Paez brings new blood to Naturena‚ but is it enough for Chiefs to push for the title?

Kaizer Chiefs finally provided some much-needed fresh blood in their squad by bring in forward Gustavo Paez on deadline day‚ but will the journeyman striker‚ unproven in the Premier Soccer League‚ provide the impetus for a title challenge?

That would seem unlikely‚ mostly because Chiefs’ problems extend beyond finding a ‘fox in the box’‚ but rather stem from a lack of creativity in midfield.

Paez is a 26-year-old forward with dual Italian-Venezuelan citizenship who has had something of a chequered career to date.

The forward has played for nine different clubs‚ including back in his homeland of Venezuela‚ and also in Slovenia‚ Italy and Spain‚ where he turned out for the B side of Real Mallorca.

The Venezuelan-born player with an Italian passport’s recent team was Estudiantes de Merida in Venezuela‚ who he left in July 2016.

He has been signed after an extended trial and it is hoped by Chiefs that he is “Leonardo Castro Mark II”‚ with the Colombian forward having been (eventually) a hit at Mamelodi Sundowns.

But how Paez copes over these next months depends on the way he is handled.

Pitso Mosimane gave Castro plenty of time to settle‚ keeping him back until he was sure he was ready for the PSL‚ rather than just unleashing him in the league and allowing him to become a target for irate fans.

Do Chiefs have the same patience? Can they afford to wait?

The return to fitness of forward Camaldine Abraw will feel‚ as the cliche goes‚ like another signing for Komphela but the Togo forward has provided modest goal returns in the past and there is nothing to suggest that will change‚ especially after so long out.

Chiefs have bemoaned a lack of finishing as their major problem this season and to an extent it has played a role‚ but so has the fact that they have at times found teams too difficult to break down.

Coach Steve Komphela tried Pule Ekstein in the midfield playmaking role at the start of the season but that proved a failure and the 26-year-old looks a player who simply does not have the quality needed at Naturena.

It is one thing to show flashes of creative skill‚ but what the team needs is somebody who can do it consistently.

Ekstein’s failure thrust veteran Siphiwe Tshabalala into the midfield kingpin role towards the end of the year and he did not disappoint with a number of fine performances.

But with the games coming thick and fast over the next few months‚ it will be an ask for the 32-year-old to keep playing at his top level at this tempo as the body tires and so with it goes the mind.

The arrival of Joseph Molangoane towards the end of last year added some much needed width and pace to the midfield‚ and the arrival of Paez could push Michelle Katsvairo into wider areas‚ which is probably his preferred position.

The Zimbabwean has pace and is good with the ball at his feet‚ but did little to convince as the fulcrum of the attack.

Back-to-back victories at the end of 2016 have brought Chiefs to within one point of the trio of clubs at the top of the Absa Premiership table‚ though they have played two games more than BidVest Wits and one more than SuperSport United.

Five points behind them are Mamelodi Sundowns with a massive six games in hand and unless the Brazilians go on a horror run‚ it is hard to see how they will not overtake Chiefs.

It would take a run of wins not seen since the departure of Stuart Baxter to give Chiefs and chance and you have to wonder whether this AmaKhosi squad has the consistency and quality to go six‚ seven or eight victories in a row.

Unless Paez turns out to be a signing of epic proportions‚ it is very hard to see that being the case.

- TMG Sport