ISL 2021-22: What can new signing Fran Sota add to SC East Bengal?
To simply sum up SC East Bengal's ISL 2021-22 season so far, they've had more head coaches than wins. The Red & Gold Brigade have been glued to the bottom spot in the league standings. But after a couple of new signings in the winter transfer window, some hope has been revived in the East Bengal camp.
Among those new recruits is the man of interest, Francisco Jose Sota, who has been signed until the end of the season. The Spaniard replaced Slovenian midfielder Amir Dervisevic to complete the clubโs quota of six foreign players.
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We are happy to announce the signing of versatile Spanish midfielder ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐จ ๐๐จ๐ฌรฉ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ on a short term deal that will see him turn out for the red and gold brigade till the end of the season.
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Sota began his career with Osasuna, playing in their youth team. Later, he plied his trade for lower-division Spanish teams, which include Pena Sports FC, CD Varea, SD Logrones, SD Leioa, and CD Tropezon.
There's very little literature available on his playing style, but there are some rare videos of him plying his trade for his former clubs. Going by the brief snippets, the 31-year-old possesses some clear quality on and off the ball.
Also Read | "In a derby, the league position doesn't matter" - Mario Rivera ahead of SC East Bengal's clash against ATK Mohun Bagan
Fran Sota might just be the answer to SC East Bengal's creative problems
East Bengal fans can expect Sota to be the creative midfielder the side has so evidently lacked. Given his build and lack of fitness, Dervisevic was a complete failure in the middle of the park. However, Sota's lean body type allows him to be agile and take deft touches.
Coming to touches on the ball, that's primarily where Sota excels or has excelled to be precise. He isn't the quickest player around, but his touches allow him to set the ball up for sharp turns and beat his man.
In the first frame, Sota can be seen carrying the ball deep into the opposition half. But the Spaniard is being tracked down by a defender from behind and the one in front is closing him down. However, Sota manages to beat both the defenders with a snappy roulette and tries to set up his teammate with an outside-of-the-boot simultaneously. Although the ball fails to find its intended target, the whole movement and plenty of other snippets show Sota and his knack for taking deft touches.
Secondly, the former Racing Ferrol midfielder also has a belter of a left foot on him. He can take some clean shots from outside the box if it falls kindly on his left. His inswinging deliveries from the deep is a much-needed addition to the East Bengal midfield.
A quick look at his numbers and his gameplay tells you that Sota isn't the kind of midfielder to bag ample goals or rack up assists. He fits the bill of the players who set up the assist of the assist. The Spaniard can play both as a No 8 or No 10, but how Mario Rivera uses him remains to be seen.
Shedding light on possible weaknesses in Fran Sota's gameplay
Our new Spanish midfielder ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ joined the squad in training this afternoon after completing his mandatory quarantine period as we sweated it out ahead of the Kolkata Derby.
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Along with his strengths, it's also important to talk about some of the glaring weaknesses in Sota's game. It's fair to put it out there that he's not going to be the fastest player in the ISL, rather far from that.
Sota is agile in terms of taking quick turns, but when it comes to pace on the last man, the Spaniard is expected to struggle. If Rivera can implement the possession-based system that he has talked about, that could help Sota to bloom, given his range of passing and quick feet.
If East Bengal continue to rely on counter-attacks and breaks, it will be difficult for the midfielder to make his mark.
Another factor to remember is the lack of match practice for Sota ahead of his East Bengal stint. The Spaniard last played a professional game in May 2021 in the semifinals of the La Liga 2 playoffs. Whether he can hit the ground running remains to be seen.
How can the SC East Bengal attack line shape up with Fran Sota?
Scoring goals has been a struggle for East Bengal throughout the season. They've failed to find a constant source of goals even after 13 games. They've mostly had to rely on set-piece situations to breach the opposition defense. However, the addition of Sota can amplify their creativity from open play.
Antonio Perosevic is the only player in the East Bengal attacking department who picks himself. Given that Naorem Mahesh Singh has been amongst goals lately, there's an opportunity to pair him with Perosevic up top. Behind the two, Rivera can play Sota in the free role.
If Rivera switches to a more traditional 4-3-3 system, the Spaniard could also be deployed in a three-man midfield as a No 8 or a No 10 behind, in front of a double pivot.
Don't expect the Spaniard to magically carry East Bengal to the top-four or anything miraculous. But Sota just might be the player that the Red & Gold Brigade were missing all season to at least field a balanced side.