Fernando Da Cruz arrived at Kaizer Chiefs with the pressure of restoring the club to the top of South African football. However, injuries, costly individual mistakes and the late arrival of new signings have made that task even more challenging.
For Da Cruz to get Amakhosi competing consistently, he will need to find solutions to all three issues.
1. INJURIES HAVE LIMITED DA CRUZ’S OPTIONS
The biggest early problem has been a growing injury list that has robbed Da Cruz of important players.
The likes of Flavio Da Silva, Rushwin Dortley, Bradley Cross, Khanyisa Mayo, Reeve Frosler and Langelihle Phiri have all been affected, leaving the technical team without several players who were expected to play important roles.
The absences of Frosler and Dortley have particularly affected the defensive structure. Mayo’s unavailability has reduced the coach’s attacking options.
As a result, Da Cruz has had to make tactical adjustments earlier than expected and experiment with different combinations instead of building consistency with his preferred team.
2. COSTLY MISTAKES KEEP COSTING CHIEFS
Another major concern has been the individual errors that have cost Kaizer Chiefs valuable points. Amakhosi have shown periods of impressive football under Da Cruz, but mistakes at the back have repeatedly undone their work.
Goalkeeper Brandon Petersen has come under scrutiny following costly errors, while defensive lapses have allowed opponents to punish Chiefs when the team appeared to be in control.
The 1-1 draw against Mamelodi Sundowns was another example of points slipping away in a match where Chiefs showed they could compete with one of the strongest teams in the Betway Premiership.
The draw against Polokwane City also highlighted the problem, with Da Cruz needing his players to become more clinical and more disciplined in decisive moments.
3. LATE SIGNINGS STILL NEED TIME
The final problem has been the integration of players who arrived towards the end of the transfer window.
Langelihle Phili, Adolf Mtasingwa and Faiz Abrahams missed important parts of pre-season after joining Chiefs late.
That has meant they did not have the same amount of time as their teammates to understand Da Cruz’s tactical demands and adapt to his playing philosophy.
The coach has therefore had to manage their minutes carefully, particularly Mtasingwa, while trying to avoid placing too much pressure on players who are still learning the system.
It has also prevented Da Cruz from consistently selecting what could be his strongest starting XI.
The upcoming international break could therefore be important for Chiefs. It gives the technical team an opportunity to work on defensive mistakes, allow injured players to recover and give the late arrivals more time to understand the coach’s demands.
Da Cruz’s start has certainly not been straightforward, but solving these three problems could be key to determining whether Chiefs can turn their promising performances into consistent results.
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT CHIEFS TO WIN THIS SEASON?
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