Jamshedpur FC head coach Scott Cooper says attacking needs improvement

THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK

Jamshedpur, Dec 1: The Indian Super League (ISL) match between Jamshedpur FC and Odisha FC takes place at the JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur on Friday. In the words of Jamshedpur FC head coach Scott Cooper, his team has to improve in the offensive phases of the game.

10th in the table

The Men of Steel, who are still trying to establish the ideal balance to produce fruitful outcomes, are positioned in the lower half of the table. With five points from seven games, they presently occupy the 10th spot in the league. They have now lost their last three games, having drawn twice, lost four and just won one this season.

Cooper thinks his team is playing good football even with their dismal record. He identifies decision-making, especially in the final third, as the specific area that requires improvement.

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Composure needed in attack

In the pre-match press conference, as quoted by ISL, Cooper mentioned, “Everybody has identified that we play a good brand of football. We have the composure in the defensive and the middle. We need to bring more composure in the final third”.

Jamshedpur FC suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat in their last away game against FC Goa. Despite controlling possession for extended periods and creating challenges for FC Goa to score, the Gaurs managed to break through, securing the lone goal that granted them three points.

Cooper is of the opinion that fatigue and weariness negatively impacted his team’s performance in that particular game. However, he maintains a positive outlook, expressing confidence that his team can recover and show improvement in upcoming matches despite their current standing.

“In the game the other night against FC Goa, we defended well but it was just a little bit of fatigue at the end that cost us the match. It is not a time to panic regarding our position on the table. Tables don’t mean anything until March or April time in any case,” Cooper stated.

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Only scored 4 goals in 7 matches

Jamshedpur FC has displayed a solid defensive performance, allowing seven goals in seven matches. They have the joint fewest goals scored by any team in the league this season, just four, which indicates that their offensive line is the source of their trouble.

Cooper senses that his players acknowledge their deficiencies and recognize the necessity for improvement in the offensive aspect of the game. He holds the belief that refining their performance in the final third will contribute substantially to elevating the overall quality of his team.

“Our players know what we are good at and they also know our strengths and weaknesses. We try to play good football that our fans can enjoy,” Cooper stated.

“We know we need to improve in the final third of the pitch. We do not change who we are or what we do. We know that if we get it right in the last third a lot of teams will find it difficult to face us,” Cooper added.