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What’s the story?
East Bengal coach Khalid Jamil seems to be preparing for the much-awaited Kolkata Derby in a rather peculiar manner. With just a few days left for the big match to kick off, the Red and Golds' coach held a practice session without most of his first team players.
Interestingly though, Arnab Mondal, who was unveiled at the I-League launch in New Delhi last month as the East Bengal captain, was present during the practice session with the reserve players, along with Gurwinder Singh.
The context
Jamil seemed very focused on the practice session, as he was said to be upset after his side's draw against his former club Aizawl FC. In their very first match of the season, the Red and Golds drew 2-2 after having a 2-0 lead. After the match, Jamil even expressed his disappointment with his defence.
The heart of the matter
Jamil held practice session for two hours, mainly without their top players like Amna, Katsumi, Plaza etc. However, star defender Arnab Mondal trained alongside the reserves ahead of the derby, as Jamil paired him up with Gurwinder Singh, in defensive training. Perhaps a hint of the back-line that the former Aizawl coach will use on Sunday?
His prime focus was defence and he had a good look at them. The coach then took the players to the projector room and individually showed each footballer their mistakes on the big screen.
What’s next?
It will be a cracker of a match without a doubt. Both teams drew their respective opening I-League games, and are eager to bag three points in the derby. It will be a high-pressure game and whoever handles the pressure well is most likely to win it.
Author’s take
It is such a match that defines Indian football. The entire city of Kolkata divides into two parts as football takes over.
