Benali showing signs of change at NorthEast United: What more is needed?

NorthEast United are currently placed fifth in the ISL standings.

Indian Super League (ISL) side NorthEast United FC are experiencing their best ever start in the league since the 2020-21 season. After a couple of disappointing and forgetful seasons, it seems that the Highlanders have finally found their mojo.

The club’s new head coach Juan Pedro Benali has made significant changes to the team including a lot of arrivals and outings over the course of the summer. Although it has been an ideal start for the Highlanders this season, there are still a few boxes which need to be ticked.

Come, let us find out more about this.

Performances so far

Juan Pedro Benali’s first official assignment as the head coach of NorthEast United FC was the 2023 Durand Cup. They Highlanders were placed in Group D alongside former champions FC Goa, neighbours Shillong Lajong FC and new entrants Downtown Heroes FC.

They began their campaign with a 4-0 win over Shillong Lajong and then were held to an entertaining 2-2 draw by FC Goa. In their last group game, they came from behind to secure a 3-1 win over Downtown Heroes and confirmed a place in the knockouts for the first time in the history of the tournament.

The Highlanders defeated Indian Army in their quarter-final clash with a hard fought 1-0 win in Guwahati. They then travelled to Kolkata to face East Bengal in the semi-final. NorthEast United were leading 2-0 for the majority of the game before East Bengal equalised in the latter stages. 

The game was then decided through penalties as East Bengal emerged victorious. Juan Pedro Benali’s first assignment was quite successful having made it to the Durand Cup semi-final in his first attempt.

After the conclusion of the Durand Cup, the Highlanders shifted their focus to the ISL. They hosted the defending league shield winners Mumbai City FC in their opening game. The Islanders secured a victory, but it was NorthEast United who earned applause for the kind of show they had put up.

Mumbai CIty FC won 1-2 in Guwahati, but NorthEast United gave them a very strong fight. In their second game, they hosted their southern rivals Chennaiyin FC. The Highlanders crushed the Marina Machans 3-0 at home and sent a message of intent across the league. It really was an all-round performance from the outfit.

Then in their third game, they played Punjab FC where ideally they should’ve picked up all three points but were held to a 1-1 draw.

What more needs to be done?

As mentioned earlier, it has been an ideal start to the season for NorthEast United, but there are still some boxes yet to be ticked. The Highlanders need to work on the following things if they want to compete for top honours this season:

Fitness

Fitness plays a key role in the success of any sports team in the world. NorthEast United have fit players, but not all of them are trained to play 95 minutes or so. The reason they did not pick up all three points against Punjab FC was that the players just couldn’t put in that extra effort after they conceded a goal.

The players looked tired and it seemed as if they wanted to somehow see out the game. Moving forward, this could be a huge problem from Juan Pedro Benali as it could harm them big time against some of the superior teams.

Giving the right players more game-time

NorthEast United have a decent bench strength, but they haven’t been able to make the most out of it. They start their games well, but fail to maintain the same intensity all throughout the fixture. 

They have players like Bekey Oram, Thoi Singh, Rochharzela and Gani Nigam who can come off the bench and make an instant impact. But instead they are using players who are just not fitting into their style of play. Redeem Tlang and Jithin MS need more time and training because they look so out of touch.

Not relying on a few players

The Highlanders are dependent on a few players to make things happen. Romain Philippoteaux and Nestor Albiach are responsible for creating chances, Parthib Gogoi is responsible for scoring goals, Phalguni Singh and Manvir Singh are responsible for high pressing. But what about others?

As soon as these players start to come off in the second half, NorthEast United look a completely different side. In the game against Punjab FC, as soon as Manvir was replaced, the Highlanders conceded a goal. There have been a few more instances like these.

Juan Pedro Benali is a very good coach and is 'tailor made fit' for a team like NorthEast United, but there are certain elements which needs to fixed in the team.