Formations don’t win games
It’s a much anticipated game, and one that could go either way even though Mamelodi Sundowns carry the ‘favourites’ tag and Kaizer Chiefs, who let a surprise lead slip through their fingers in the first leg, come in as underdogs. We touched base with reno
On the Sundowns starting line-up
“The Sundowns line-up is always going to be strong because of the quality they have in depth. Peter Shalulile is back and that’s an important piece for Sundowns going into the second leg. Remember he was not available for the first leg due to injury, but he is back now and that’s going to make Chiefs’ work even harder on the day. He has previously done well against Chiefs.”
On the Chiefs first XI
“What’s important for Chiefs is Edson Castillo and Yusuf Maart in the midfield. They break down attacks. Up front, they have Ashley Du Preez, who has the pace to undo any defence. I am not yet convinced by the new striker they have signed (Jasond Gonzalez), but they obviously have to give him some time to adapt to the new environment. I think (Christian) Saile has done well so far. Whenever he has come on, he has done well. With Given Msimango coming into that defence, they have a bit more stability and they can play out from the back. Brandon Petersen has done well. Even though he has made a few errors, he has made up for that with some world-class saves. The team is in the building process, but I don’t think you should write them off. They have an away goal disadvantage, but anything is possible.”
On how Sundowns will approach it
“Obviously, the tactics would be different to what it would be if he had played against (Orlando) Pirates because Pirates play significantly differently to Chiefs these days. It will be interesting to see how Chiefs are in defence because they will be under constant pressure from Sundowns. Sundowns will play those combination passes, (make) those third-man runs, those overlapping runs. I am glad that Rhulani has made people realise that formations do not win games. When the game is on, the formation is constantly evolving. We said this years ago with Ted (Dumitru) and people thought that we were mad. When everybody was talking about football, they were talking about 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1. Telephone numbers. The game constantly changes and that’s what Rhulani has made people realise.”
On how Chiefs may set up their stall
“I was a little bit disappointed in the first leg because I felt that Chiefs sat back a little bit too much. I would have thought that, being at home, they would have come out a bit more and then be a bit more conservative when they go away from home. They got a goal but conceded at a time they shouldn’t have. Had they got a 1-0 win on the day, I would have said the tactics were appropriate, but I sometimes think the best form of defence is attack. Keep Sundowns on the backfoot and force them to play longer balls from defence and take the game to them. There are risks involved in doing that, but in football and in life, there is a saying that goes, ‘He who dares wins.’ So, they’ve got to dare. They have to take risks. Sometimes the risks can pay off and sometimes they may not. But I would say with a team like Sundowns, Chiefs should take the game to them. If they win, then it can be 3-2 or 4-3. But don’t sit back and look for the odd goal because that can come back to haunt you.”
On Brazilians’ key players
“I’ve been impressed with the South Americans at Sundowns. Lucas Ribeiro has been doing great… and the playmaker, Marcelo Allende. I dream of having players like that because those are quality players. I’d enjoy coaching them because those players find solutions. Ribeiro, in particular, has this awareness of space and time. He knows how to use space and time and the tempo. He is elusive and he is tactically aware. He knows exactly where to be at a given time. He has a phenomenal finishing touch. He knows what technique to use at a specific time. He won’t just go for power. When you look at some of his goals, they were delicately placed, at the far post or on the ground, with accuracy. I look at a player like that and I think, ‘Wow, this is a finisher!’ I wouldn’t call him a striker because he is not your conventional number nine, but he is more like a false nine who comes from deep positions. He takes a lot of attention away from a guy like Shalulile, which allows him to get into good scoring situations.”
On Amakhosi’s weapons
“Castillo. He is a very good player and he is intelligent. He has the right physicality and right aggression and I think some of that is rubbing off onto Maart because I think he is improving in that regard. I also can’t forget about Du Preez. When Du Preez is in the line-up, then you expect something to happen because of his pace and skill and his awareness around the goal. So, for me, he is another impact player for Chiefs.”