Petr Kratky highlights ‘key areas’ for improvement ahead of Kerala Blasters clash in ISL

Petr Kratky also mentioned the tough job ahead.

Mumbai City FC have struggled to close games or start well in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season. The Islanders will host Kerala Blasters on Sunday at the Mumbai Football Arena. They come into the game after being held 1-1 at home against former coach Sergio Lobera’s ten-man Odisha FC.

Pressure is at an all-time high as Petr Kratky knows this is nowhere near the best possible start for the Islanders. He has seen some improvement and believes that the team is only going to get better from here.

Petr Kratky explained, “Look, it’s not ideal, to be honest. We need to improve. For our standards, it’s a very slow start to the season. But on the other hand, on the positive hand, we see some improvement. We see we’re getting better and better, which is the bright future in front of us, I believe.”

The coach believes that every area on the pitch needs improvement, including the set pieces. He also added that the position the team is in leaves them with very little margin for error.

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Petr Kratky said, “As I said before, we need to focus on every single area because every single area is important. All areas of our football need to improve, and they do, slowly. We’re happy with that, but again, we need to focus on every area.

“I think we’re doing well. In terms of statistics for us, we did just a monthly review. It’s looking good, but again, we can’t slip in. We have to be aware of every single situation, and set-pieces are part of it,” Petr Kratky added.

Kratky’s thoughts on the Kerala game

Kerala Blasters come into the game after losing 1-3 to the table-toppers Bengaluru FC away from home. However, before the loss against Bengaluru, the Blasters managed to have a four-game unbeaten run in the league. Petr Kratky believes they are a team that keep on improving.

Petr Kratky said, “I think it will be a very good game. Kerala are improving game by game. I think it will be a very good game to watch. We’re preparing accordingly for that. We’re expecting a tough opponent, but our training and preparation was good, so I’m looking forward to the game.”

Squad rotation is key

Mumbai City FC have one of the best squads in the league, with ample depth in key positions. And for the team to do well in a long season, they would need their bench to contribute whenever called upon. 

Petr Kratky exclaimed, “We are fully aware, and that always applies to all players. We have a bigger squad, so they have to be ready for these cases when the season becomes a little bit more congested. Again, we just work with all of them, and make sure they are ready to step in and perform.”

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