ISL 2019-20 | Sergio Lobera doesn’t need to put team together like me, complains John Gregory
After losing 0-3 to an under-strength FC Goa side, Chennaiyin FC manager John Gregory has said he would be needing time to put together a new team, something that Sergio Lobera didn’t need to do. The Englishman further stated that he believed his side dealt with the home side well in the first-half.
After a disastrous last season when CFC finished last in the league table, the management decided to hand Gregory one more chance and with a revamped squad as per his convenience. However, so far, no improvement has been evident especially after their first league game against FC Goa.
And Gregory has asked for more time especially after the huge overhaul that the squad went through in the summer. “It’s not always easy when you put a new team together. Sergio doesn’t have to do that. They have a really settled side. I’m still getting used to my players,” said Lobera, reported ISL website.
“It’s not always easy to get the right balance. I learnt a few more things about my new signings tonight and we look forward to playing Mumbai in the next match,” Gregory added.
Goa continued their brilliant passing football for the third straight season under Lobera as they kept passing the ball from the back with their centre-halves playing an important role in the buildup. Gregory acknowledged the tactics but refused to admit that they had any impact as such.
“To be fair, I thought we dealt with Goa well in the first-half. Carlos Pena and Mourtada Fall had a lot of possession, but mostly in their own half. They didn’t really hurt us with the ball,” said Gregory.
Apart from the backline, the star for Goa was Ferran Corominas once again, who was playing a free role this time, unlike his previous seasons. Lobera had deployed Manvir Singh in the centre with Coro being a no. 10 as he was seen falling back and being the provider a number of times. Gregory admitted that he was taken aback by it.
“Obviously, Corominas was playing a different role tonight. That’s not his normal position. He didn’t get in the game that much. But you know that if you give him the opportunities, he will take them. He is crucial to their team. Obviously, Sergio had to move his team around a little bit tonight. But the people who came in justified their selection,” he added.
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