TFGSoccerClub writer DYLAN APPOLIS takes a look at five areas in which Orlando Pirates can improve ahead of their mouth-watering Telkom Knockout clash against Kaizer Chiefs.
Pirates and Chiefs will battle it out for a place in the Telkom Knockout final at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on 8 December where they will face either defending champions, Bidvest Wits or Baroka.
However, both teams will give it there all in the hope of turning their fortune around by putting an end to their four-year trophy drought.
The Buccaneers are currently the in form side, who haven’t tasted defeat in their last 10 matches across all competitions. They are also unbeaten against Amakhosi for three years.
The Sea Robbers will be hoping to making their way into another final and claim only their second Telkom Knockout title, having last won the trophy back in 2011 when they defeated Bidvest Wits 3-1 in the final.
5) Tightening up their defence
The Soweto giants have already scored two own-goals (by Gladwin Shitolo) and have only kept four clean sheets in 16 games across all competitions so far this season.
The defensive line which is led by captain and experienced campaigner Happy Jele, who played a crucial role in their title push last season which saw them finished second to champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
However, Pirate coach Milutin Sredojevic and his technical team has to improve their defence lines when they come up against Chiefs, which has already conceded a total of 14 goals, despite having the quality of Justice Chabalala, Ntsikelelo Nyauza and Marshall Munetsi as options in defence
‘We have a team that plays football in our own way, we are risking, we are not sitting back and trying to close,’ Sredojevic said.
4) Capitalising on chances in the final third
The Buccaneers have been on a good run of form lately and are currently on an 11 game unbeaten run after banging in 21 goals.
However, 10 out of 21 goals have been scored by the Pirates strikers which include Vincent Pule, Justin Shonga and Augustine Mulenga, while Thamsanqa Gabuza is yet to find the back of the net for the Buccaneers.
But Pirates lack of composure and potency in the final third has let them down on numerous occasion in games that were suppose to be a given for a club of their stature.
They will need to be at their best goalscoring form and show their quality if they want to stand a chance to beat veteran shot-stopper Itumeleng Khune between the sticks for Amakhosi.
‘When we look behind us we need critically to look to improve tightening not only at the back, because defence starts with our attackers up front so that we provide (the) element of a clean sheet that is slipping us away, unfortunately. It is an area where we need to work. We accept that aspect, and in times ahead of us we shall work in that regard in order to not being leaky,’ Sredojevic said.
‘There is no magic stick that you press the button and things work immediately. We need to improve very much in front of goal. But we need to improve very, very much looking towards Saturday’s game against Kaizer Chiefs.’
3) Pirates need an injection of pace
The Pirates mentor has recently stressed the importance of improving their speed in the buildup to creating more chances following a string of results that ended in stalemates.
Pirates are not short on players with pace, with the likes of Pule, Thembinkosi Lorch, Kudakwashe Mahachi, Luvuyo Memela and Shonga filled with injective pace, the Buccaneers will surely depend of their attackers to threaten the Amakhosi goal from the flanks.
But will they be able to bypass the strong Chiefs defence which includes Daniel Cardoso, Mario Booysen, Siyabonga Ngezana, Ramahlwe Mphahlele and Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya.
‘We were not fast enough to bring the ball in the right areas. We have not done well from the point of the amount and numbers of chances,’ Sredojevic said.
‘Because what we did create you could see that the opponents were closing every single ball.’
2) Reset their tactics
The Buccaneers will come up against the Glamour Boys for the second time this season after claiming the bragging rights in the first installment of the Soweto derby when they ran out 2-1 winners over their rivals.
With this in mind, Pirates will have to change their mindset heading into their Telkom Knockout quarter-final clash as Chiefs will come out guns blazing in the hope of taking revenge in KwaZulu-Natal.
‘It’s going to be a different ball game, because Chiefs are not going to allow Pirates to beat them again,’ Former Kaizer Chiefs player Pollen Ndlanya said.
1) Maintain possession
Sredojevic’s men were the superior side in terms of possession in their previous game against Chiefs with the likes of Xola Mlambo and Ben Motshwari leading the charge in the middle of the park, while Willard Katsande and Siphelele Ntshangase were not as effective.
However, they will have a tough time dealing with a fully fit Khama Billiat and Leonardo Castro, who have been looking in good shape in recent games.
‘If you ask me now, the scale falls in favour of Pirates. If you look at consistency, quality and going forward they are a very attacking team. They are a dangerous side. On the other hand, Chiefs have their defensive frailties which were obviously exposed in the last derby. Hopeful, this is an opportunity for them to bounce back,’ Former Chiefs and Pirates midfielder Stanton Fredericks said.
Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
