Are Kaizer Chiefs real Premier Soccer League title contenders after a strong start to the new season?

“Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles.” 

This is a famous quote from the legendary Manchester United coach Sir Alex Ferguson, a serial Premier League winner with the English giants.

Amakhosi have been solid defensively so far this season, yet to concede even a single goal in all five matches they have played. 

Even more impressively, Nasreddine Nabi’s men were able to keep the dangerous and rampant Brazilians at bay in what was expected to be a big test.

History has proven that the teams with the best defence, more often than not, go on to win the league, and going by that, Chiefs are on the right track.

Last season, Chiefs were accused of being rather soft under the belly, conceding silly and soft goals and then having little bite upfront.

This was a horrible combination for Nabi’s men, which meant that they lost a lot of matches and ended up finishing outside of the top right - embarrassing for a club of the size of Amakhosi.

This seems to have changed, though, if the early signs are anything to go by, given how Chiefs have proven tough to break down for all the teams they have faced.

They appear to have adopted a win-at-all-cost mentality, built on a solid defence that starts from the front and ends with goalkeeper Brandon Petersen, who gets all the plaudits for the clean sheets.

Chiefs have had a solid transfer window so far, bringing in a whopping ten players, including the likes of Ethan Chislett, Nkanyiso Shinga, Siphesihle Ndlovu, Lebohang Maboe and more.

But those who have caught the eye have been the so-called “Pirates rejects” in Paseka Mako and Thabiso Monyane, who have fitted in seamlessly. 

There’s excitement surrounding the arrival of the trio of former Cape Town Spurs stars Asanele Velebayi and Luke Baartman, as well as Ex-Sundowns striker Etiosa Ighodaro. 

All the new signings who have made appearances have not disappointed so far, and the Amakhosi fans are awaiting the official debuts of players like Maboe, Chislett, Shinga, Baartman, Velebayi and Ighodaro with bated breath.

Although the new signings have made a big impact, it can't be denied that the players who were already at the club seem to have also improved this season.

The club did well to get rid of players who were surplus to requirements, and those who have been kept have stepped up and proven why they were retained.

The likes of Zitha Kwinika, Inacio Miguel, Petersen, Mdusuzi Shabalala, Wandile Duba, Sibongiseni Mthethwa and more have taken their game to another level.

Nabi will need his old guard to continue setting the tone for the new signings and lead by example if his side is to continue to impress throughout the campaign.

Over the past few campaigns, when they’ve struggled to compete, Chiefs’ biggest weakness has been their lack of consistency, often flattering to deceive.

Some of their fans can't help but feel it could only be a matter of time before their team returns to default settings, while many hope and believe this newfound consistency will continue.

That’s exactly what they will need if they are to stand up to the Sundowns juggernaut that has dominated the PSL over the past decade.

PS

Kaizer Chiefs

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