India, Oct. 30 -- The cheers were for Michael Carrick, the jeers for the players. With a banner that had former club legends and "standards" emblazoned across, Old Trafford had made the point more subtly earlier, but there was no holding back after a roundhouse whack from Bournemouth. One day later, at Salt Lake stadium where the emcee's exhortations bounced off empty chairs in a city returning to normality after Durga Puja, Panagiotis Dilmperis looked disappointed.

Carrick and Dilmperis have problems as different as Manchester United are from Mohun Bagan Super Giant. But both also have to grapple with lopsided squads and the lack of options at left back. Dilmperis has adjusted by shifting India right-back Abhishek Tekcham to the other s...