Kaizer Chiefs have not quite hit the nail on the head with a number of their signings over the past few seasons, but the addition of Given Msimango and Thatayaone Ditlhokwe was shrewd business from the Naturena outfit.
For a while Amakhosi have struggled defensively, using a number on combinations in central defence in the hope that they would find a pairing that they can build on for the long-term. It appears after searching for some years now, they have two central defenders they can bank on to play a key role in their rebuilding phase.
In 30 Premiership matches last season, Amakhosi kept 10 clean sheets and this term they have managed to shut the back door on four occasions. It shows a whole lot of improvement since the appointment of Molefi Ntseki and the solid foundation Msimango and Ditlhokwe are building at the back.
Both Msimango and Ditlhokwe have age on their side, meaning they can build their partnership for some time to ensure that it becomes one of the best in the country.
They complement each other quite well. Msimango is a cool, calm character at the back, hardly the type to make rash decisions when going in for a challenge. He is comfortable on the ball, meaning he gives Chiefs that option of playing out from the back without worrying too much that he will lose possession of the ball. One of the major concerns for Chiefs last season was the errors they would make from playing out from the back. That does not seem to be too much of a worry right now, with a player who can handle the pressure of playing out from there.
Ditlhokwe, meanwhile, is the type to do more of the dirty work in defence, going in hard for those tackles and aerial battles. He may not be as comfortable on the ball as Msimango is, but he can play out from the back and the fact that he is left footed gives Chiefs a good balance in central defence. Ditlhokwe has loads of experience from playing on the continent as captain of the Botswana national team and you can tell that he has not been fazed by the challenge of playing for a club like Amakhosi, where the demands from both the club and supporters are always high.
Gavin Hunt has always said that strikers win you games and defenders win you leagues. They may still be behind Mamelodi Sundowns in terms of chasing for the league title, but Amakhosi can have some hope that they have a central defensive pairing that can lead them to success in the league in future.
Chiefs appear to have finally sorted out their defensive problems from the previous seasons and now they need to work on ensuring that they are able to kill off games when it matters most. This is where the likes of Ashley du Preez, Pule Mmodi - the attacking players - have to come to the party to get the important victories for the club.
