Football: India rolled over in Bishkek and there was zero fight on display, especially in defence

Two tailor-made excuses were doled out by the commentators on air for the Indian team’s lackadaisical performance in Bishkek: the pitch and the fact that the team hadn’t played a competitive match together for almost five months.

Lest we forget that this was the same pitch that both teams played on, making it equally tough for the Kyrgyz Republic as well. The difference? They kept their head better.

As for the second, these were players that were coming off a full season of league football. There shouldn’t have been an excuse as to the competitive edge.

But, let’s talk about the defence.

Lost sheep in defence

The rise in rankings created by cherry-picking opponents and manipulating the rankings created a bubble which hopefully burst on Tuesday. Another, which came under serious consideration was the fact that Stephen Constantine’s men are solid at the back.

In fact, they were ruthlessly exposed at the back by the Kyrgyz team when they met in Bengaluru. On that occasion, the White Falcons were wasteful. In Bishkek too, Kyrgyz could have scored five or six.

The final scoreline of 2-1 flattered India. And the pummelling started early. As early as the second minute.

Anton Zemlyanukhin was the Kyrgyz danger man. He is their all-time top scorer, also their leading goal-getter in Asian Cup qualification with five goals. He scored two goals against Myanmar just the last week. India forgot all of that in the first 100 seconds.

Let’s go through the first goal. Ball played long to the Kyrgyz right. Narayan Das is woefully out of position. Anas Edathodika is the only one who seems to be doing his job, keeping a tight leash on his man. Sandesh Jhingan is running towards the goal where Gurpreet Sandhu can already sense the danger.

The ball comes in as Narayan fails to cut out Kayrat’s cross. Anas is still with his man, but Jhingan has no idea what he’s doing. He’s attracted to the ball and the Kyrgyz attacker, blissfully unaware of what’s coming behind him.

Lalruatthara, deputising for Pritam Kotal, fails to read the danger at all. Everyone, except Jhingan is marking a man. The Kerala Blasters centre-back is not on the line either. The finish from Zemlyanukhin was exquisite, but Ruatthara should be tracking his run. There’s nothing that Gurpreet can do with the finish, as it nestles into the top right.

A comedy of errors, as India trail 1-0.

It’s the 33rd minute. India have been under the cosh constantly, failing to create clear-cut chances, giving the ball away far too cheaply in midfield.

The Kyrgyz initiate another attack via their left, as the Indian defenders scamper back. Ruatthara is again caught out of position, as Anas, Jhingan and Narayan run back. Look at Shamshiev on the extreme corner, running free.

The Krygyz winger, runs towards the edge of the box, drawing four (FOUR!) Indian players towards him, leaving Shamshiev free and with an opportunity to shoot from the edge of the box, despite being at a numerical disadvantage, outnumbered six to three.

Shamshiev wastes the opportunity, but better teams will make India pay in UAE.

71’: Yet another foray down India’s right and the full-back is again nowhere to be seen. At this moment, it’s 1 versus 4 as other Kyrgyz players come forward to support the winger.

The player gets his ball through to the Kyrgyz players on the edge of the box, despite being heavily marked. Once again, the ball should not have reached the home team.

The attack looks to be over temporarily, after a hasty clearance. But, the ball is lost almost immediately, especially when India are desperately in need of a breather.

Kyrgyz go on the counter once again, and this time it’s decisive.

Once again, look at the positioning of the Indian players here. Ruatthara is yet again out of position, Anas is the only one marking his man, while Jerry Lalrinzuala, a second-half replacement for Narayan and Jhingan are deep but without marking anybody in particular.

Zemlyanukhin, like he did all game, has ample of time and space to receive the ball and cut to the byline.

He delivers a ball to Duyshobekov, who is inexplicably free in the box with no one near him. Jhingan senses the danger but too late and runs towards the Kyrgyz attacker in order to shut him down.

Murzaev by this time, has been in the box for some time now, yet nobody gets close, absolutely nobody at all. For Jhingan, he can still salvage the situation by staying strong but he does something we’ve become all too familiar with.

He goes to ground in a last-ditch effort, instead of forcing Duyshobekov to try an alternate route. We’ve seen a lot of this from the Blasters’ centre-back in the previous ISL season. He must still have nightmares about Coro and Lanza ripping the Blasters’ backline apart at Fatorda, while he dived and slid around aimlessly. The best defenders don’t go to ground.

Murzaev can’t believe his luck. The striker’s not been in the best of form, yet this is an absolute gift from the Indian defence, no one bothering to pick him up. All he has to do is place it beyond Gurpreet, which he does effortlessly.

Midfield capitulates and attack flops

That one goal doesn’t take away from the fact that India struggled with ball retention. The midfield is an area that has become one of neglect and concern. Eugeneson Lyngdoh is no longer the force he once was but with him out, Constantine opted for his favourite deputy Mohammed Rafique.

Rafique and Rowllin saw the game pass by them completely, barely involved in attack as long balls to the head of Balwant Singh and Jeje were preferred. Rowllin had an off-day, even if he did rattle the post from a free-kick and manage to get India’s first shot on target. The Northeast United man along with the wingers was pinned back for most of the game and his first touch betrayed him.

Too many passengers

Credit to him for making his only chance count but Jeje had a miserable outing otherwise, failing to link up with Balwant. Much was spoken about how the ‘intelligence’ of the pair would make them a good combo, but they weren’t aided by poor deliveries from the wings and the brief moments that they did manage to get the ball, lost it immediately.

Udanta Singh’s stellar season, where he managed seven assists, seemed to be forgotten in a display where the Manipuri was dominated by Sheratov throughout. Even when he did get the ball, he could not make much of it. Holicharan Narzary might have got the assist, but his end product was by and large terrible, and he, like Rafique, will be on the plane to UAE, although questionably.

Many tried to peddle the scoreline as a ‘fighting’ one and look for the positives in the consolation goal, but that would be far from the truth. The coach and his players must put their hands up and acknowledge an insipid performance and not look to hide from it, for teams may not always be as merciful as the Kyrgyz.