Kerala Blasters must tighten midfield and defence ahead of Mumbai City clash in Kochi
Kerala Blasters will host Mumbai City FC in Kochi on Sunday 25 October at 7:30 PM in their first ISL 2026-27 home game, needing a response after a 4-1 defeat to NorthEast United in Guwahati that left them with three points from two matches. Head coach Ashley Westwood must address structural issues exposed in that loss before the Manjappada crowd.
Westwood employed a five-man defence in Guwahati, but NorthEast’s pressing unsettled Kerala’s midfield and opened gaps at the back. Eneko Satrustegui’s long pass found Ajaraie, who rounded goalkeeper Arsh Anwer and scored in the 15th minute. A careless Sumit Sharma pass allowed Moyano to score just before half-time, and Ajaraie added a second after a poor clearance by Korou. Debutant Amey Ranawade was substituted at the break after struggling against counters, Jithin MS repeatedly bypassed Aiban on the flank, and Kerala managed only four shots on target with Momo Yansané’s second-half goal the sole return from 12 attempts against NorthEast’s 19.
The match revealed a stretched distance between the lines: a midfield that was pulled apart, isolated defenders and a starved front line. Westwood has said the squad includes five new foreigners and eight or nine new Indians, so another wholesale shape change risks creating further confusion. The immediate corrective proposed in Kochi is to tighten distances inside the current system rather than remodel it entirely.
Reverting to the opener’s logic is one specific option: Aiban stepping into midfield previously provided an extra passing angle against the press. Against a Mumbai side that wants the ball, that additional body between the lines can prevent the midfield from becoming isolated. The team should avoid sitting deep or employing a high line without cover and aim for a compact mid-block with centre-backs prepared for balls in behind.
Westwood’s plan also includes set pressing triggers: press when a Mumbai full-back receives the ball on the touchline or when a pass goes backwards, and avoid chasing the goalkeeper and centre-backs because Mumbai can invite that press and play through it. At the back, the instruction is to simplify risk — clearing under pressure is acceptable, but attempting to dribble out of danger has produced costly turnovers, including the moments that led to the first and fourth goals in Guwahati.
Two games constitute a small sample, and being 2-0 down at the break after a stoppage-time gift skews the picture, but the collapse after Yansané’s goal points to issues beyond game state. Westwood acknowledged the first-half shortcomings, saying Kerala deserved to lose on the first-half performance, and he credited the reaction after the break. The coaching staff must guard against a repeat of the defensive lapses while preserving the second-half response.
Match-day temperament will be crucial: a loud home stadium can prompt a nervous team to rush and concede transitions, so the first 15 minutes in Kochi are decisive. If Kerala settle, win early duels and complete two or three safe passes the Manjappada can lift them; if they chase from the first whistle the noise can become added pressure. Westwood has said he’d be happy with seven or eight points from the first four games, a target that is only reachable if Sunday ends in three points; a win would put Kerala on six points from three and lift the mood before the trip to Chennaiyin on October 31, while a second defeat at home would deepen questions about a coach who has been in the job since March.
