ISL 2022-23: We can improve with hard work – North East United FC’s Vincenzo Annese

NorthEast United FC head coach Vincenzo Annese believes they can improve with hard work. It would be fair to say that the Highlanders have gotten off to a rotten start; suffering 10 losses out of the 10 games they played in the ongoing season of the Hero Indian Super League 2022-23.

NorthEast United suffered their 10th loss of the season against FC Goa at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa on Saturday by 2-1. Edu Bedia scored for the Gaurs in the 10th minute whereas Guarrotxena doubled the lead in the 20th minute. NorthEast United could only take three shots on target whereas they had only 36% of the possession.

NorthEast United FC got the consolation goal in the 90th minute as Jordan scored from a spot kick.

Sharing his thoughts on the match, Vincenzo Annese said in the post-match press conference, “Well, we conceded two goals very early and created ourselves a big problem. We know from the middle they come (and attack) inside the box all the time. They did this and it (the goals) started with this. We need to follow the player, we are not able to mark man to man. This is one stuff that we need to work on. We have too much focus on the ball and we need to improve on this for sure as soon as possible because it is a quality that we really need to work on. We will be better because I saw the efforts of the guys, it was so good. They ran well. I want more aggression from the players. We know that the FC Goa team keeps possession all the time and we allowed them to play. Maybe we can do better in counterattacks. We don’t have enough power to counterattack. I believe it is the best, we can do (now). We can do better and better (in coming matches).”

Annese reckons they need to focus on playing XI and give them chances to improve as a unit.

He added, “We need to also focus on the first eleven. We need to give chances to improve the game by game and to realise our play because in these eight nine-games, (the team is undergoing) change all the time, change of the system, change of formation, and these many changes don’t create a sense of feeling with each other in the players. So if you watch all the games, we change something all the time so it is not good for any team in the world. We need to focus on the players, the first eleven and substitution because it’s important also to have all. And we go forward in a better way. I believe that this journey will be hard, but it will be exciting for the future. I’m new to the league and, and I study so much again to see other opponents. I study my players game by game and I believe I can do better for the next game against ATK Mohun Bagan at home. So we need to start winning at home. We need to start winning. There is some improvement, but we still work on improving.”

Annese added that the mentality of the team needs to change as they should believe they can win in any situation.

He concluded, “The previous coach was playing in a different way. We started to overload (in attack), we started to create more and to have more penetrations into the center as well. We need to believe that we can score all the time. We need to believe in this and this mentality was always in my team previously as well. I believe all the time that we can create some danger for the opposition team. We need to focus on improving what we have, not on the future. Focus on the players that I have. I don’t have a pre-season and I came here in the middle of the season and I believe we can improve a lot.”

NorthEast United FC will look to turn the tables in the upcoming matches. The club will next face ATK Mohun Bagan at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati on Saturday.