26 August 2019, by: Thabang Kgeledi

PSL TALKING POINTS – MATCHDAY 3

We’ve got the biggest talking points after another action-filled weekend of football.

The question actually should be: Are Kaizer Chiefs better than I thought. I have been critical of Kaizer Chiefs in the past 24 months because they haven’t been playing the best of football and I get a kick out of annoying their supporters. But the Kaizer Chiefs that started the 2019/2020 season has impressed me.

Kaizer Chiefs drew 1-1 against Supersport United on Saturday night. After three games, Chiefs are on top of the league with 7 points, this time last season they were on 2. Ernst Middendorp has had a full preseason with his team and is starting to get his combinations right. They still aren’t as potent going forward as a Mamelodi Sundowns or have the talent of an Orlando Pirates but they are well-coached and attack and defend as a unit.

Kaizer Chiefs should have won this game, they had more chances and were the more enterprising of the two teams. Remember, they were up against a good Supersport United team. A Supersport team that was coming off two big wins against Orlando Pirates and Bidvest Wits in which they handed both sides a hot plate of 3-0 beat downs.

Earlier this month Kaizer Chiefs and local bar legend Jabu Mahlangu said: “Realistically‚ I don’t think they are ready to win the league‚”

If Chiefs could stay healthy and continue playing the way they are right now, they may be title contenders after all.

Good centre-forwards are hard to come by in the PSL. Our strikers aren’t blessed with the ability to score goals. That’s why Thamsanqa Gabuza still has a job. Kaizer Chiefs went all the way to Slovakia for their new recruit Samir Nurković. A tenacious physically imposing striker who has an accurate and powerful shot.

Nurković scored Chiefs’ only goal of the game. He made intelligent runs that opened up space for himself and his teammates to create opportunities. He played a good through pass to Khama Billiat who spurned the chance.

Nurković was giving Supersport United’s experienced defenders the runaround, just think what he’ll be able to produce against defences that aren’t as good.

Orlando Pirates have been knocked out of the CAF Champions League. They were booted out by a team that doesn’t even have a shirt sponsor. A team, I’m sure, Thembinkosi Lorch’s salary could handle their monthly payroll.

After Micho’s escape to Egypt, Orlando Pirates has been left in the hands of his assistant Rulani Mokwena. Mokwena has been in charge of Pirates for three games; they have lost two and drawn one. This is a small sample size but, this team does not look like the team that has been arguably one of the two best sides in the country for the past couple of years.

Mokwena has made over 12 changes to the squad in the 3 games. It seems as though he doesn’t know what his best team is.

Pirates are a big club. The spotlight may be a bit too bright for him at this stage of his coaching career. Then again, it’s only been three games can we really judge a coaches competency after three matches?

Golden Arrows scored a 94th-minute winner to secure 3 points against Chippa United. Chippa United has only two points on the log after three games. It seems as though this is going to be another long season for Chilli Boys and I fear Clinten Larsen’s job is hanging by a thread.

Chippa Mpengesi fired three coaches last season and I can already see him loading up his revolver to pull the trigger on the first one this year. If Moroka Swallows taught us anything it’s that: teams that are poorly managed who happen to have an ugly kit, usually go down.

Chippa United are a good team with good players and a great coach. They should be winning more games. Mpengesi eagerness to thrown down the hammer on coaches can only add to the problems they already have.

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