Masandawana could not find the back of the net when they came up against the Chilli Boys in their first away game of the new season at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. Bafana Ba Style Coach Manqoba Mngqithi says that his opponents did not surprise them with their defensive schemes that made it impossible to play.
“For me it’s two points dropped, we did not apply ourselves the way we expected in this match and we knew that Gavin [Hunt] would be very stubborn. We knew the shape they were going to play with, that he [would] have three center backs and wing backs and that he would have five across to try and frustrate us. We did expect that he would kill the space behind the defense.” said Coach Manqoba.
He added: “Our performance was very cautious in the first half, lacking the dribbles and not forcing the opponents to face their goals, from our wing backs one would have expected more one against one situations, maybe combinations to try to get behind them and put crosses into the box, [but] we did not get that. For me that was very disappointing because in a game like this you expect your team to put their best foot forward.”
The Chilli Boys defense was as solid as a rock and looked determined to deny the Champions any chance of playing their regular counter attack game. Coach Manqoba says that his team stood a chance of performing better to create goal scoring opportunities.
“I wouldn’t say that I was impressed with the opponent’s organization, I just think we took the caution side of the game and not wanting to lose possession more than forcing the game. There are times in football if you try to force yourself in and you lose possession, opponents that want to counter attack they start to open up for you, then you can counter attack immediately and find the openings that you want. When they killed the space behind the defense it also minimized the influence of Peter Shalulile, but had Peter scored the first chance that he got in the game, this game would’ve turned out differently. It was a very easy chance for him to tap it in, from there the opponents would be forced to come out and it would present a different game to us.”
Masandawana were without their regular players, Mosa Lebusa, Themba Zwane, Gift Motupa and Lebohang Maboe who are out due to injuries. New signings were integrated and given an opportunity into the squad.
“Grant Kekana played really well in that position, in fact our center backs never gave us any headaches, it’s just that we were not incisive enough offensively and we never forced combination playing or one against ones” said coach Manqoba.
“A game like this, one cross with Peter in the box, Haashim [Domingo] and Mothobi [Mvala] coming late into the box there is something that you can get, but when you’re not having a lot of crosses and never having sufficient actions in and around the opposition box it does not help you. When you play in front of them, no matter how many touches on the ball you can have with your number 6, center backs and your goalkeeper, it does not help. What is more important is to try and force the game into the game and see what you get out of it.”
Coach Manqoba concluded and said he is content with the team’s performance so far in the league “The condition of the players it’s ok, it can still improve. We know our marathon, we know that we have to build progressively up until we arrive to the point that we know we want to arrive at but as coaches we are happy with the progress that the team is making. Today it’s not a question of the physical condition, Chippa in the second half were willing to give us spaces a little bit and we could’ve punished [them] and we tried.”
Mamelodi Sundowns next encounter is on Saturday, 28 August against Golden Arrows in the MTN8 Cup Competition.
When you play against stuborn teams you need Makgalwe who will dribble them like Zane Moosa did to force them to cause free kicks but you never seen that coming you decided to loan him to Swallows. You are busy killing Peter by allowing defenders to keep on kicking him not putting extra striker. lone striker Peter always.
U knew that Gavin will use the defensive approach, but u select Modiba, Domingo and 2 holding midfielders in Coetzea and Mvala ahead of Sirino (whom I believe could have done better in the absence of Zwane) Erusmas to complement Shalulile upfront and Mkhulise as attacking midfield.
Domingo, Modiba and Mvala are not bad, but playing them against defensive teams will not take us to anywhere.
Instead Sirino, Mkhulise and Erasmus can do much better to create chances.
NB: It’s better co let in 3 goals and score 4, unlike playing not to concide.
Put Erasmus;Sirino,Jali on the starting line up,u won’t regret it.Stop starting with Rivaldo who doesn’t give u any options going forward except sideway passes no assist no shot on target.I mean really Manqoba u r like a programmed robot.Bring Kutumela at home u won’t be telling us about the absence of Zwane.Some people are crying limited resources but wena u r giving us lame excuses of one individual player injured? Wow I give up.Akunyanzelekanga uba udlalise uRivaldo no Domingo who are not getting u any wher.Start shouting instructions to players not this thing of yours keeping quiet the whole game.Musa uba ligwala man Bhuti plz
This three coaches must thank covid-19 which deprive us from attending games if its not that they would know us by now and its not a threat but a facts.
I mean Manqoba was complaining abiut too many back passes from our middlefielders and defenders but its them who taught our players to do that, no sense of urgency they obsessed with beautiful football with no results, uou can’t have too much possession like that and end up not winning,we nid goals partner Shalulile with a striker not Zwane because even that Zwane you are crying about is holding to the ball for too long. Pls respect us and the badge because oneday you’ll find yourself looking for a job elsewhere, there’s no way we can beat the North Africans teams with that attitude.
So many years with Pitso he did learn thats means ball boy he shown exit gate he will qualified to be good coaches lets Kompela take over
Members we drew with a team which some of their players joined them a day b4 our because of not so clever technical team who always play not to lose.Players did not decide to play backward and sideways passes during that chippa game,is what they we taught at training by the same coaches who are complaining.You can read by the body language that players are not happy with the system they told to play,they are not free to express themselves.Calvin it is true,you rather lose 5 games and win 25 games and win a league than play 30 0-0 draws and end up losing the league. I always a Tazz beat Ferrari in race if the driver of a Ferrari is to utilizing it to its full potential like what those blind coaches are doing with our team.
This season we are going to struggle because those three coaches don’t know what they are doing
Shalulile “s miss could have changed the complexion of game” says the co coaches of Sundowns . These coaches are passing the buck making Shalulile feel mad that he miss the obvious opportunity. When you saw that being missed you never had plan “B” that is why you pass the buck(cul-de sac).
Coaches are to be blamed why did they put 8 new players in the starting line up haa its good. Supporters must learn to accept that Manqoba is a coward he let’s Rulani over rule him. This team will dismal fail this season if they continu in this way
These coaches will be tested by Golden Arrows and Baxter’s Chipanzees! Watch the space! If they do not change their mentality, these 2 games will condemn them to the gallows! I have not seen a number 6 that plays between the 2 centre halfs!That is an old style of how europen teams used to play! Just give one team that plays that formation. Rivaldo is a liability in that position and the system dinies the our team of playing with 6 that can break moves of the opposition and at the time create opportunities for the team to attack! That number 6 should be occupied by Jali/Maluleka/H Kekana/ or even Mvala. Unfortunately as things stand, that position needs a 6 who is a defender thus why its only Rivaldo who can play crowding the natuaral number 6 players out. We can rather play with 3 central defenders and a holding midfielder in front of them and the 2 wings backs on the sides! That system that is being played is very costly to the team and it compromises our attack!
Our coaches do not stand up and chear our players where they do positive cause there are no supportors to chear.They just seated and very nervous as if they are not the one did the scheme,Wake up and watch Thomas Tuckel who won Uefa cup after arriving beat Man City twice.Tuckel never made excusses like Gavin Hunt team that Guvin Hunt team this we want the service equavalent to the money Motsepe put.