India, Aug. 28 -- The signs of a turnaround were evident when Jose Molina met journalists for a rare roundtable in the Mohun Bagan Super Giant media room. By early November 2024, when the interaction happened, Mohun Bagan had put behind them the 0-3 defeat at Bengaluru FC, a result Molina accepted had forced a change in team composition. "Because we were suffering and I had to do something," he said.

In that chastening loss, Mohun Bagan had started with former Australia strikers Dimi Petratos and Jason Cummings, Greg Stewart as wide left and Tommy Aldred in central defence. After that match, Aldred and Alberto Rodriguez became an unshakeable central defensive pairing with Stewart as No.10 and Jamie Maclaren as the lone striker.

The twea...