ISL 2022-23: Hugely disappointed, we keep making stupid mistakes – BFC head coach Simon Grayson

Bengaluru FC head coach Simon Grayson was hugely disappointed after his team lost against Mumbai City FC by 4-0 at the Mumbai Football Arena, Mumbai on Thursday. Grayson feels the team keeps making stupid mistakes and lashed out at the players for their mundane performance.

The Englishman also admitted the team lacked character and the fighting spirit against the Islanders as they suffered an ignominious defeat.

The Blues could only take three shots on target and looked insipid throughout the game. Pereyra Diaz, Apuia, Bipin Singh, and Chhangte got themselves on the scoring sheet for Mumbai City FC and Bengaluru’s defense had no answers to their onslaught.

Sharing his thoughts on the disappointing result, Grayson said in the press conference, “I am hugely disappointed and frustrated. We have not been so great since the start of the season — not solid defensively, and we keep making stupid mistakes. We let the opposition get the first goal quite easily. It makes it very difficult, football is all about both 18-yard boxes. If you are ruthless in both boxes, the defensive duties and the top end of the pitch then you get enough chances.”

He continued, “We gave away too many free chances tonight in both halves (especially the second), but in the first half we played as well as we could. We created chances, and if a goal went in for 1-1 then it would have been a different ballgame.”

He added, “Mumbai City FC are known as a team that is good in possession, but tonight their runners outran us and won the second ball, and that is not something you say about MCFC if you know about football deeply. All good teams in the world do that, we did not win the second ball and got what we deserved in the last 30 minutes of the game. The players did not show the right character and fight that you need to show on a successful team.”

Grayson lashed out at his players for not giving their 100% on the field and feels they were punished for their stupid mistakes by the opposition.

​​The gaffer said, “I can talk and give instructions as much as possible, but the performers need to speak. There isn’t one player in the dressing room who can tell me he deserves to play next week, but I have to manage this group of players. Not enough players have played, and the younger players are trying to make it to the team in place of some experienced players. We need to work it out on the training pitch. We said it last week after the game against East Bengal FC that only the staff and a group of players could change things around and that we had to get a break to stop the run of games at this moment in time. We do have good players, players who play with all their heart and soul, but in large parts of the game we are not consistent enough and get punished for stupid mistakes. The individuals have got to look after that.”

Bengaluru FC has lost four matches out of the six they have played, with one win and one drawn game. The Blues will next take on FC Goa at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa on 26th November.