Mohammedan Sporting Club will be looking at bouncing back when they face Pathachakra FC in the ongoing Calcutta Football League – Premier Division ‘A’ at Mohammedan Sporting ground on Monday. Kick-off is at 4:30pm.

Pressure is already mounting on Mohammedan Sporting and their technical director Raghu Nandi following a goalless draw with George Telegraph SC in their last league game.

After dropping five points in their first four matches Mohammedan Sporting, who are in fifth spot in the league table with seven points, find themselves in dire need of a win, and Nandi is well aware that they can’t afford anymore slip up if they are to challenge for the title.

Nandi is expected to make a few changes to his side to face Pathachakra FC. Nandi, however, is unlikely to make wholesale changes for a number of reasons‚ mostly because he believes in continuity. He will also not want to be seen to be panicking. He is more likely to make a few changes here and there to find the right formula for success.

Having adopted the 4-4-1-1 formation in the previous matches, with Bazie Armand operating behind the front-man Princewill Emeka, Nandi might revert to a more conventional 4-4-2 system by handing start to youngster Mohammad Amirul.

Scoring goals is one area Nandi will have to place more focus on if his side is to do better than they did in last few matches.

Princewill, who was supposed to spearhead Mohammedan Sporting’s frontline, hasn’t came close to living up to expectations since he was signed from TRAU earlier in the season.

While fans are desperately hoping the lean spell will end soon, the misfiring striker need to find his shooting boots quickly as Mohammedan Sporting officials are running out of patience where Princewill is concerned.

The pressure is also growing on Nandi, who earned criticism for his overly defensive strategy. Nandi is a cautious coach by nature, but one feels he really needs to adopt a more offensive game-plan if Moahmmedan Sporting are going to be genuine title contenders and not just tease their fans until the end of the league.

Pathachakra FC, on the other hand, are in eighth spot with only three points from four matches, and Remco Boere’s charges will be desperate for win to maintain a safe distance from the relegation zone.

Pathachakra FC will take heart from the fact that they defeated a strong Mohammedan Sporting side, consisting the likes of Aser Dipanda Dicka, Kalu Ogba, Manvir Singh, Sheikh Faiaz and Rana Gharami, on their Calcutta Football League – Premier Division ‘A’ debut last season.

(Mohammedan Sporting Club)