Kaizer Chiefs still need to iron out some defence niggles

24 August 2015 - 11:21 By Mark Gleeson

Steve Komphela looked understandably pleased with the evening’s toil after Saturday’s 4-0 victory over Free State Stars but warned his players that winning had to become a habit. “It was nice to win‚ but this is a club with a great history of winning‚” said the Kaizer Chiefs coach as his team sent out an early-season signal of intent in the early stages of the defence of their Premier Soccer League title.“It’s also nice to win by a margin of four goals but what was most important was the three points.”Chiefs go straight back into action on Tuesday night‚ playing away against Polokwane City‚ who were given a 3-0 pasting at the University of Pretoria on Saturday afternoon.“I don’t read much into other results against other teams. When they come at us they will play a different game.“But with Polokwane City you know what you are going to get‚ they don’t go halfway. Either they get or they give‚” he said in a reference to Polokwane’s all-out attacking policy that either culminates in impressive wins or heavy defeats.In between the satisfaction of the win over Stars‚ which came with two superbly crafted goals from George Lebese and Siphiwe Tshabalala and two calamitous own goals from the opposition‚ Komphela continued to warn about his own side’s penchant for the occasional defensive twitch.“We again gave signals (to the opposition) that scoring chances are available. On another day we might not have been as lucky‚” he added of the stray passes in defence and poor clearances that allowed Stars some opportunity.But Komphela said he felt the new centre-back pairing of Mulomowandau Mathoho and Siyanda Xulu were finding their feet. “Tower and Siya’s level of understanding is getting better. It can only grow for them‚”He also had praise for the workmanlike performance upfront of Siphelele Mthembu‚ who despite not having any chances himself‚ worked hard to create space and hold up the ball for his teammates.“Mthembu did what we expected from him and then later we gave Drogba (Bongani Ndulula) a run. They are very similar players. They linked up well with the others. I was happy with what they were doing.“Sure scoring is for strikers but strikers can also make chances as well as take them‚” the Chiefs coach added.After Tuesday’s match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium‚ Chiefs have to turn their attention to cup action and the second leg of their MTN8 semifinal against Bloemfontein Celtic. The first leg in the Free State capital ended in a 1-1 draw. – The Times..

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