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Right from their debut season in the Indian Super League (ISL), East Bengal FC have had one nightmare-ish outing after another. Under Robbie Fowler in the 2020-21 season, the club finished ninth in the points table. A complete revamp followed the next season, but the results only worsened.
Finishing with more head coaches than victories, the Red and Gold Brigade plummeted to the bottom of the pile. For the 2022-23 season, the club made some significant moves in the market and more importantly brought in a well-versed coach in Stephen Constantine.
However, their inconsistencies cost them massively as they finished ninth in the standings.
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But the Torchbearers are back once again with renewed hopes for the 2023-24 season. The club reached the finals of the Durand Cup for the first time in 19 years and even ended up bettering their arch-rivals after a wait of four long years.
Carles Cuadrat has already become a heartthrob for the red and gold part of Bengal and the supporters have started to believe once again.
On that note, let's take an analytical look at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of East Bengal in ISL 2023-24:
Strengths
For anyone who has observed East Bengal during their brief stint in the Durand Cup 2023, the strength of the squad has been particularly evident. Cuadrat has managed to assemble a group of individuals and transform them into a team of fighters.
Despite being pressured in almost every match, the Red and Gold Brigade have always managed to come away with positive results, until the final game of the competition of course.
Along with their resilience, EBFC this season also has amply experienced campaigners who are well-versed in the intricacies of the ISL. Rather than bringing a complete set of overseas players who are unaware of Indian football, the Kolkata Giants have brought in players who are already established names in the top-tier league.
Their wing play this season could, for now, be stated as a strength because they have managed to pair up two of the most in-form wide players in the country. Both Nandhakumar Sekar and Naorem Mahesh Singh have different skill sets but are extremely lethal in wide areas.
Fans will also be excited to watch the duo of Borja Herrera and Saul Crespo in the middle of the park. While the latter is an absolute metronome in the middle of the park, the former Hyderabad FC midfielder is a tricky customer in the final third, who will be pivotal to carving open opposition defenses.
Weaknesses
Going by the likely first team, the weaknesses, at least on paper, aren't as prominent as the previous years as a lot of the holes have been plugged. However, despite their run to the Durand Cup final, East Bengal did lack the scoring prowess.
Cleiton Silva is yet to hit his top form from the previous season and Javier Siverio has looked secluded in the final third on multiple occasions.
Having two top-quality forwards will definitely allow the side to switch between options if a particular system isn't working. However, this is still one area Cuadrat will be hoping to work on ahead of the ISL season.
Another visible fragility is in their defensive midfield position. The squad lacks natural destroyers in the middle of the park. While Souvik Chakraborti put in a tremendous shift in the season-opening competition, there aren't many replacements in the position.
If Harmanjot Singh Khabra is slotted into that role, then it leaves the depth in the full-back position slim.
The linking between the midfield and the attacking line has also been an area of concern for the Torchbearers. Borja Herrera will need to hit the ground running for East Bengal to transform into a freewheeling attacking system.
Opportunities
Unlike the previous seasons, the Durand Cup campaign has instilled a lot of confidence in the hearts of the EBFC aficionados. Expect them to flood the stadiums in numbers and make it uncomfortable for the traveling teams.
Although it's just a month or so into his stint with the new club, Cuadrat has already shown his affinity for maintaining a rigid defense. This might allow the Red and Gold Brigade to grind out crucial results all throughout the season and make them especially lethal in the knockout phases.
As long as you get the wins, it doesn't matter how they come.
Threats
While East Bengal's squad this season has been considerably improved compared to the last, there's still a lack of squad depth. The starting lineup essentially selects itself, and once you get past them, there is a lack of potent options on the bench. As we move up the pitch, the options keep narrowing down. In case of any fortunate injury to any of their starters, the slim squad might be exposed immediately.
Another major concern for the club is the injury to Jordan Elsey. As things stand, the Australian center-back might be out for a major chunk of the season. It will be immensely difficult to replace a player like Elsey who has not just been a rock at the back but also a leader on and off the pitch. In his absence, Jose Antonio Pardo has slotted into the center-back spot but not very successfully.
