Former Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates right-back Jimmy Tau feels there is a lack of creativity in the Amakhosi engine room.
Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter started with Phathutshedzo Nange and Cole Alexander in central midfield against the Rockets, with Bernard Parker in the number 10 role. Khama Billiat and Kgaogelo Sekgota played on the wings and Samir Nurkovic as the central striker.
The combination failed to spark Amakhosi to life and they rarely threatened Galaxy’s keeper Vasilije Kolak on the day.
“There are two players where I would love them to reconsider this partnership – we have Nange and Cole Alexander, for me they are the same player,” Tau said after the match in the SuperSport TV studio.
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“Because it means that one of them are depriving you the space or the impetus to go forward. You need to get someone who will take the creative aspect of the game. Because they are both work-horses – I love their attitude, I love their presence on the field, they are exceptional players.
“But they are depriving the team of that one player who can release. We had Tensashe Nengomasha who would sit there, we had Thabo Mooki there (two former Chiefs holding midfielders from the past two decades). He could make things happen from central midfield, Chiefs don’t have that player.”
Tau’s fellow analyst Simphiwe Dludlu also questioned the impact made by the team’s more attack-minded central midfielder, Bernard Parker.
“If you use two defensive midfielders it means you are saying, a number 10 needs to be more mobile,” said the former Banyana Banyana player.
“But Parker is not that mobile as a number 10 because when he has possession he’s losing it easily.
“And that’s a red flag already because it means the wingers won’t get the ball and Khama [Billiat] has to come back and fight for the ball instead of getting it in areas where he can be more lethal. Sekgota also has to come back.”
