Understand why Chiefs are a threat

When you get the kind of win that Kaizer Chiefs got against Golden Arrows on Saturday, it is similar to when Leicester would win narrowly on their run to the English Premier League, or when Liverpool this season won 1-0 away to Sheffield United, and the ball went through the goalkeepers legs.

It is a sign of the character of a team to come through a game like that, and a sign that Chiefs will quite possibly go on to win the league.

In their very first game of the season, Chiefs had to scrap for a win against Highlands Park, but at the end of the day it is three points, and it is definitely the sign of a championship-winning team, if you can score the decisive goal in the 90th minute or later.

With Lebo Manyama, in the couple of games before Arrows he came close to scoring a few times, and he got this all important one on Saturday right. It is a difficult technique to master, the way he scored, particularly given the time of the match. The first touch was so important, and he needed to adjust his body…it shows you the quality of the player. We mentioned at the beginning of the season, just after he had scored against Highlands, that it was like having a new signing for Chiefs. He came in the middle of last season, with low confidence and a lack of game time coming from Turkey, then he got injured, so he had to pick himself up. He has managed to get fit, and his quality is coming through.

Arrows were very well organised, but were playing not to lose, which is the opposite of what Chiefs were doing. If you are defending for so long and looking to catch a team on the counter-attack, either you will catch them or you will concede and the latter happened. You have to give it to Chiefs for going to Arrows and getting the points, teams are now starting to understand the threat Chiefs possess and saying we must back up because if we don’t keep it tight we could get a thumping. It is the same as when Sundowns play teams, Chiefs are slowly starting to get to that level, though they are not there yet.

Chiefs still have to play Wits twice, Orlando Pirates and Sundowns, so this character they are displaying is really going to help them across the finish line. If you look at the game they lost against SuperSport, they might not have got the result, but they were playing well, with a structure. I think they have good cover, if Kgotso Moleko is not playing, Reeve Frosler can come in and make a difference, as I think he did against Arrows. He is more of an attacking full back and can cross equally well with his left or right foot, so he can cut inside and whip a cross in with his left, or beat a defender and get in a quality cross with his right.

As for Orlando Pirates, and their recent fine run, I think winning the title is a big ask, but I think it is a big plus that Josef Zinnbauer has come in and hasn’t struggled in terms of results. When you do get results it creates more confidence and people trust you more. They didn’t start like a house on fire, they started with a close win, then a draw, but it was a smooth transition. Pirates are taking better care of possession, and have stuck to their identity of playing exciting football in the final third.

I still don’t think they are solid at the back, one of the weaker sides of Pirates’ game is still managing the game well when they take the lead.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.