| Fadhil Yunus |
DPMM FC head coach Steve Kean is hoping his side can keep a clean sheet when they visit Warriors at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium in Singapore tonight.
The ‘Gegar Gegar’ men lost their last two home matches against league leaders Albirex Niigata (S) and Geylang International FC and the manner of which they conceded both late goals disappointed the head coach.
“The disappointing thing from the last game was the late goal because a little bit like Albirex, they would’ve taken a point. To take a wicked deflection near the end was disappointing,” said Kean in an interview after a training session at the Jerudong Mini Stadium.
“We’ve shown that we had some difficult periods already this season but we’ve put some good results together,” he said.
DPMM FC have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last six home league matches.
While the head coach has no doubts that his side will be busy creating the chances, he has already made it abundantly clear that keeping a clean sheet will be top priority in Singapore.
DPMM FC players during their training session. – FADHIL YUNUS
“I know we will make chances and hopefully the unit work we have done with our attacking in that side of the game will score.
“But first and foremost I like to go to Singapore with a clean sheet. We started with a clean sheet and we like to come back with a clean sheet,” the Scotsman asserted.
Kean added that judging on evidence of his charges’ performance, his side have created sufficient chances to take a maximum of nine points in three games.
The S League holders are currently sustaining a difficult spell in the goal-scoring department despite Brazilian striker Rafael Ramazotti rediscovering his scoring touch with six goals already this term.
Despite starting well and looked in good shape for three points against both Albirex and Geylang, they still left empty-handed largely down to a selection of missed opportunities.
After the latest setback against Geylang, Kean has made the first order of business to split the team on separate ends of the game – defending and attacking – with the attacking-minded players tasked with doing repetitions in finishing.
And Kean will be eager to revive his misfiring charges by providing new forms of threats and catching the opposition by surprise.
“I’m hoping to change the shape a little bit because I feel we need a different spark upfront and maybe change the angles of the attacking unit a little bit,” he said.
The head coach shared they have been working on two elements of fine-tuning their game, putting the emphasis on the role of goalkeeper Wardun Yussof.
“We’re working on to make sure that Wardun comes and claims his space if the ball is played behind the defence. I feel at times he can come and help the defence a little bit.
“We’ve worked on that and we also worked on the new attacking shape. Hopefully both elements will come against Warriors,” said the head coach.
He agreed that Warriors poor start from only two wins this season could serve as incentive to kick-start their campaign but his own side will be fired up to get back into winning ways.
“It is very unusual for us to lose two games on the bounce and we want to make sure it will not going to be three. We’re fully committed but the league is very tight and anybody can beat anybody,” he concluded.
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