Udanta can be best utilised in a counter attacking tactic which relies on quick transition from defense to attack and relies on fast wingers to bombard both sides of the field. We did that during Consti's days and it worked well! Wingers like Ashique, Udanta, Narzary, etc played their best then. But Udanta cannot be effective in current Stimac tactics which relies on midgield hold up play and takes inordinate time to build up attacks (and still fails). There is a stagnancy about india's play right now - midfielders pass the ball among themselves sideways or back to defenders. There us no urgency on the ball, no forward movement or passes. Its either lofted balls to Chettri or crosses from full backs. Players like Liston or Manvir cannot deliver good crosses(or choosrs not to). Plus Liston is very one dimensional - his only trick is to dribble the ball with his right foot and cut inside from the left wing. Initial few times this move may work but then he becomes predictable and defenders can easily block him on the inside.
Today NT's play was so i sipid, so boring that I actually fell asleep in the 2nd half! Despite Cambodia not pressing at all and our players having all the time in the world on the ball, yet they could not fashion any attacking move of note or push through-balls! We will not get this luxury against most sides in international football. So this display really scares me, to be honest. Ppl may call me biased but I believe Stimac has completely destroyed the NT play and mentality from 2019 - tge same NT which played exciting attacking football versus the likes of Thailand, UAE, etc. The same team which gave tough fight and drew with likes of China, Jordan, Bahrain etc in 2018, and with much inferior players then compared to current lot, the same team is now struggling against the likes of Bangladesh, Afghan and Cambodia! The current team has much better technically gifted players then the NT which played so well in 2019 Asian Cup and yet this team now plays such a boring brand of football which makes us struggle against the minnows. Stimac has to be sacked. I am scared for the future of Indian NT!
^^ The only thing you are discounting is that it was never the same 11 from the 2019 team that played plus key players like Sandesh, Sunil have gown older and slower. Teams will never play the same over the next few years. SC would not have been able to handle the aging team left off by Bob Houghton.Anas and Adil paired Sandesh but their career got over and we never found a good CB pair until possibly now with Anwar. We lost Jeje the best supporting striker from that group and now Ishan, Manvir etc have not been able to fill those boots. Brandon,Udanta,Thapa,Kotal,Bose are currently a shadow of their earlier domestic seasons. The only silver lining has been the U-23 team and they are slowly forming the core of this senior team too.
Udanta can be best utilised in a counter attacking tactic which relies on quick transition from defense to attack and relies on fast wingers to bombard both sides of the field. We did that during Consti's days and it worked well! Wingers like Ashique, Udanta, Narzary, etc played their best then. But Udanta cannot be effective in current Stimac tactics which relies on midgield hold up play and takes inordinate time to build up attacks (and still fails). There is a stagnancy about india's play right now - midfielders pass the ball among themselves sideways or back to defenders. There us no urgency on the ball, no forward movement or passes. Its either lofted balls to Chettri or crosses from full backs. Players like Liston or Manvir cannot deliver good crosses(or choosrs not to). Plus Liston is very one dimensional - his only trick is to dribble the ball with his right foot and cut inside from the left wing. Initial few times this move may work but then he becomes predictable and defenders can easily block him on the inside.
Today NT's play was so i sipid, so boring that I actually fell asleep in the 2nd half! Despite Cambodia not pressing at all and our players having all the time in the world on the ball, yet they could not fashion any attacking move of note or push through-balls! We will not get this luxury against most sides in international football. So this display really scares me, to be honest. Ppl may call me biased but I believe Stimac has completely destroyed the NT play and mentality from 2019 - tge same NT which played exciting attacking football versus the likes of Thailand, UAE, etc. The same team which gave tough fight and drew with likes of China, Jordan, Bahrain etc in 2018, and with much inferior players then compared to current lot, the same team is now struggling against the likes of Bangladesh, Afghan and Cambodia! The current team has much better technically gifted players then the NT which played so well in 2019 Asian Cup and yet this team now plays such a boring brand of football which makes us struggle against the minnows. Stimac has to be sacked. I am scared for the future of Indian NT!
Contastine succeeded in making Indian team best out of worst international teams available,as he used to play with inferior teams and Indian players became confident by playing them. All that Indian team needed was an effective upgradation from the team that was eliminated in last minute against Bahrain,due to stupidity of Pronay.I think we have missed the bus.With mediocre federation,we should actually celebrate even if we qualify.
Actually world football has evolved around weaker teams trying to defend and keeping their shape intact. This is something that we saw since last world cup and how weaker teams have adopted this to their benefit. The reason why we see Indian team putting a semblance of fight against Asian heavyweights . now in order to break such defence the wing backs play a major role going behind the opponents defence and putting good crosses, quick nterlnking play amongst the forward players. Both these stuffs lacking in current Indian team. Even against Cambodia only Manvir went past their defence a couple of times and the speed with which we switch play upfront is purely lethargic to say the least. This is why we get such lesser chances to score.
This is not the first time actually in Calcutta. Once much publicised Amitabh Bachchan took forever to finish National Anthem in Cricket Match at Eden Gardens and there were actually Police FIR against him and organisers.
Udanta has played 36 matches so far scoring 1 goal and 3 assist whereas Liston has played 10 matches with 1 assist. So stat wise they look same to me. Moreover, we have won 67% of matches in which Udanta has played and have only won 50% in which Liston has played. I'm not saying Liston is bad infact he provides more tactical options to NT but sometimes I feel he's selfish and easily outmuscled against stronger opposition which costs us.
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Today NT's play was so i sipid, so boring that I actually fell asleep in the 2nd half! Despite Cambodia not pressing at all and our players having all the time in the world on the ball, yet they could not fashion any attacking move of note or push through-balls! We will not get this luxury against most sides in international football. So this display really scares me, to be honest. Ppl may call me biased but I believe Stimac has completely destroyed the NT play and mentality from 2019 - tge same NT which played exciting attacking football versus the likes of Thailand, UAE, etc. The same team which gave tough fight and drew with likes of China, Jordan, Bahrain etc in 2018, and with much inferior players then compared to current lot, the same team is now struggling against the likes of Bangladesh, Afghan and Cambodia! The current team has much better technically gifted players then the NT which played so well in 2019 Asian Cup and yet this team now plays such a boring brand of football which makes us struggle against the minnows. Stimac has to be sacked. I am scared for the future of Indian NT!
The only silver lining has been the U-23 team and they are slowly forming the core of this senior team too.
I'm not saying Liston is bad infact he provides more tactical options to NT but sometimes I feel he's selfish and easily outmuscled against stronger opposition which costs us.