Mohun Bagan head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis believes his team will have to start with more aggression, while fearing the extra workload could damage them further ahead of their ISL match against Odisha FC.

The Mariners host Odisha at the Salt Lake Stadium and will have the opportunity to further bolster their position at the top of the table. And at the pre-match presser, Dilmperis pointed out a plethora of things, admitting his team has to be more aggressive at home.

“We have to be more careful at the beginning of both halves, more concentrated. When we play at home, the team should start from the first second with aggression. Maybe with a goal at the start, we can force the opponent to get out of their shape and attack, so that we can find more spcae,” head coach Dilmperis said at the pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

Fans have right to be Disappointed

When asked about criticism despite victories, Dilmperis insisted that criticism is part of football when performances and results fall short. Drawing a parallel with Zinedine Zidane’s departure from Real Madrid despite winning three Champions League titles, Dilmperis acknowledged that supporters have every right to express their satisfaction or disappointment.

“Fans have the right to be satisfied or dissatisfied for their own reasons. I wake up at 7 am and work till midnight for this club. I try to do my best and support the players. This is my job. After winning three Champions League titles, Zinedine Zidane was kicked out by Real Madrid in the fourth season. Hence, it is normal for me to accept criticism when performances and results are not good,” he added.

Injury Update ahead of Odisha FC clash

The Greek also provided the latest injury update, confirming Sahal Abdul Samad will be out of the next match. But much to the relief for Mohun Bagan fans, Jamie Maclaren has regained his fitness and will be in the squad.

High Intensity may worsen Injuries

The tactician also pointed out the work they are putting to improve constantly, but admitted his fear that more stress in training may worsen the squad’s injury equilibrium.

“We have to improve and we’re working a lot. We are looking to improve our concentration, resistance. We don’t have a lot of time between matches for high-intensity training, and at the same time, we are scared that higher workload can create more issues. Its a matter of confidence and for some players, they have to find it. For some other players, it’s about the environment. Even if there are a lot of experienced players, they have to relax, be more confident and tackle the situation successfully,” he concluded.