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Bengaluru FC moved back to the top of the ISL table after a commanding 4-1 win over Delhi Dynamos at the Kanteerava Stadium on Sunday night and Blues coach Albert Roca enjoyed the result after he had claimed he expected more from his team despite the win over Mumbai City last week.
"I'm really happy with the result," he said after the game. "We had chances to open the game.
"We deserved to score today because we pressed them and won the ball back quick to create chances. From beginning to end we were superior."
Bengaluru scored twice in the first half with both goals coming from set-pieces; midfielder Erik Paartalu heading home on both occasions. And Roca, who claimed 30% of goals come from set-pieces, admitted it was something they work on, crediting his assistant Carles Cuadrat.
"Carles Cuadrat is doing a very good job there [on set-pieces]," he explained. "It's a weapon!"
The game also saw Edu Garcia play in a central role after he was deployed on the left as a wing-back in the first game against Mumbai.
"After winning 2-0 [in the first game] we thought it was better to have him on the inside," Roca said. "We have changed a little bit tactically. With him playing little more on the inside, he did a very good job."
Roca also complimented Miku who finally got his name on the scoresheet after coming close on a couple of occasions throughout the game.
"Miku is a striker that needs to score goals but he did a very good job for the team," Roca explained. "He's one of the top players in the ISL and he deserved to score. He had so many opportunities [in the game]. He passes well and keeps the ball when necessary and overall he did a good job."
Roca responds to Portugal's comments on recovery periods
After the game, Delhi coach Miguel Angel Portugal had blamed the ISL's tight schedule which afforded his squad only four days of rest while the Blues had an entire week to prepare for this game.
However, Roca brushed aside those claims and said it evens out in the end.
"I don't think it matters. It's good to have more time to prepare, but this is a competition where we sometimes have to play four days later.
"Next time, it's for us (the shorter recovery period) and we have to go to Goa. We cannot complain about that, it's our job."
Tough schedule awaits Bengaluru
Bengaluru FC play their next match away against FC Goa four days from today - i.e. on 30 November. And it was one of the reasons why Roca took off Udanta Singh, Edu Garcia, and even defender Juanan. He did not want to exhaust his key players after they played an intense pressing game.
"We did a good job pressing well," he said. "We knew how they played against Pune City and we were ready for that.
"It's not easy when you press - you expend a lot of energy. We also have a game in four days so we need to conserve energy and play a little more defensive. We were trying not to let them build up and we did well in second half. "
Bengaluru FC now play three away games on the trot at Goa (30 November), NorthEast United (8 December), and Pune City (14 December). And Roca admitted he would miss the home support.
"I would like to play away like we do at home," he said. "Here we have great support - the 12th man. But it can happen when we play away.
"As a coach I'd like us to play the same but it's almost impossible from a mental point of view no matter how much I prepare them for different circumstances. We have three games away and we'll try to play our game and get all points."
