Orlando Pirates will move up to second in the DStv Premiership standings if they beat SuperSport United on Saturday evening.
But while Pirates have enjoyed a purple patch in the league – winning five of their last six games – they are not a well-oiled machine. A win against Matsatsantsa, however, would go a long way in helping solidify their consistency.
Here, we look at what they must improve on in Polokwane.
Take chances
Pirates might be one of the form teams in the league but they’ve been wasteful in front of goal, scoring only seven goals in their last six matches.
The Bucs could have had a better conversion rate, but the strikers have blown hot and cold Evidence Makgopa failed to score in the last two matches. Be that as it may, every outfield player has the responsibility of contributing in attack – like how the strikers must defend when there’s a need.
So, with defenders and midfielders likely to score at set pieces, coach Jose Riveiro has to finetune their techniques and executions at training.
Consistent team selection
Pirates are one of the few teams that have depth, and that could be stressful for a coach who wants to please everyone in the team.
Riveiro has stressed on a few occasions that his selections are based on merit, and not feelings. But there were times he has chopped and changed without good reason.
In the last two games, Riveiro made two tactical tweaks to the Xl, dropping Relebohile Mofokeng and Tapelo Xoki in their last game against Arrows. Their replacements, Nkosinathi Sibisi and Katlego Otladisa had contrasting performances, the former conceding a penalty while the latter impressed.
The Spaniard made a bold, yet honest statement on Sunday after they beat Golden Arrows 2-1 away, saying they can’t control the results, even though they are controlling their performances.
It is not wholly true because Riveiro can help secure a positive result by ensuring that his substitutes make an impact when the chips are down.
Mofokeng has been one of the impact players for the team, but they can’t be over-reliant on the 19-year-old as fatigue starts to creep in.
Thembinkosi Lorch returned from suspension against Arrows and made a decent cameo but he, too, can’t afford to be complacent, especially now.
IOL Sport