How Ntseki plans to use Castillo, Maart and Mthethwa at once

Molefi Ntseki’s decision to field Yusuf Maart, Sibongiseni Mthethwa, and Edson Castillo in Kaizer Chiefs’ starting lineup against Cape Town City in Tuesday’s 1-0 loss has raised eyebrows and led to criticism. 

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These three players are typically central midfielders, with the ability to play defensively, and they struggled to find their rhythm.

Notably, it was the first time they played together, and the formation expected Maart and Castillo to contribute more offensively. 

However, City’s defensive approach made it tough for them to exploit spaces, as Ntseki acknowledged after the match, and Chiefs lacked an attacking edge.

Before the game, Ntseki had explained his plans for using these players. He expressed contentment with the squad and praised the club for bringing in Mthethwa, emphasising the healthy competition within the team.

Ntseki believed that Mthethwa’s arrival would allow Castillo to be more adventurous and have the freedom to attack. 

He described Castillo as a player who could play as an ‘8’ and ‘6’, which would add to the team’s versatility.

Ntseki’s plan might take time to work

Regarding how he would utilise all three players simultaneously, Ntseki highlighted the importance of flexibility based on the game plan, the moment in the match, and the team’s objectives. 

“It will be possible (to have the three playing together) depending on the game plan, on the moment and phase of the game based on what we want to achieve at that moment. 

“If we want to see both of them (Castillo and Maart) helping the team offensively, we will use all three of them. 

“And if we want to see both of them (Castillo and Maart) helping the team defensively, it will happen because they are quality players,” said Ntseki. 

He emphasised that the midfield had a good balance, but the presence of these three might result in two of them on the field at a time or even three when necessary, all while working on developing their understanding.

“If you profile our midfield right now, we have very good balance. The unfortunate part is that when you have the three in the team, you might have two of them on the pitch. 

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“If you have four of them, you might have three of them on the field. But the most important thing is that we are developing an understanding between them.”