On the 6th of December, FC Goa will lock horns with SC East Bengal wherein FC Goa will be facing SC East Bengal having bagged two wins in the last two games and SC East Bengal are returning from a draw and a win to face FC Goa. FC Goa notched a 2-1 victory over Hyderabad FC and SC East Bengal notched a 3-1 victory over Odisha FC in their respective previous matches.
“I’m sure they (SC East Bengal) are all happy. They have started to perform a lot better than their previous weeks. They got their first win in the last match and it would have got the mood in their dressing room lighted up. The new foreigner is also showing a lot of promise. They are good. But we have got to focus on how to defeat them. We have got to focus on us and the next game. And that’s what we’ve been doing.”
Juan Ferrando, on how the preps have been going against the East Bengal game, said,
“It’s been quite strange. It’s important to control the game because every game is totally different. More or less, we have the same plan but at times it is necessary to change your plans and play accordingly. At certain points in the match, it is very difficult to control the game. What’s important is that, though, we won the last two games in the very last minute and we’re happy to have those three points, but since it is difficult to control the game at times, we should start scoring early on in the game and not at the very last minute.”
SC East Bengal are often seen playing with a higher backline and FC Goa are especially good at exploiting that because their wingers and attackers are specialized in making pacey runs behind the backline of the opponents and scoring goals. When asked if that will be an advantage to the team on the matchday, Juan Ferrando said,
“We need to control the match, because there’s a ninety per cent chance that the East Bengal side will change their plans and formations accordingly to face us. But I’m happy with my players because they have been gaining the needed confidence to these sorts of opponents. But we need to control the game against SC East Bengal.”
On Ishan Pandita, Juan Ferrando said,
“Ishan is working hard. We need to protect Ishan, he is learning. This is the first time he is playing in a first division of a country. We have to work on a lot of details in order to make him understand the depth of the game. Of course, Ishan is good. For example, he is good in set-plays, he is strong in attack. But he needs to learn things step-by-step and surely in future he’ll get more opportunities in the future without having to face any pressures.
“We need to help the youngsters in our team grow more. And we need to fix a spot in the top four. These are our main objectives of the season. Secondly, it is important to let the foreigners know that their job is not only to play for FC Goa but it’s also to teach the youngsters here. It is a big responsibility and it is hard to find a foreigner like that who doesn’t only think of improving himself but also can help the youngsters grow.”
Princeton Rebello spoke about himself and how the foreigners have been helping the Indians and he said,
“I feel that, definitely, the best version of myself has not arrived yet but I believe in myself and I’m sure I will prosper in a much more unanticipated way. All the players in my position are helping me out. And for me, right now it is important to learn and get more game-time in order to gain experience. Especially, Edu, Alberto, James, and so on have been backing me and I will wait for the right time and opportunity to showcase the best version of myself.”
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