Kaizer Chiefs supporters were delighted to see new signing Sibongiseni
Mthethwa and Edson Castillo start together in midfield against Cape Town
City on Monday, with Yusuf Maart also included in the line-up. However,
despite dominating with 66% ball possession, Chiefs failed to create many
scoring chances and the Citizens managed to win the game 1-0.
This has led to debate, on who Chiefs should sacrifice in their midfield
to accommodate Mthethwa. Former Amakhosi attacker Thuso Phala believes
playing all three midfielders at once limits the team’s creativity and
suggests that coach Gavin Hunt should sacrifice one of them and add
creative players such Mduduzi Mdantsane, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Mduduzi
Shabalala, to create more chances.
“Well, we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt that it’s their first
game playing together but that’s not an excuse, those players are
international players, if they (are called up) to Bafana they will do
well,” Phala said on TV Solutions TV YouTube channel. “So, for me I think
one of them must be sacrificed, I don’t see them creating more chances
with all three of them together, play one of them holding and play two
attacking. Play Castillo and Mdantsane there (in attacking midfield), have
one holding. As Chiefs, teams come more defensive, so obviously you’re
gonna have more dominance in midfield, you need more creativity. So you
need Mdantsane, that young boy (Nkosingiphile) Ngcobo or a (Mduduzi)
Shabalala. Play them in midfield and put one holding midfielder, if
Mthethwa does that alone, put him alone and let Castillo, Mdantsane and
them to add creativity.”
Mthethwa has been selected by Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos, so it will
be interesting to see how Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt will line up his
midfield in the coming matches.
