'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#2 The defenders failed to maintain the mark set by the previous squad
Not retaining their captain Lucian Goian for the next season raised a lot of eyebrows amongst the Mumbai City FC faithful. While his replacement Mato Grgic was good with his defending skills, he lacked the leadership quality which Goian brought with him.
The Islanders also released Joyner Lourenco to Jamshedpur FC, who formed a solid partnership with Goian in the previous season. His replacement from Pratik Chowdhury failed to maintain his footing on numerous occasions and turned out to be a weak link in the back-four.
Mumbai City FC ended the season with conceding 29 goals, the third-worst in the season. Hyderabad FC and Jamshedpur FC, who let in more, never looked as if they would make it to the playoffs.
One of the hallmarks of all the teams that have qualified for the playoffs in the past is their rock-solid defense. Having kept only four clean sheets throughout the season, the opposition forwards always had the upper hand over the Mumbai City FC defenders.
