EB in a cushy position

“Perhaps because we are more or less through to the next phase, my boys are not too motivated to play their best,” the coach reflected.

East Bengal play a Mahindras side struggling with bad form and injury but Bhattacharya is hardly buoyant with a more than likely win against the Durand Cup champions. Or about the distinct possibility of topping the group ahead of Goa’s Salgaocar with whom they are level on eight points from four games.

Bhattacharya instead is focusing on how his team strike much-neededrhythm ahead of the crucial second stage of the League.

East Bengal have riches at their disposal up front. Star striker Baichung Bhutia will have the mercurial Raman Vijayan for company and if a third striker is thrown in, Dipendu Biswas is another big name.

Sound mid-field play in the form of Renedy Singh, internationals Tushar Rakshit and Carlton Chapman and the likely induction of a defensive mid-fielder Ranjan Dey is likely to pile pressure on pressure for Mahindras.

Stoppers Franky Baretto and African A Jackson along with wing-backs Ratan Singh and another African Suleh Moosa, lend a secure look to the defence whose task will be made easier with the injury to sharp shooting Mahindras striker Manjeet Singh.

But Mahindras coach S S Hakim said after a dismal defeat to FC Kochin on Sunday that Manjeet, despite stitches on his lip, will be thrown into battle. Fighting the spectre of relegation, the Mumbai outfit, must salvage at least a point from tomorrow’s home game to entertain any thought offinishing in the clear.

More woes for Mahindras in a dual yellow to regular stopper Ramesh Rajak, injury to skipper Susantha Mazumdar and Bangladeshi sweeper Munawar `Munna’ Hussain, who flew home to recuperate from surgery.