The "tortoise and the hare" fable may be well-worn but it is the best way to describe the fluctuating early season fortunes of Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates ahead of Saturday's first competitive Soweto derby of the season. At the start of the season it would have been easy to dismiss the former after their abysmal start with losses to Bidvest Wits, Cape Town City and a draw against Platinum Stars.Pirates swaggered into the new season with dismissive performances against Golden Arrows and Ajax Cape Town.There was the small matter of Wits exposing the current cracks but at the time, the 2-1 MTN8 quarterfinal loss was squarely lumped on goalkeeper Felipe Ovono's not-so-broad shoulders. With passing time, coach Gavin Hunt's side revealed tactical fault lines that are far from coming together.story_article_left1While there will always be conjecture about Chiefs playing "Chiefs football", their embattled mentor Steve Komphela looks like he's finally settling on a winning combination and a style that works for his current squad.Komphela has never traded on being an onfield entertainer; he leaves that to press conferences with his impeccable use of English and his abstract knowledge.Defensive stability is his trademark and Chiefs' current four-match unbeaten league run has been built on a water-tight back-four.Chiefs last conceded a goal, a contentious one at that, during their draw against Stars at home on September 14 when attacking midfielder Robert N'gambi's long-range shot clearly did not cross the line.The key has been the combination formed by Erick Mathoho, Lorenzo Gordinho and more important, the hunger and ballast shown by new recruit Sibusiso Khumalo.The often injured Bafana Bafana leftback has starred in all four of Chiefs' wins, supplementing George Lebese's work on the left.The influence exerted by the other George (Maluleka) in the middle cannot be underestimated as Amakhosi have battled to replace Reneilwe Letsholonyane.The way in which Lebese and Maluleka have combined is reminiscent of the "Ma-Le-Ma" attacking trio in conjunction with Mandla Masango that was so great three seasons ago.William Twala has yet to show the levels of excellence exhibited by Masango in the league and cup-winning 2014/15 season but he has become an indispensable cog.The same can be said of Gordinho, who has seamlessly filled Tefu Mashamaite's defensive boots along with the knack of contributing crucial goals with four so far.It's those goals Pirates will be looking for from anyone else other than Tendai Ndoro, Oupa Manyisa and Thabiso Kutumela.story_article_right2While Ndoro's six goals against Arrows, Ajax and Polokwane City all came in open play, Kutumela's (Stars) and Manyisa's (Wits) came via a free kick and a penalty.For a team bristling with attacking intent, talent and a tactically astute coach in Muhsin Ertugral, Pirates' other attacking players have let the team down badly. Hence why Ertugral was driven to say this week a third of his side are not pulling their weight.Players like Mpho Makola, Thamsanqa Gabuza and Bernard Morrison have abdicated their goal-scoring and creative duties to the Zimbabwean international, Ndoro.If that continues, Mathoho, Gordinho and company may well bring their camp chairs and picnic baskets to the FNB Stadium if Bucs will continue to be over-reliant on Ndoro.Whether Ertugral can get the best out of the dysfunctional attacking third of his team is one problem, deciding on a settled defensive back four is his next headache.While Thabo Matlaba and Thembela Sikhakhane continue to be his first-choice wingbacks, the centreback tinkering with Justice Chabalala, Ayanda Gcaba, Edwin Gyimah and Happy Jele not settling explains why Pirates have conceded silly goals.With Chiefs averaging 1.5 goals in their last four matches, finding a pairing that communicates well and ready to deal with Chiefs' ever-present aerial threat has to be Ertugral's priority.sports@timesmedia.co.za..