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The first two seasons for East Bengal in the Indian Super League (ISL) have been nothing short of nightmare-ish. In their debut season under then head coach Robbie Fowler, the Red and Gold Brigade finished ninth in the points table.
While fans breathed a sigh of relief after the season, hoping it wouldn't get any worse, it did. Last season, the club had more head coaches than victories in the ISL, finishing at the very bottom.
Ahead of the upcoming season, there was a lot of skepticism surrounding East Bengal playing in the top league. But with a few swift decisions and Emami Group coming over as investors, the Red and Gold Brigade are returning to ISL with renewed hopes.
On that note, let's take an analytical look at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of East Bengal in ISL 2022-23.
Strengths
While East Bengal were yet again late to the team-building party, they bagged individuals with prior experience of playing in the ISL. Especially with a few Indian signings, the likes of Aniket Jadhav, VP Suhair, and Jerry Lalrinzuala, the club showed real intent going into the season.
Meanwhile, the high point for the club during the squad building phase was the choice of the head coach. Stephen Constantine has managed the Indian men’s national team in two separate decades. He’s aware of the functioning and intricacies of Indian football, which will come in handy for the Kolkata giants.
Weaknesses
While there are some quality individuals in the side, both domestic and foreign, some of the players are a bit behind the power curve given the talent at the disposal of the other ISL outfits.
More particularly, the club lacks players who could provide a bit of creativity and a bit of magic in the final third. A lot of responsibility will be on Jordan O'Doherty to fit into that role.
Meanwhile, as East Bengal have assembled a team completely from scratch, the group doesn't have prior experience of playing together unlike the rest of the teams. Hence, the lack of camaraderie and understanding between the players might eventually start showing on the pitch during the business end of the league phase.
Opportunities
Returning in front of their ever-passionate fans, the East Bengal think tank could channel the support to push players a yard further than they usually would go. Other ISL clubs will definitely not be enjoying their trip to Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata.
Meanwhile, Constantine is known for his compact footballing setup and a league format that might suit his ability to grind out results even in the toughest circumstances.
Threats
While being compact at the back is definitely a positive for a club like East Bengal, who have leaked goals in the past, Constantine's style of football often leans towards being rigid.
Clubs like Hyderabad FC, FC Goa, and Bengaluru FC, who like to play expansive football, could utilize their width to break down the EB defense.
Another major concern that remains for the Red and Gold Brigade is the goal contribution from their forwards. While Cleition Silva isn't an absolute box-to-box forward, his partner Eliandro is not in the finest shape ahead of the season. Will that be a cause of concern for East Bengal? Only time will tell.
