Field Vision

The Red and Gold have spent big sum of money in the summer transfer window.

As the 2024-25 Indian Super League (ISL) season approaches, East Bengal FC is gearing up for what could be a pivotal year in the club’s journey to reclaim its legacy. One of India’s oldest and most storied football clubs, East Bengal has been striving to bring back the glory days since their entry into the ISL in 2020. After a few seasons of rebuilding and transitions, the club will look to make significant strides this season.

Previous Season

The 2023-24 season ended with disappointment for East Bengal after a promising start under new head coach Carles Cuadrat. A Kalinga Super Cup victory ended a 12-year-long national level trophy draught for the club earning a ticket to the continental tournaments. However, a consecutive 9th position league table finish was not what the fans expected from the team, even after taking into consideration the multiple injuries of key players like Saul Crespo and Jose Pardo that derailed Carles Cuadrat’s men from their objective of securing a top 6 finish.

Manager’s Profile

A crucial part of East Bengal’s preparation for the new season has been the retention of Carles Cuadrat as head coach. Cuadrat, who previously led Bengaluru FC to an ISL title in 2018-19, brings tactical discipline, defensive organization, and experience that East Bengal desperately needs to break into the top four. Cuadrat’s pragmatism and his focus on getting results might be what the team requires after underwhelming finishes in recent years.

Summer Signings

East Bengal FC made waves during the transfer window with a few high-profile signings aimed at bolstering both their attack and defence. The addition of Dimitrios Diamantakos, a prolific striker and the Golden Boot winner from the previous season, has generated excitement among fans. Cleiton Silva’s experience in Indian football combined with Diamantakos’s finishing ability could give East Bengal the firepower they have been lacking in previous seasons. The club also signed young Indian striker David Lalhlansanga, who has shown promise and can surely score goals finding himself in the right position at the right time.

To strengthen the midfield, East Bengal roped in the highest assist maker from the 2023-24 ISL — Madih Talal, the 26-year-old French playmaker from Punjab FC. His ability to control the tempo of the game, and provide a creative spark is expected to be the key asset for the team. The club also retained the midfield orchestrator Saúl Crespo, who has been the midfield general and one of the best performers from the previous season. Saúl and Talal combining in the midfield would be crucial for the season ahead for East Bengal.

In defence, East Bengal retained the Jordanian centre-back Hijazi Maher and roped in the 2023-24 Indian Super League shield-winning defensive pair Héctor Yuste and Anwar Ali from Mohun Bagan Super Giant in an attempt to overhaul the defence which has been leaking continuously. Along with them, the club paid a record transfer fee to acquire the services of Indian national team defensive midfielder Jeakson Singh, who is expected to provide a shield ahead of the defence line. Jeakson is the kind of personnel that was lacking in the previous season for the team. The club also roped in experienced goalkeeper Debjit Majumder as a backup to Prabhsukhan Singh Gill to provide stability under the bar.

Youth Talents

East Bengal has also invested in nurturing young Indian talents, a strategy crucial for long-term success in the ISL. Players like P. V. Vishnu and Aman CK, who have shown promise, are expected to take on bigger roles this season. These players not only add energy and dynamism to the squad but also offer the club a core group of players to build around for the future. The club also roped in young U-23 players like Mark Zothanpuia and David Lalhlansanga who are also expected to add depth to the squad.

Along with them, the East Bengal reserves squad has some fine talents, who have been running a show in the Calcutta League this season with the likes of Tanmay Das, Jesin TK, Aman CK etc. all included in the ISL squad to get some valuable game time and provide the necessary energetic spark to the team.

Tactical Approach

Under Cuadrat, East Bengal is likely to adopt a balanced approach. Defensively, Cuadrat emphasizes a solid, well-structured backline, ensuring that the team remains difficult to break down. In attack, the focus will be on quick transitions, utilizing the pace and creativity of players like Madih Talal and Dimitrios Diamantakos to exploit the opposition. With Saúl Crespo orchestrating the play from midfield, Cuadrat will aim to create a team that is compact defensively but lethal on the counter-attack.

Set-pieces could also play an important role under Cuadrat’s stewardship, given his history of focusing on dead-ball situations to gain an advantage in tight matches with likes of Jeakson Singh, Hijazi Maher, Hector Yuste and Anwar Ali being good in aerial duels inside the opposition box.

Pre-season: Durand Cup and ACL Two

East Bengal was one of the earliest to start their pre-season training at the start of July to prepare for their AFC Champions League Two preliminary round match and the Durand Cup. However, the team crashed out from both tournaments with defeats to FC Altyn Asyr first in the play-off match for the ACL Two, while they lost against I-League side Shillong Lajong FC in the quarterfinals of the Durand Cup. The team looked unfit with multiple injury concerns even after over fifty days of pre-season and the defence looked alarming, conceding goals in each of the four competitive matches that East Bengal played so far in the two competitions.

Challenges Ahead

While East Bengal has made significant improvements in their squad, challenges remain. The biggest test will be consistency. In past seasons, the team has shown flashes of potential but has struggled to maintain form across the duration of the campaign. Injuries to key players have also been a recurring issue, and squad depth will be critical to ensure they can compete against the top teams in the league. Additionally, the competition is fiercer than ever. Teams like Mumbai City FC, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Odisha FC, FC Goa and Bengaluru FC have all bolstered their squads, making it a daunting task for East Bengal to break into the top four. However, with Cuadrat at the helm and a squad that looks more balanced than ever, there is a renewed sense of optimism.

Anwar Ali Situation

The most shocking and controversial transfer of the season surely has been the movement of Indian national team defender Anwar Ali from Mohun Bagan Super Giant to East Bengal who terminated his four-year loan contract and returned back to Delhi FC, where after that he completed a big-money movement to East Bengal. However, the AIFF Players Status Committee has deemed his termination as ‘unjust’ and Anwar will face suspension from club football for four months which would mean East Bengal might have to play almost 50% of the season without the services of Anwar Ali at the back. Anwar Ali has an option to appeal the decision but it’s very unlikely that the ban will be reversed.

Since Anwar will remain unavailable for such a long time, East Bengal surely would be lacking depth in terms of the Indian centre backs with only Lalchungnunga as an option and the likes of Gursimrat Gill and Monotosh Chakladar making the numbers but are not experienced enough for ISL.

Fans Expectations

East Bengal’s passionate fanbase, the Torchbearers, will be eagerly awaiting the new season with a mixture of hope and expectation. The club’s recent struggles in the ISL have been hard to digest for fans who are accustomed to success, but with the new signings and managerial continuity, there is a belief that this could be the season where East Bengal finally turns the corner and breaks into the top 4.

Early Predictions for the season

While it may still be a tall order to expect East Bengal to immediately challenge for the ISL title, a top-four finish and qualification for the playoffs should be the realistic target for Cuadrat’s men. If the team can find consistency and avoid major injuries, they have the potential to surprise many. In a league as competitive as the ISL, East Bengal FC’s 2024-25 season promises to be one of high stakes, with plenty to prove. For the fans, players, and management, the time has come to restore the club’s status among Indian football’s elite.

Best possible starting XI (4-2-3-1): Prabhsukhan Singh Gill; Mohammed Rakip, Lalchungnunga, Hector Yuste, Nishu Kumar; Jeakson Singh, Saul Crespo; Naorem Mahesh Singh, Madih Talal, Nandhakumar Sekar; Dimitrios Diamantakos.

East Bengal FC Squad

Goalkeepers: Prabhsukhan Singh Gill, Debjit Majumder, Aditya Patra.

Defenders: Hijazi Maher (Jordan), Hector Yuste (Spain), Anwar Ali, Lalchungnunga, Nishu Kumar, Provat Lakra, Mohammed Rakip, Mark Zothanpuia, Gursimrat Singh Gill, Monotosh Chakladar.

Midfielders: Saul Crespo (Spain), Jeakson Singh Thounaujam, Souvik Chakrabarti, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Madih Talal (France), P. V. Vishnu, Tanmay Das, Aman CK.

Forwards: Cleiton Silva (Brazil), Dimitrios Diamantakos (Greece), Nandhakumar Sekar, David Lalhlansanga, Jesin TK.

Coaching Staffs: Head coach: Carles Cuadrat (Spain); Assistant coach: Dimas Delgado (Spain); Assistant coach: Bino George (India); Goalkeeper coach: Javi Pinillios (Spain); Physio: Senen Alvarez (Spain); Strength & Conditioning coach: Carlos Jimenez (Spain)