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ISL- Indian Super League

Why continuing with central midfield role might be best for Naorem Mahesh Singh at East Bengal?

Published at :January 30, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Modified at :January 30, 2025 at 3:18 PM
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East Bengal are reeling at the bottom half of the table in the 11th spot in ISL.

Naorem Mahesh Singh’s form has seemingly experienced a spark in improvement during East Bengal’s last few eventful matches in the Indian Super League (ISL). That can perhaps be attributed to the interesting tweak to his role by Oscar Bruzon, which was forced because of a shortage of options in midfield.

Since Richard Celis’ introduction to the team and invariably taking up the left-wing role, Mahesh Singh has been forced to change up his style a bit. He’s been playing in a central midfield role, where he’s been given more responsibilities for winning duels and also getting the ball into key attacking areas for the Red & Gold Brigade.

To his credit, however, Mahesh Singh has actually benefitted from this tricky switch in positions. He’s been able to play his natural style a lot more smoothly and impact East Bengal’s attacking style more positively. This central midfield role actually seems the best for him in Bruzon’s system, and here is why he should continue with this.

3. Getting more freedom to roam around the pitch

Naorem Mahesh Singh

As the 25-year-old is not being forced to stick to a specific area of the pitch, Mahesh Singh appears to be gaining more confidence and encouragement to his playing style in midfield. That is because he’s getting much more leeway to move into different positions, be it trying to press down opposition players to regain possession or disrupting their shape by moving into other areas of the pitch.

Singh’s ability to unpredictably run into the empty spaces also helps create extra room for his teammates to attack. He’s also got a lot of variation when it comes to his passing, being able to not only nail his short passes but also chipped passes or crosses into key attacking areas.

The freedom to dictate his own playing style is reflected positively on Mahesh Singh, who with a  sturdy defensive midfielder alongside him to shield the backline can be a menacing figure for opposition sides.

2. Mahesh’s energetic nature adds defensive stability

The good thing about Mahesh is that when he switches on during matches, he doesn’t shy away from making tackles and working his socks off to cover defensive duties too. While playing in the wide areas, he is quite diligent in tracking the run of opposition wing-backs.

In midfield, he can be more effective as he has the ability to cover a lot of distance and go the extra mile to make a crucial challenge. Over the last two games in a midfield role, he’s won six tackles and nine duels, while also making seven possession recovery in the 2-1 win over Kerala Blasters.

His ability to read the opposition’s movement well allows Mahesh to be in the right areas to make a tackle or win a duel to regain possession and get his side sprinting on the breaks again. Bruzon doesn’t have to worry about his side struggling on the defensive side if Mahesh continues playing in midfield, because he’s clearly winning a lot of challenges in the midfield and adding that bite to his side’s central areas.

1. He’s a bigger creative threat from midfield

With Richard Celis and PV Vishnu seemingly locking the wide areas, it’ll anyhow be difficult for any East Bengal player to regularly play in the wings than them. This can actually be a good thing for Mahesh because he’s looking a bigger threat from the central positions than he did when playing out wide.

In the last two matches in which he’s played through the midfield, he’s created five goal-scoring chances. He even bagged his first goal contribution of the 2024-25 ISL season against Kerala Blasters, albeit an assist from a corner for Hijazi Maher’s goal. However, it’s clear that he’s being a bigger creative force through the central areas than he could by being pushed out wide.

Having played centrally for the Indian team in the past, Mahesh has the knowledge of what it takes to benefit his teammates. He has the creative qualities to help send the likes of Celis, Vishnu and Dimitrios Diamantakos through on goal with cleverly timed passes, while his delivery from set pieces are almost always a threat.

Mahesh seems more refreshed in the midfield position and that is why Bruzon should continue persisting with him in this newfound role to maintain that positive spark to his side’s playing style.

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