Mumbai City FC raised the bar in the Indian Super League (ISL) last season as they stormed their way to the League Winners’ Shield in record-breaking fashion. 

With 14 wins, 46 points and 54 goals, the Islanders dominated from the go and never looked back, leaving their opponents too much to do to catch them in the end. 

Heightened competition

Mumbai City FC haven’t exactly picked up from where they had left off last season but are still very much in position to match last season’s feat and defend their League Shield. However, two wins and two draws in their first four matches see them trail leaders Mohun Bagan Super Giant by four points and second-placed FC Goa by two points. They are level on points with NorthEast United FC and trail Kerala Blasters FC by two points who have played a game more than the Islanders. 

There is no reason to panic for Des Buckingham’s side as they had the exact same number of points after four games last season but it is evident that they will face heightened competition for the Shield this season than what they faced last term. 

Mohun Bagan Super Giant hold a perfect record in the league and having won the Durand Cup are looking in menacing form. FC Goa also have recorded three wins in four matches and have a look of a side that can go the distance. 

Kerala Blasters FC have been a consistent side over the last two seasons and under Ivan Vukomanovic have managed to turn Kochi into a fortress. Owen Coyle’s Chennaiyin FC and Sergio Lobera’s Odisha FC have strong squads and have shown signs of form lately. 

East Bengal FC, Jamshedpur FC haven’t been consistent but have shown glimpses of the quality they possess. Hyderabad FC have endured a tough start to the season but matched Mumbai City FC on their own turf in the previous match. Punjab FC may be finding their feet in the ISL but have shown how competitive they can be.

So ISL 2023-24 will be a much more competitive league than ISL 2022-23 and Mumbai City FC will have to improve to remain where they were last season. 

It’s difficult to improve significantly from a position of strength that ISL 2020-21 double winners find themselves in, but as most coaches say, there is always room to get better. 

Tightening up at the back

One statistic that stands out for Mumbai City FC this season where they could improve is the lack of clean sheets. 

Des Buckingham’s side are one of only two teams this season to have not kept a clean sheet this season. They were minutes away from one against Hyderabad FC but their inability to hold on, albeit with ten men, cost them two points that would have seen them go joint top with FC Goa and Kerala Blasters FC. 

Rank

Team

Goals Conceded

Clean Sheets

1

Jamshedpur FC

3

3

2

FC Goa

3

2

3

Mohun Bagan Super Giant

2

1

4

Bengaluru FC

4

1

5

East Bengal FC

5

1

5

Kerala Blasters FC

5

1

5

NorthEast United FC

5

1

8

Odisha FC

7

1

9

Chennaiyin FC

9

1

10

Punjab FC

10

1

11

Hyderabad FC

5

0

11

Mumbai City FC

5

0

While it’s still early days in the season, the clean sheet count could prove to be the difference in a season where the margin for error has certainly been minimised. 

The Islanders haven’t been bad defensively but have leaked the odd goal which has either cost them points this season or put them under pressure in games. They are the joint fifth-best team defensively this season and fourth when it comes to total number of shots faced this season. In terms of shot-on-target faced, the Islanders are the fifth-best team in the league so far. 

While these numbers are hardly disastrous, Buckingham would be keen on improvement on this front as his team looks to stave off the likes of Mohun Bagan Super Giant, FC Goa, Kerala Blasters FC and NorthEast United FC who have emerged as the early contenders to their Shield. 

Leaking goals has been an issue for the Islanders under Buckingham as they have recorded just 13 clean sheets in 48 ISL matches under him. While they have covered up for it at the other end by scoring bucketful of goals, it’s an area that Mumbai City FC could improve on if they are to extend their supremacy for another season. 

Dependency on Diaz?

The Islanders this season haven’t been as prolific by their standards having scored seven goals in four games. They averaged over two goals per game last season and one of the reasons for the slight dip is the decrease in the number of goalscoring sources. 

Goals came from all quarters for Mumbai City FC last season with Jorge Pereyra Diaz, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Bipin Singh and Greg Stewart all getting in on the act. 

However, this season, Mumbai City FC have been reliant on Diaz to do the scoring on most occasions and no player in the league has won his team more points with his goals than Diaz has done for the Islanders. He has netted four out of their seven strikes this season. 

Rank

Player

Team

Goals

Assists

Scorer Points

1

Jorge Pereyra Díaz

Mumbai City FC

4

0

4

1

Adrián Luna

Kerala Blasters FC

3

1

4

1

Crivellaro

Chennaiyin FC

2

2

4

4

Connor Shields

Chennaiyin FC

3

0

3

4

Parthib Gogoi

NorthEast United FC

3

0

3

4

Dimitri Petratos

Mohun Bagan Super Giant

2

1

3

4

Jason Cummings

Mohun Bagan Super Giant

2

1

3

4

Víctor Rodríguez

FC Goa

1

2

3

4

Sahal Abdul Samad

Mohun Bagan Super Giant

0

3

3

None of Chhangte, Bipin or Stewart has registered so far this season in the ISL and the Islanders are thus being punished more for their lack of clean sheets. 

It is very difficult for Mumbai City FC to match their goalscoring exploits of last season and thus the defence of their League Shield would do with a few more clean sheets to their name. 

Champions teams always find different ways to win football matches when challenged and the Islanders have certainly been thrown an early challenge by the other teams this season. It is now down to them to deliver a response and that response may well be needed to come as much from their defence as from their flamboyant attack. 

Related tags:

Mumbai City FC2023-2024