We aren't going to be over-confident, says Antonio Habas ahead of NorthEast United clash

The Spaniard is keen for his team to continue the consistency of results.

ATK Mohun Bagan aim to keep their newfound winning momentum going when they face a rejuvenated NorthEast United on Tuesday. With a managerial change and big win (against Jamshedpur FC), the Highlanders are going to take the fight to the Mariners – who must improve their performances in attack to pick up the big win. After the Mariners opted for a more attacking style against Chennaiyin FC, Antonio Habas was asked whether he’ll repeat similar tactics against the Highlannders.

Style of play

He said, “At last, one question that is positive towards our attacking football! I think the team performed really well during the 90 minutes in the last game. But, the idea is the same for us.

“Maybe, the players understand that in this match we could get a big win. Also, we changed the playing system in the last game and perhaps this more attacking system has influenced the squad,” he added.

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Can't write off NorthEast United

Despite picking up a compelling win over the Highlanders in the reverse fixture a few weeks ago, Antonio Habas isn’t being complacent ahead of the game. “Never in football are there things which remain the same. We know it’ll be a competitive match and we aren’t going to be over-confident. NorthEast have done very well in the first half of the ISL season. We have to respect them and put in our best performance to win the game.”

The Spaniard had some kind words for NorthEast United’s recent resurgence. He said, “Yes, they are a very difficult opponent to face because he (Khalid Jamil) has good players, has a great idea and will make things very difficult for us for sure.”

Opinion on top four contenders and title race

The Mariners might be in pole position to qualify for the Indian Super League (ISL) playoffs, but their coach refused to name teams which are in contention to make the top four at the end of the season. He said, “The league won’t finish now, so I can’t say how many clubs have the option to qualify for the playoffs. We have many games remaining as well, so it’s possible to name 3-4 teams to qualify for the playoffs.”

Antonio Habas is also keeping dreams of finishing the league stages on top of the ISL table on the backseat for now, as he said: “We have to wait and see what is the final resolution in the league. In football, something can happen in the terminal moment. We aren’t over-confident. We're continuing with our plan to try and win three points in every game. This has to be our philosophy for now.”

Goalscoring problems

Despite only getting a last-minute winner against Chennaiyin, Antonio Habas refused to blame his forwards for failing to get goals earlier. “It’s always important to score the winning goal, be it in the last minute or the first minute.

“Personally, I think it’s better for us to score the goal as soon as possible. Because it brings a sense of calm and gives us the chance to organize ourselves better for the win. Football is about 90 minutes and added-time, so I’m very happy with our final results,” the Spaniard ended with a smile.