Johannesburg - Kaizer Chiefs defender Lorenzo Gordinho said this week they may need to adopt a different approach to turn around their poor early season form, one that has seen the Glamour Boys suffer defeat in their opening Absa Premiership clash and being knocked out of the MTN8.
Gordinho who could welcome back central rearguard partner Mulomowandau Mathoho from injury in Wednesday’s league clash against Platinum Stars at the FNB Stadium, said the two losses away to Bidvest Wits and Cape Town City have come as a bit of a shock given how hard Chiefs worked during pre-season. Amakhosi finished the 2015/16 campaign in fifth place, surrendering their championship and were unable to win any silverware in coach Steve Komphela’s first year in charge.
“I am surprised at how we have started because we came back from the break and we were all confident,” said Gordinho. “The team chemistry was high. It just shows you that you never really know what’s going to happen. We are working hard to not really rectify, but to adapt and change from what we were doing to something better. It is disappointing that we are out of the MTN8, but there’s other cups to compete for, including a league title”
A lot of the criticism has been directed at Komphela as the coach, Chiefs fans being even more skeptical about the coach’s ability to deliver trophies at Naturena. But the manner in which the back four, looking extremely disjointed without Mathoho, conceded the three goals in the two games has also been a discussion point recently.
“If you look at the goals, both teams had five chances within the two games. We had the possession and created chances, but couldn’t convert. I just think teams are out to kill us,” Gordinho explained. “They get one chance and they score, and we get a few chances and we don’t capitalise. I think we need to work on that as a team and not just blame the different departments. It’s easy to say the defenders are leaking goals, but the strikers aren’t scoring. If you say Chiefs aren’t doing the best they can, then we will accept that and work as a team to overcome the situation.”
The defence will be tested yet again on Wednesday by a Dikwena side that has often run Amakhosi close and upset them on several occasions, like they did in March when the two goals from striker Ndumiso Mabena proved enough to put the Glamour Boys to the sword, effectively ending their title hopes. The visitors have had mixed fortunes in their opening two matches, winning their league opener against SuperSport United and then being dumped out of the MTN8 by Chippa United.
“I think the international break helped us a lot because we got to build the chemistry in the team on and off the field. We know Platinum Stars are a very good side and one could say we are on the back-foot because of how we started, but I would rather have that happen now than later in the season when we are desperate for points that could win us the title,” said Gordinho.
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The Star