Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs have blown hot and cold since the start of the season. While there’s only been one loss in 11 league games, it has been impossible to hide how the performances have lacked so much flavour.
Part of the reason for Amakhosi’s low-level production on the field has been a lack of top-of-the-class players in key positions.
COMPETITION FOR SIBONGISENI MTHETHWA AND MDUDUZI SHABALALA
Taking nothing away from Sibongiseni Mthethwa in defensive midfield and Mduduzi Shabalala in attacking midfield, the duo lack key attributes for a team with such high ambitions. Worse still, Mthethwa and Shabalala hardly have competing players with equal ability sitting on the bench.
THE OX
Mthethwa is one of the best ball-winning midfielders in South Africa, but top teams like Kaizer Chiefs and their rivals operate with ball winners who are equally adept at playing out and even sticking the ball into the net.
Mthethwa is still hunting for the first goal of his top-flight career after over 100 games. The club bizarrely parted ways with Edson Castillo. Siphesihle Ndlovu has been mistaken for a defensive midfielder when he is actually a central midfielder. Thabo Cele is a holding midfielder rather than a ball-winning six. Kaizer Chiefs need to sign an industrious defensive midfielder in January.
The same can be said for the number 10 role.
MDUDUZI SHABALALA
Shabalala is all-enterprise but lacks goals (three in 17). A club with ambitions of challenging for the league and the CAF Confederation Cup should be bringing in an experienced number 10 for Shabalala to learn from. George Matlou is not that player, nor is Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, while former coach Nasreddine Nabi and his successors have preferred to place Gaston Sirino on the right wing.
KAIZER CHIEFS OPPORTUNITY
With the league set to break from the first week of December until the final week of January, the looming January transfer window offers the club the chance to sign a new defensive midfielder and an attacking midfielder they can blood in for over a month.