Yanela Mbuthuma & Evidence Makgopa should be worried as Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is open to bring on board an eight-goal striker to lead the line

Orlando Pirates have struggled to be effective in the final third as strikers have failed to take the many chances created despite the club's fair run.

Boitumelo Radiopane, Yanela Mbuthuma, and Evidence Makgopa have scored a combined 12 goals in the 42 outings across all competitions. 

The former Richards Bay man has seven strikes to his name, while Makgopa has four, with Radiopane finding the back of the net just once.

Bucs opted to send Tshegofatso Mabasa to Stellenbosch on loan before Sifiso Luthuli also joined Magesi FC on the same terms.

To make matters worse, Makgopa has been injured, which thinned the department further, leaving Radiopane, Mbuthuma and January signing Danuel Msendami as the only established forwards.

However, youngster Joy Manana has been doing extremely well for the DDC side and has eight goals to his name. 

"Why not? You know we are very close to the DDC, you know that in my [first team] staff, I have Roscoe Kriel [Pirates’ DDC head coach] and Mxolisi Mngomezulu [youth scout], and we’re working closely with each other,” Ouaddou responded when asked about the possibility of introducing Manana to the first team.

“We have much information from the DDC, the guys who are doing well. So you can be sure if we need them and we are short, they can be interesting. 

"For now, I think we are okay, we have numbers, players who can play in that position, so for now we are okay," Ouaddou concluded. 

As seen against Castic Stars in the Nedbank Cup Last-16, Ouaddou is not limited to ideas, as he gave Andre de Jong a chance to lead the line, although it did not work.

But he hopes to see his trusted soldiers start firing as the team pushes to deliver another trophy before the season ends.