Kaizer Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane has clearly struggled to organise his team defensively this season despite the fact that they brought in new additions in Njabulo Ncgobo, Zitha Kwinika and Edmilson Dove to the squad. These players were signed was because Zwane felt it was an area that Chiefs needed to improve on both in possession and without. Now despite the fact that the team is still defensively lacking, and all these players have been criticised for errors leading to goals, Eric Mathoho is still not considered for selection. Even though Tower is the most experienced defender at the club and has won more trophies, including two league titles, than any other defender at the club, he still does not get as much as a look in to the first eleven.
The former Bloemfontein Celtic defenders’ contract is coming to an end at the end of the season and the Chiefs legend might leave on a low, having only managed one appearance under Arthur Zwane. The team has conceded 21 goals, of which 14 has been away from home while at the same time keeping five clean sheets in 17 games. A record that would not sit well with the Kaizer Chiefs hierarchy, yet the Bafana Bafana international with 34 caps remains in the dark on his future and playing time.
Even the former Kaizer Chiefs coach Muhsin Ertugral echoed similar sentiments with regards to getting in someone who behaves like a central defender. At this moment, “Tower” as he is known, is the perfect short-term solution for Chiefs yet he remains out in the cold.
“Chiefs tactical approach with two central midfielders in front of the defensive line is not functioning in defensive transitions,” Muhsin Ertugral posted on LinkedIn.
“Both Players Zwane and Maart shadowed each other against Sundowns instead of looking for the pressure points and protecting the blind side for pocket runs or shoulder runs from the opponents. The biggest problem for me are the two central defenders, they are separated far too often. Dove is a converted winger and doesn’t have the expected reflexes from a central defender point of view. Often gets court in unnecessary dragging out of the collective to pressure and leaves gaps.”
The question still remains, why is Mathoho not utilised by Arthur Zwane? Has a rift developed that we don’t know of? Or has Zwane made it clear that Tower won’t form part of his long-term plans for the club. Is Zwane naive in thinking that results right now are not important because he believes that the Motuang’s will give him the time needed to implement his philosophy, despite them recently losing three consecutive games.
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