Benni McCarthy says the novelty of his first season in the Absa Premiership has worn off for a lot of his Cape Town City players and admits his squad lacks the quality in the final third of the pitch as they were held to a goalless draw by SuperSport United on Saturday.
City missed a number of good opportunities in the game as Judas Moseamedi was given the striking role in the absence of the injured Matthew Rusike‚ but a lack of cutting edge was plain for all to see‚ especially coach McCarthy.
“Quality is starting to tell‚” a frustrated McCarthy said.
“When there is a new coach you try and impress‚ you play hard and everybody wants to make a [good] impression‚ but now it is a stage [of the season] where normality kicks-in.
“We are just lacking a bit of quality now because as good as we are playing‚ with entertaining football and creating chances‚ in areas where it matters the most‚ that is where we are struggling and lacking.
“When you don’t have the personnel to help you then it becomes difficult. Unfortunately for me‚ South Africa being South Africa you will always have those challenges.”
The current “challenge” relates to the absence of playmaker Ayanda Patosi‚ who skipped training last week and has now sat out the last two games.
“It is what it is and when you don’t see him then it’s not rocket science. I have to make do with that I have at my disposal.”
City owner John Comitis previously told TimesLIVE that Patosi would only be considered for selection again when he showed the necessary commitment to the club.
McCarthy was also surprised at how his team appeared to lack urgency in their play against relegation-threatened SuperSport as they battle to stay in the top eight.
“We started slow‚ we looked more fatigued than them after they flew back from Kenya and then played [Orlando] Pirates in a tough game on Wednesday.
“In the position they are in‚ it is normal they would put up a fight‚ but I’m just a bit disappointed that we didn’t control the pace of the game because that’s what I thought was needed.
“The pressure probably told on us‚ the fact that we haven’t won in the last three matches. It does get to the players‚ in our build-up play‚ nobody wanted the ball‚ we were scared to make mistakes.
“We made it difficult for ourselves‚ but even so I think we had the best chances of the game. I don’t remember one moment where I had to pull my hair out because they [SuperSport] should have scored.
“It was all hit-and-hopes‚ where as for us I counted three or four [chances]. Getting three points seems to be very‚ very difficult these days.”
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