilities of his squad.

3. Making the squad capable of retaining the ball with short pass-based buildup

Odisha have only faltered heavily in midfield and defence as they have been unable to beat the press of high-pressing sides. Against Mumbai City, they conceded six times over a home and away fixture and that should be testimony to their vulnerability.

That is one of the first things Lobera will address ruthlessly since confident buildup is the foundation stone of his game style. Arrivals of Jahouh, Fall, Ranawade, and Lenny should help out the current crop in learning what it will be like, come August.

Once training starts, Lobera will enforce rigorous routines to get the players used to more positional play and precise movement rather than just off-the-ball running. The marriage of Odisha FC’s existing strengths with the skillset Lobera brings to the board is of utmost importance. Mourtada Fall and Amey Ranawade will be tasked to mentor the likes of Carlos Delgado and Laldinliana Renthlei respectively among others.

Jahouh would show the younger midfielders the ropes as well as pitch in himself. Having Amrinder Singh in goal also helps Lobera's cause. Not only is he a former product of his title-winning side Mumbai City, but he brought his ball-playing, shot-stopping skills to Odisha FC last season.

He even finished fifth in the most saves category with 55 to his name so he can be another reliable mentor to Neeraj Kumar. In doing all this, they wouldn't only bolster the current squad, but reinforce it for the future with a solid batch of youngsters as well.   

2. Improving both open-play and set-piece proficiency 

Odisha FC displayed reliability in 2022/23 scoring from set-pieces six times, but that output can be improved. When it comes to open play, they were one of the frontrunners just like in 2021-22 with the same number of goals scored - 23.

Sergio Lobera will be very pleased to know that there is no issue with finding different outlets to score. However, he will have to shift his focus to improving the Bhubaneshwar-based outfits’ proficiency in dead-ball situations. With players like Delgado, Fall, and Mauricio, Odisha has no shortage of aerial threats. Additionally, they have heat-seeker-like pass masters in Jahouh, Victor, Nandha, and Jerry to find these targets in the box.

Lobera should have regular meetings with the training staff and set-piece coaches to go over their regimes and improve their effectiveness. He must also focus on their defensive fallacies from such situations. They must learn to combat rapid threats like Lallianzuala Chhangte, as well as clinical strikers like Petratos on the counter-defense and during open play chances. Set-piece defending needs special care as teams like Bengaluru FC thrive on the same with their towering players like Damjanovic and Jovanovic.    

1. Accommodating youngsters, promising players, and seasoned veterans in the lineup

Lobera is renowned for being a visionary and giving breaks to promising youngsters. For instance, everyone was taken aback when he fielded a nascent Vikram Pratap Singh amongst his preferred batch of seniors. Ten debut season appearances later, he was touted as a future star for his vision and ball-carrying abilities.

Singh has now become a vital mainstay at the Islanders’ fortress, with five goals to his name at just 21 years of age. Another case study would be promising goalkeeper Mohamed Nawaz, whom he chose over experienced keeper Naveen Kumar.

Similarly at Odisha, one can expect the tactician to give breaks to prodigious winger Isak Vanlalratfuela, defenders Sahil Panwar, Tankadhar Bag, Narender Gahlot, and midfielder Moirangthem Thoiba. Fielding them alongside experienced players will help them up their game and reach their potential.

In addition, it will grant Lobera freedom from the headache of rotation. With increased reliability on the youngsters, he can easily rest the seniors and field them during important stretches. Doing so will also help in case of injuries, as the overall squad depth will allow able players to step in for the time being.