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ISL 2020-21: 'Every team who won could have lost the game' - Stuart Baxter
The Odisha coach wants his side to build some momentum against Bengaluru FC and feels signing players in January might not be a good idea...
Odisha have lost four of their five matches in the ongoing Indian Super League (ISL) season and face an unbeaten Bengaluru FC on Thursday.
However, the Kalinga Warriors' coach Stuart Baxter refused to blame his defence alone for failing to keep a single clean sheet and feels that all teams could have lost the games they have won, suggesting that no team has dominated the league so far.
"I don't think conceding goals is a direct responsibility of the centre-backs and I don't think the [Odisha] centre-back's performances have been sub-standard. We have defended very well in some games.
"Bengaluru have done well. They started with a few issues to iron out but they have been making progress. It will be a tough game for us but if you look at the league in general, every team who have won could have possibly lost the game. We have experienced it in our games," he said.
Against Bengaluru, the 67-year-old added, "We certainly need to be better at attacking more based on our possession. If we can gain momentum there and take momentum away from the opponents, that will help us."
Talking about the things that may have not gone their way, Baxter hinted that Odisha may have to look for reinforcements in the January transfer window.
"To sit and say what we're lacking would be highly disrespectful of the players who have worked very hard because even in 1-0 defeats the players have worked very hard. So I can't fault them for that. Certainly, we need to do better as a team - those small things in critical phases of the game that decide games.
"Identifying which players we need now is probably not a good idea. The January market is going to be one with danger. You've got a quarantine, you need to identify the player and he's got to acclimatise to the Indian game and team-mates. By that time it may be the close of the season. We will think about it but at this time, we don't have any concrete plans.
"The resources have not gone our way. I don't think that translates directly into a bad performance. Sometimes, yes, but not all the time. I think we have to make sure to turn that corner first. I hope the fans stick with us and I hope we can give them more to be happy about. If we stick together, it's a big step into turning this thing (season) around."
