Kaizer Chiefs coach reveals strategy to end persistent 1-0 scorelines as questions rise over quality of Amakhosi strikers

In the last four games across all competitions, Kaizer Chiefs won but with only 1-0 scorelines as their striking department came under scrutiny.

Although the Glamour Boys and their fans might not care about the scorelines so long as they win, there is a danger that they cannot deny lurks around. A slim scoreline can always evaporate in a matter of seconds, meaning Chiefs need to score more goals in order to cushion themselves against the dangers of slim margins.

This is an issue that coach Khalil Ben Youssef has noted, and the Tunisian tactician has laid down the plans to end it.

"I think we stick a lot with the players; we've made a lot of specific work for them, and now, recently, we don't have time to make a lot of work. We are [forced] to have only one training session before every match, so we don't have space or time to work," Ben Youssef said after their CAF Confederation Cup match against Zesco United, as per SABC Sports.

"But we are using video with our analysts to give them more solutions, and I think we are on a good path, and step by step, they will get better.

"If you remember the last two games before the [AFCON] break, against Chippa United and TS Galaxy, we dominated both games, but we were unlikely not to score," he added.

"Now we have improved a little bit; we are winning games, and we are scoring – I know at 1-0 you are always in a critical situation because every team could come back and equalise, but we are working and helping the players, and step by step it will be better."

Just recently, former TS Galaxy head coach Dan Malesela raised questions on the quality of Chiefs strikers and urged the Soweto giants to sign more.

"They also need to add variety to their wing options. I am uncertain about their new striker, Flavio Da Silva," Malesela said.

"Strikers can be difficult to find, and I understand that, but I haven't seen consistent performance from him."

Former Chiefs forward Kenny Niemach stated that the attacking department should not be solely blamed for the lack of goals because, according to him, a team must work seamlessly for better results.  

"Even though they are winning with one solitary goal, they are still not scoring as freely as they should be scoring, but they are winning as they make sure they don't concede at the back," Niemach said.

“Their problem upfront is not much about the strikers. You've got to look at the speed of the transition. That takes training, and it takes time. The people who are in the midfield must work according to the strength of the strikers. 

“They are not doing that at the moment. The Chiefs strikers are not scoring because the midfielders and wingers don't give the strikers the ball according to their strengths," the former Mamelodi Sundowns star added.  

"Give a striker the ball according to what he is good at. Otherwise, you're going to make him look poor. So all it needs is a slight adjustment, but that should come from the coaching staff at Chiefs."

Next for Amakhosi is the Nedbank Cup round of 16 duel against PSL opponents Stellenbosch before turning their focus again to CAF assignments against Egyptian sides Al Masry and Zamalek SC.

In all these games, the Glamour Boys need to win, and they need to do so convincingly if they are to advance and challenge for the titles.