After this past weekend's defeat for Kaizer Chiefs against SuperSport United and the unsavoury post match scenes in Rustenburg, pressure is mounting on coach Arthur Zwane. Four losses in the last five matches sees the side limping towards the finish line in what has yet been another disappointing season, despite its bright starts where lots of promises were made as the club ushered in a new chapter under a new technical team. The misery could be compounded in the final fixture on Saturday as Cape Town City come to FNB Stadium. Can the Glamour Boys bounce back to end on a good note? Or is the soft-spoken coach on a collision course with his own players? Since taking over as caretaker coach in April 2022, "Mangethe" has consistently levelled criticism at his players. It is a fine line to tread for the Soweto-born mentor, between raising standards and accountability and throwing his squad under the bus. Is the pressure getting to him in his first head coach job at the helm of the country's most-supported club? What are some of the issues in recent defeats? What could the coach be doing differently? Soccer Laduma explores all these talking points in what has been a troubled week at Naturena.
Chiefs Set A New Unwanted Record – 11 League Defeats
After their 1-0 loss away at SuperSport United, Kaizer Chiefs have lost 11 of their 29 league fixtures so far this season. This is the most defeats that they have ever suffered in a single campaign in the PSL era, a new low for the club. That is a record that Arthur Zwane will have hanging over him for years to come. If we go back to the start of his rein last April, he has overseen 36 DStv Premiership fixtures, with 14 losses. He was in charge of three losses in seven matches to finish the 2021/22 season after replacing Stuart Baxter. The laundry list of losses reads:
Royal AM 1 – 0 Kaizer Chiefs
Mamelodi Sundowns 4 – 0 Kaizer Chiefs
Cape Town City 2 – 0 Kaizer Chiefs
Kaizer Chiefs 1 – 2 Chippa United
Kaizer Chiefs 0 – 1 Sekhukhune United
AmaZulu FC 4 – 0 Kaizer Chiefs
Kaizer Chiefs 0 – 1 Mamelodi Sundowns
Kaizer Chiefs 2 – 3 Golden Arrows
Sekhukhune United 1 – 0 Kaizer Chiefs
Kaizer Chiefs 1 – 2 Swallows FC
SuperSport United 1 – 0 Kaizer Chiefs
Nine different teams have beaten the Soweto giants at least once in the league this season. Mamelodi Sundowns and Sekhukhune United both did the double over them and Cape Town City have the opportunity to do the same this weekend. What is so concerning is that many of the teams who beat Amakhosi were struggling going into the match. Yet, either they raised their game suddenly or Zwane's men were complacent or ill-prepared for the task ahead. In other defeats, they faced in-form sides without necessarily having a clear plan to beat them. The opening-day loss to Royal AM saw Chiefs struggle badly against a back three as their fullbacks were exposed constantly. The thrashing at the Brazilians saw two early goals conceded and the game was out of reach pretty early on. They went to the Citizens early in the season when Eric Tinkler's side had three losses and two draws from five fixtures. Confidence was low in the Mother City and yet a switch to a back three saw the Glamour Boys exposed in the channels in a 2-0 loss.
A 2-1 defeat against Chippa United came as the Gqeberha-based outfit were hitting some rare strong form under Morgan Mammila. Chiefs had the chance to go top of the table in that game, but they cracked under the pressure and threw away a 1-0 lead at home. The loss at home to Babina Noko in January came against a side that was winless in 15 fixtures on their travels. A bad error led to a goal on the counterattack and the Soweto giants lacked the ideas to break down a low block.
A 4-0 loss to AmaZulu FC was a bitter spill to swallow. The Naturena-based side were 3-0 down at half-time having missed a penalty. Usuthu had only scored a solitary goal in their previous seven matches, yet Chiefs were not ready for the fight and were exposed on set-plays and made defensive howlers in a humiliating defeat.
In mid-February, they led 2-1 against Golden Arrows, but they conceded twice in the final 21 minutes to lose 3-2 at home. Abafana Bes'thende came into that fixture with seven losses in their previous 10 league games and sat just two points above the drop zone. Their last five away ties had seen four defeats with two or more goals conceded in each loss. The Glamour Boys were not focused enough to hold onto their lead and thought they had already wrapped up the points.
In their recent losses, at least we can say that Sekhukhune (one loss in 11 home fixtures) and SuperSport (unbeaten at home all season in the league) were teams playing really well. It was no shock to see this particular incarnation of Chiefs losing those matches. The same can't be said for the Swallows FC home defeat! The Birds had lost six of their previous eight away games without a goal scored in those losses. The Soweto giants were distracted by the Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates and underestimated the opposition. Zwane himself said that the players felt it would be an easy match. Whilst that reflects badly on the players, it reflects terribly on the coach too!
Players Get The Brunt
One of the things you'd say about the 49-year-old in the past is that he has been a "players' coach". He would focus on developing individuals and was also open to putting faith in a young player. He has still done that this term, but a regular sight has been negative comments about individuals after defeats. Even after the first league loss of this season, he singled out Njabulo Blom for criticism. Yes, players tend to know when they've played poorly, but that doesn't mean they want the coach to sell them down the river on live television! Zwane said of Blom's display: "When it comes to Njabulo, he knows very well that he had a terrible game by his standards." The last thing the player wants is for his confidence to be damaged further by his own coach.
After showing faith in Samkelo Zwane to select him against Sundowns, the youngster had a difficult afternoon. The coach defended his own decision to select him but didn't really protect the player. In his post-match press conference, he said, "Samkelo, yes, he didn't have a good game, but it wasn't a mistake for us to start with him. Unfortunately for this one he couldn't come to the party."
Earlier in the campaign, "10111'' also had some negative comments for Ashley Du Preez after a game against Marumo Gallants, saying ''I don't think Ashley understood what we wanted him to do. But also he wanted to carry the ball. Sometimes when he doesn't carry the ball, he just kicks the ball forward and it's unlike him.'' Almost every time Chiefs lost this season, Zwane blamed individual mistakes at the back or missed chances up front. Whilst you can simplify football down to this level, we also can't pretend that the team is outplaying everyone and simply beating themselves. That is shown by the fact they've lost so often when opponents can avoid giving away a penalty or having a man sent off.
The former winger said about 70% or 80% of the goals leaked were from individual defensive howlers, revealing, "We're conceding silly goals, we're making mistakes that are very costly, we've conceded a lot of unnecessary goals, you know. So, as a coach, what do you do? Do you give up on your players? I can't give up. I'm going to have to keep on working on this, change their mindset, change their mentality and make sure we keep moving and get it right."
How often has Zwane taken responsibility for his side's failings or blamed himself publicly? Sometimes the squad is grateful to have the heat taken off them, not least at a club like Chiefs where we've seen players like Siyabonga Ngezana, Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana and Christian Saile booed this season, amongst others. When defenders make individual errors so often, it is usually due to the defensive structure.
Belief Goes Out The Window, Disgruntlement Creeps In?
The writing was on the wall as far back as May 2022. Zwane had not been given the job full-time yet, but he made it clear that the players in the squad were not good for a club like Chiefs. "The reality is we know we didn't have players good enough to play for this club. We had players, yes, that could play for this club, but not good enough ones. I think we have been nursing some players' feelings for far too long now. So, things have to change."
The coach was probably right. For years, there was not enough accountability at the club as underperforming players kept getting new contracts. It can be argued that stars like Erick Mathoho, Itumeleng Khune and Willard Katsande all stayed long past their sell-by date and two of those remain at the club now, earning huge salaries and not contributing much!
However, when the coach made those comments, many players would have lost confidence and most would have been wondering who exactly Zwane was referring to. Yes, Amakhosi signed a lot of players in the off-season, but quite a few from last season's squad are still regulars, so they may feel deep down that the coach doesn't believe in them.
The evidence is in the team selections. All season, the goalkeeping position has chopped and changed. Khune was criticised and then recalled soon after, before being dropped again. Bruce Bvuma started the season as number one, but is now very much third choice. The centre-back area has changed constantly. Austin Dube is clearly not rated but was suddenly handed a start. Njabulo Ngcobo was selected, dropped, selected again and dropped again. Zitha Kwinika went from first choice down to fourth choice. Siyabonga Ngezana was dropped for a long period before coming back into the fold. Of the defenders, only Edmilson Dove and Sifiso Hlanti can be sure that their coach believes in them. Chiefs have secured the signings of Thatayaone Ditlhokwe and Given Msimango for next season. How can current defenders play with confidence when they know they are being replaced before this season even ends?
In midfield, Siyethemba Sithebe was a first choice at the start of the campaign, but a long spell in the wilderness followed. He only came back into the picture because of Blom being sold. Phathutshedzo Nange is clearly not part of the plans, and don't forget Sabelo Radebe! He started matches at the back end of last season, but barely makes a matchday squad now.
The same applies in attack. Keagan Dolly was dropped this season and Kgaogelo Sekgota went from a first-choice pick to starting none of the last 22 matches going back almost seven months now! Bimenyimana has gone from the first-choice striker to barely getting a kick whilst rumours swirl that he won't be retained for next season. In the entire squad, maybe only four or five players can feel like the coach has full trust and belief in them – the rest may not even know if their future lies at the club!
City Up Next, Can Chiefs Secure Home Cup Tie?
The final league match on Saturday at least provides some vague chance of improvement. With Chiefs and City both securing top five finishes, and neither being able to move to third or sixth spot, they are set to meet each other in the quarter-finals of next season's MTN8. A defeat for Amakhosi would see the Citizens leapfrog them in the table and secure a home tie in August. Considering the more than eight-year drought for the Soweto giants, they could quite easily fall at the first hurdle in the Mother City, something that almost happened this season when they could only beat Stellenbosch FC on penalties at Danie Craven Stadium. It is therefore crucial to at least get a draw, thereby avoiding a 12th league defeat and securing a top four finish and home MTN8 clash.
Key Battles
Mayo v Dove
As it stands, Khanyisa Mayo is joint-top of the PSL goalscoring charts with 12 goals, at the time of writing, with Maritzburg United set to take on Downs on Tuesday (16 May). None of those have been penalties, unlike Peter Shalulile, who has added two penalties to 10 open play goals. The former Richards Bay FC attacker has eight goals in his last eight matches. No player in the division has netted more since the end of February. His goals are so varied, from occasional headers to tap-ins to long-range rockets. He especially favours the inside right position, which will put him in direct competition with Edmilson Dove. The Mozambican has had some recent injury problems and an imperfect season, of that there is no doubt, but he is capable of doing a good marking job on his former teammate. If Amakhosi give Mayo the sort of space that we saw Monnapule Saleng enjoy in the Soweto Derby, then he could punish Chiefs and condemn them to a fifth loss in six games.
Du Preez vs Cupido
Perhaps it is no surprise to see Du Preez being mentioned as the Glamour Boys' key man. In recent weeks, it has felt like he has been carrying the entire attack on his shoulders. With a fair few injuries, something we have to mention in the context of this recent slump, the loss of Dolly, Khama Billiat and Nkosingiphile Ngcobo has been felt more and more as the weeks have gone on. For City, Lorenzo Gordinho will miss the match, but Keanu Cupido returns from suspension. He is the fastest defender at the club and will have to be at his best to contain the lightning pace of Chiefs' number nine. Du Preez has netted a meagre six league goals, not quite as many as the side hoped for their R10 million investment. However, he has scored recently against Stellenbosch FC, Gallants and Chippa. When he has fired a blank of late, the team has lost every time. Another good talking point going into this match is whether Mduduzi Mdantsane will start against the club he is set to join in July.
Will Zwane Change Things Up?
The last couple of team selections from the coach have left a lot to be desired. At no point in his career has Dillan Solomons shown himself to be a winger capable of playing for Chiefs. Even at Swallows, he was a squad player and didn't contribute many goals or assists when playing high up the pitch. When he moved to right back, he suddenly looked more like a high-level player. It is therefore baffling to see "Mangethe" select him on the right wing for two games in a row. Saile has struggled down the left too, meaning the entire attack has functioned poorly. For the City game, he could recall Sekgota, perhaps hand Happy Mashiane another start or even play Bimenyimana up top, with Du Preez wide. He could also change to a 3-5-2 with Saile and Du Preez as two strikers, or bring in someone like George Matlou with Mduduzi Shabalala playing off the left flank. The Citizens have been playing a back three, with a narrow formation. It sometimes resembles a 3-4-3 diamond or a box in midfield. Zwane will have to cook up a smart tactical plan or his side could be overrun in midfield and reach a dirty dozen of DStv Premiership defeats.
Zwane's Chiefs Honeymoon Over, Things Could Get Uglier
As mentioned, losing to Matsatsantsa was neither a surprise nor a particular disgrace. It was the manner of the performance which caused the greatest concern. It's also the bad slump that the side is currently on. The match was always going to be tough with Gavin Hunt hell-bent on revenge against the club that sacked him. The Soweto giants seemed surprised by the direct style of their opponents and the motivation was lacking. Zwane said that the players were going through the motions and were not up for the game, something out of his control. Sloppy passes in midfield and a slow tempo were clear from the kick-off and there was even a comment that the cup semi-final defeat took a lot out of the players… despite having a whole week to recover and prepare. The coach has defended his own performance this season, saying, "Go and check the stats of Kaizer Chiefs' past three seasons, then you will see that there's a lot of improvement in this squad compared to the previous squads that we have assembled." It is difficult to know what he is pointing to. It's true that the side has created chances this season based on Expected Goals metrics, but these are heavily inflated by penalty kicks and playing with a man advantage. One stat you can't deny is 11 league losses and 32 goals conceded, the 10th most in the division! Just over a week ago, Zwane noted that it wasn't a bad season at all, saying, "If it (finishing third to qualify for the Confed Cup) didn't happen, it doesn't mean it was a bad season altogether. I think with the new squad and also giving a lot of youngsters coming from our own development (a chance), it's been a good season." The fans certainly don't agree and they made that clear after Saturday's defeat. There is no excuse for violence against the coach, though. The last time we saw these type of scenes, Steve Komphela resigned soon afterwards. Zwane is not expected to do the same, but he needs a result next weekend and a good start to next season or things may continue to get ugly – not just between the supporters and coach, but maybe even between "10111" and his own players.
