ISL | How Ashley Westwood turned Kerala Blasters’ fortunes around

Kerala Blasters was staring astatine relegation midway done the 2026 ISL play with conscionable 1 constituent from six matches.

Kerala Blasters had its worst commencement successful past and manager David Catala was nether fire. A 1-1 gully against East Bengal successful the distant lucifer gave faint anticipation of a revival.

However, Kerala Blasters mislaid 1-3 astatine location to Punjab FC and Catala was forced to permission his position via communal statement with the club. 

Englishman Ashley Westwood was appointed arsenic interim manager and tasked with salvaging the disappointing season. However, Blasters’ archetypal lucifer nether Westwood ended successful a 0-2 defeat against Delhi SC.

The turnaround came successful the adjacent distant lucifer against Bengaluru FC.

Blasters, aft conceding an ain goal, came backmost to stun Bengaluru FC 2-1 done goals from Victor Bertomeu and Francisco Feuillasser.

The triumph against Bengaluru was followed by a 1-1 gully against NorthEast United astatine home. Then came the series of four consecutive wins which lifted Blasters from the relegation portion and into the eighth presumption successful the points table.

Under Catala, Blasters struggled to people successful unfastened play. The Spanish manager didn’t person prime players to instrumentality his possession based playing style. Mispasses, often by Indian players, surrendered the vantage and deficiency of creativity successful midfield saw Blasters neglect to instrumentality a azygous changeable astatine the rival goals successful astir of the matches.

However, aft Westwood took over, Blasters managed to summation its unfastened play efficiency. The passing errors came down drastically and the squad played much nonstop shot showing mobility and penetration with improvised play successful the flanks.

Kevin Yoke was the bosom of the Blasters onslaught with his penetrative runs connected the close flank. The accomplishment of Karim Benrife, Francisco Feuillasser and Fallou Ndiaye during Westwood’s tenure accrued the quality.

Westwood was tactically flexible and changed formations arsenic per the requirement. The Blasters’ defence consistently kept its shape, limiting the attacking options of its rivals. And the power from defence to onslaught was speedy and often caught the rival defence napping.

Westwood placed the Indian players successful the close positions and managed to bring the champion retired of them. Freddy Lallawmawma, Vipin Mohanan and R.V. Hormipam prospered nether Westwood.

Moreover, the squad displayed a uncommon warring tone and fought till the end. With things falling successful place, Westwood turned a sinking vessel into a cruiser though it came excessively late.