A lack of fight in the Soweto derby on Sunday is a concerning factor for the Glamour Boys as their poor start to the season continues
Legendary former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Jabu Mahlangu had some scathing criticism for Amakhosi after they were booted out of the MTN8 by bitter rivals Orlando Pirates.
Pirates booked their place in the MTN8 final against Bloemfontein Celtic after a 3-0 home win last weekend and a 2-0 victory on Sunday against Amakhosi at the FNB Stadium, to make it a 5-0 aggregate scoreline in the two-legged semi-final.
For Mahlangu (previously known by his former surname, Pule), there was a worrying lack of spirit on the home side's part."There is a lot of work to be done at Kaizer Chiefs," Mahlangu, who also once had a brief spell at Pirates, said during his post-match analysis for SuperSport TV.
"There is no motivation. There was no hunger to try and challenge Orlando Pirates pound for pound.”
Fellow analyst, Dikgang Mabalane, a former Pirates winger, echoed Mahlangu’s sentiments:
“Morale is not at the level where it's supposed to be, You can even see the body language of the players – [Lebogang] Manyama, [Khama] Billiat,” Mabalane said.
“They are trying yes, but again it's not showing in the game.”
Manyama and Billiat did indeed have quiet games on Sunday and neither player has scored yet this season.
In fact, Chiefs have only netted in two of their six matches so far. That includes a brace for defender Yagan Sasman in a 2-1 win over Maritzburg United and an own goal by Chippa United defender Gregory Damons.
Chiefs' problems were also compounded by an injury to Reeve Frosler and a red card for Eric Mathoho on Sunday.
But probably of greater concern to head coach Gavin Hunt and his technical team is the overall mind-set and lack of morale in the Amakhosi camp.
Ahead of Sunday’s match, Chiefs have been in shaky form this season and the only really convincing performance they’ve enjoyed is the 1-0 win over Chippa United in the league.
Confidence in front of goal, and all-round morale are just two of the challenges facing the Glamour Boys as club football makes way for the international break.
After that, Chiefs have an away date with Golden Arrows on November 21.