The Glamour Boys have been trying to find their feet since the beginning of the season and the introduction of coach Arthurs Zwane to the club. The club’s former youth structures coach and former player has been at the helm for more than eleven games now and football fans are wondering when he will find his consistent starting eleven and formation that he wants to play?
Kaizer Chiefs have always been known for special players – players with skills, flair and unsurpassed talent. With the departures of Sibusiso Mabiliso, team legend Bernard Parker, and defender Ramahlwe Mphahlele, the backline has been destabilised and the forwards are inconsistent with scoring goals. We have seen new arrivals like tall Burundian striker Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana being introduced along with new signings like former Cape Town City’s Edmilson Gabriel Dove, Lehlogonolo George Matlou. Samkelo Zwane, son of the legendary Eugene Zwane, has been promoted to the senior team from the juniors, the MDC side. This has brought much excitement.
At the beginning of the season we saw Itu Khune, a veteran goalkeeper, being put on the bench and the not much experienced Bvuma being preferred over Khune who also happens to be one of the best ball distributors in the country.
The starting four at the back also included Dillion Solomons, Sifiso Hlanti, Zitha Kwinika and Njabulo Ngcobo. In the midfield, they started with new signing Yusuf Maart, Siyethemba Sithebe, George Matlou, Keagan Dolly and Kgaogelo Sekgota. In attack Ashely Du Preez has mostly been played as a lone striker until the new striker Caleb came along.
Throughout the first couple of games, The Ngcobo’s; Njabulo and Nkosingiphile Ngcobo have been swapped around or simply left out. Keagan Dolly has been hit with an injury here and there while Khama Billiat seems to stay injured and on the side lines most of the time.
How does a coach have a regular starting line-up when it seems he too has not quite established his playing style, philosophy and formation?
Up like a yo-yo
Arthur Zwane’s charges this season have won 5, drawn 6, and lost 4, with goals for sitting at 15 and a goal difference of 15.
The team has rather been inconsistent. Once you think they have it going, they stumble. When we take a look at their last three games we can see the inconsistency. On Sunday the 9th of October The Glamour Boys took on Stellies at Cape Town Stadium. They started like a house on fire with a new striking force of Bimenyimana and Du Preez combining as number 9 and 10. Njabulo Blom was also reintroduced to the team in the middle of the park. Even though they started like a house on fire they still made silly mistakes. In the 29th minute, Nhlanhla Mgaga scored from a miscalculated back pass from Blom and Stellies scored the first goal of the match. It took a penalty in the refs' optional time for Amakhosi to get back. Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana took the penalty and did not miss. As soon as the second half started Amakhosi got another penalty and the obvious choice, Bimenyimana slotted it in. A few minutes later, Mogamad De Goede of Stellies was given an early shower by being shown a red card after a tackle from the back on Bimenyimana. Wow, wow, wow, the third penalty in one game in the 56th minute. Bimenyimana took the spot kick making the keeper go the wrong way. Amakhosi ajabulile!! One man, three penalties, one game. This must have been the first hat trick scored in Mzansi through penalties. With one man short, Stellies tried pushing but the Amakhosi defence did not falter. The ref blew the final whistle and Kaizer Chiefs won the game.
Down like a YO-YO
On Saturday, 15th October Kaizer Chiefs took on the inform Chippa United at their second home ground, Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. This time Amakhosi played Bimenyimana as a lone striker with Du Preez as a right winger. There was also a change at the back with Peterson coming in at the goals. The chopping and changing would prove to be problematic for Kaizer Chiefs. Amakhosi opened the scoring with the young man Siyabonga Ngezana in the 44th minute. Kaizer Chiefs were up again. In the second half Amakhosi kept on pressing but Chippa’s boys kept their cool and it paid off in the 51st minute. Goal! And it was one all! But it was not to be as the assistant referee ruled it off-side. Back to 1 for Amakhosi and nil for Chippa United. A few minutes later, Chippa United finally got their goal, a strong left-footed shot from Siphelele Luthuli from range-what a scorcher! Into ez’mnandi! The game kept going and in the 87th minute, Dove gave them a set piece by playing foul. Chippa United didn’t waste any time and took the set piece. Unfortunately, Dove tried to clear the ball and he headed it into his goalposts. OWN GOAL! And Chippa were ahead with two minutes plus the ref's optional time to go. Arthur Zwane resembled an deflated and defeated character. He acknowledged the complacency post-match interview as he said, “We won the game before it started”. Nonetheless they were down. A defeat for Amakhosi and more than 14 goals conceded in 12 games.
Getting somewhere slowly
As they say in the townships, some teams can be loose draws like single smokes sold at spaza shops. They lose or draw. Kaizer Chiefs played against TS Galaxy on the 19th of October and both teams got on the score sheet with a two-all draw. Once again the team line-up changed, with Bvuma in goal and Frosler playing right back with Macheke next to him. This inconsistency in the backline has been an issue for the team. This time coach Arthur Zwane changed formation playing 4-4-3 with Du Preez, Billiat and Dolly upfront. The game started with an early goal from Du Preez in the 7th minute. It took Kaizer Chiefs' former goal poacher, Bernard “Die Hond” Parker, to score for the first time for his new team against his old team where he spent 11 seasons. It was a weird unexpected goal but “Die Hond” got it in. In the 41st minute, Djakaridja Junior Traoré scored for TS Galaxy. Chiefs were now down and chasing the game. In the 81st minute, Amakhosi’s captain Keagan Dolly scored a beauty of a freekick, even the best goalkeepers in the world would have stood no chance. The game ended in a two-all draw.
Once again we witnessed the inconsistency of Amakhosi.
Kaizer Chiefs have become a dog with a great deal of bark but little bite. With all the resources and talent they have, they need to get back to basics. The basics are having a solid spine for the team, starting with one regular goalkeeper, at least three regular defenders, and a consistent midfield pairing and an outright striker. Coach Arthur will get it right – but time is not on his side. Mzansi misses the competitive Glamour Boys, the special team with special talented players who made crowds go wild with their shibobos, vula-valas, and amahalagasha.
“Part of courage is simple consistency” - Peggy Noonman.
Coach Arthur needs to be courageous and pick a consistent team that will fight for him and the results will come and he will reign at long last.
Rise Khosi Rise! Rise Coach Arthur! Rise!