With Arsenal legend fit to start, Mumbai City FC hope to continue rich vein of form against NorthEast United FC tonight
Setting standards is difficult. Living up to those is tougher. This could well be playing on Mumbai City FC coach Peter Reid's mind as his boys prepare take on NorthEast United FC at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Friday.
Mumbai trounced FC Pune City 5-0 last weekend and the fans are expecting a similar, if not better, result against a relatively young bunch from Guwahati who are in third position. Reid isn't over-confident though. "Of course the last result was terrific and we want to carry on that form. But more than scoring five goals, we were delighted we kept a clean sheet because if you keep a clean sheet, you don't lose football matches," he said.
It isn't the first time that Reid will be against NorthEast coach Ricki Herbert. "We have to be wary of NorthEast United. I have played against a few of Ricki's teams when I was coaching Thailand and I know his teams are very tough to beat. He sets his teams up to play a competitive brand of football. Therefore, I am not going to be complacent about this tie."
Saturday's encounter will be NorthEast's first away game. They started on a positive note, beating Kerala Blasters by a goal before losing to Atletico de Kolkata 0-2. In their last match, they were held 1-1 by FC Goa.
"I've seen them play on TV. They've had a mixed bag. But I tend to look at how my team does. I am not being disrespectful to them, they are a good side but I tend to look at the positives of my side. I want to go out there and be as solid as we were against Pune. I know it's going to be tough, but if we get it right with the attacking players we've got, we can give anyone a game," Reid said.
That apart, Reid broke some great news. "(Fredrik) Ljunberg is 100 per cent fit to start. That gives me a big, big headache as a coach, because all the lads played brilliantly in the previous game. It is a good headache to have, though. All the players that came in for the previous game, did well. I am delighted with the competition for places."
The English gaffer revealed that captain Syed Nabi is also fit. Nabi, who was nursing an ankle injury he suffered in the first game against Atletico de Kolkata, is training with the team and feature on Friday.
It's never easy playing away to a team that's just won 5-0, but NorthEast coach Herbert isn't worried. "We also look to play an attacking brand of football. We are not here to shut things up and be incredibly defensive. We respect a side that has scored five in its previous game, but that will not deter us from trying to play our offensive brand of football. We are injury-free as well, so that should help," Herbert said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}