"It's all about one small detail" - Ivan Vukomanovic analyzes Kerala Blasters ISL 2022-23 loss to ATK Mohun Bagan

Kerala Blasters suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of ATK Mohun Bagan in the ISL 2022-23 at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday, February 18.

The scoreline read 1-1 before Kerala Blasters' Rahul KP was sent off in the 64th minute of the match, with Dimitrios Diamantakos and Carl McHugh having scored a goal each. McHugh then grabbed the winner for ATK Mohun Bagan seven minutes later.

The result in Kolkata saw Kerala Blasters suffer their fifth consecutive defeat away from home. They also suffered a major blow in their pursuit of a top-four finish, which would give them home advantage in the playoffs.

When asked what went wrong for his side after initially taking the lead in the game, Kerala Blasters head coach Ivan Vukomanovic replied:

"The main reason was the second yellow card [to Rahul]. I think we were good in the game, we managed the game in the correct way. We had control of the game."

"The moment of the second yellow card, when you go a man down, and in the first couple of minutes, you're unbalanced, and you get the second goal. That was the difference today."

Vukomanovic explained that he was content with Kerala Blasters' overall performance, although the result did not go their way. He said:

"I think that in total we played a good game. I think we had everything we wanted. We managed the game the way we wanted to. That was it. When you play these kinds of games, it's all about one small detail."

"When you have two good teams facing each other, it's not that you'll see 150 chances, that's not it because two good teams, well organized, prepared."

The Serbian tactician added:

"Even with individual mistakes, you see two good teams fighting for every ball and wanting to play football. You know that you'll not get 150 chances to score 17 goals, it doesn't go like that."

"In these kinds of games and all the games later in the playoffs, it will be the same, it'll be about one small detail and that small detail tonight made the difference."

Vukomanovic also defended Rahul after he was sent off, explaining his actions. He stated:

"It was a reaction, it happens during a game, that was it. Of course, we're sorry about the loss; we wanted to get a positive result, but that wasn't the case."

Kerala Blasters have now lost three of their last four ISL matches. Asked if the team's poor run of form will affect their morale going into the playoffs, Vukomanovic replied:

"No, not at all. We don't care. We will prepare for the playoffs the way we think it's the best, as it was the case last season when nobody expected us to reach the playoffs."

"This year, it's the same. We have a way we prepare ourselves, we train, we do things. Of course, you want to try to end the season as high as possible, there are many good teams fighting for it, and that's all football."

Vukomanovic insisted that the Kerala Blasters' recent run of form will not affect their preparations for the playoffs. He said:

"Later on, when we finish this, let's say, regular part of the season, you prepare for a week for the playoffs, whether you play home or away, it will be a strong game, strong opponents, one small detail, so you get ready for that."

"It [losing just before the playoffs] will not work against [us] because we're the team since we arrived, we have this [attitude that] whether we win or lose, we have these 24 hours to sleep over, to switch off that button in our head, and we continue."

"We analyze things [from the previous game], and we prepare for the next game. That's it, that's football."

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"Everybody underestimates ATK Mohun Bagan" - Kerala Blasters coach Vukomanovic

Analyzing the defeat further, Vukomanovic suggested that everyone tends to underestimate ATK Mohun Bagan. He went on to tip his hat to Juan Ferrando's side. He said:

"I think everybody underestimates ATK Mohun Bagan, they are a great team. For me, [they are] one of the best teams in the league, so they have good players, individual qualities, they can create chances whenever they want because they have many national team players and a good bunch of foreign players."

"All these things, when you face this kind of team, especially away, it's not easy to play. I think tonight we played, for ourselves, a good game, we managed things, we kept possession, we scored a really nice goal in the beginning, which, as a coach, I'm pleased about because these are the things you practice in training sessions."

He continued:

"Later on, after the first goal, I said that we conceded again by individual mistake, these kinds of things, on this level, you cannot afford, it is about one small detail, one individual mistake."

Vukomanovic went on to suggest that Mariners defender Subhasish Bose should have received a second yellow and been sent off as a result. He explained:

"Second yellow... even before that there was a situation in front of our bench where maybe the player of ATK Mohun Bagan should have received a second yellow card, but that didn't happen."

The Kerala Blasters boss concluded:

"So, all these things happen during these kinds of games. Of course, in the end, we were on the bad end of this, but we are not worried, we have to continue."

"We have one more game at home. We want to prepare to be strong, end this regular part, and then prepare for the playoffs, that's it."

Kerala Blasters, who have already secured playoff qualification, currently sit fifth in the ISL table. They will face Hyderabad FC at home in their final league fixture on February 26.