Mthembu has hit the nail right on the head

Cape Town City have squandered possible wins in some of their games this season, with the most recent being the 3-3 draw against Orlando Pirates in a match they led 2-0 after the first 10 minutes.

This has led to a slow start to the season which has left coach Benni McCarthy discounting their chances in the Absa Premiership title race.

After eight games, the Citizens have collected just eight points, with one win, five draws and two defeats posted on their board so far.

But the good thing is that the team have managed to deduce the cause of their sloppy start to the season, at least according to striker Siphelele Mthembu (below).

The 32-year-old former Orlando Pirates man said the team needs to change their mentality if they are to change their fortunes.

“I think it’s a mental issue,” Mthembu told Phakaaathi Plus during the Telkom Knockout draw this week. “The thing is, once you get something in your mind – whether it is wrong or right – it gets stuck in your sub-conscious. So, whenever we lead and they equalise, in our minds comes those thoughts that ‘here we go again, another draw’ and it does something to your body as well.

“We just have to change that mindset and have a winning mentality,” added Mthembu who has just come back from an injury lay-off.

“If we have a lead, we have to say ‘okay, now let’s put it to bed’. It is us as players who have to change the way we think and have the same mentality for all the games,” he said.

City’s next game is what Mthembu believes they needed to get their groove back. They host Kaizer Chiefs in the Telkom Knockout first round next weekend and Mthembu said they need a win in a big game to get things right again.

“I think it’s better to tap at a higher level from the beginning,” he said. “If you start a cup game slowly (against smaller teams), there are complications but when you start with big games it gives you confidence early on.

“So it is good for us to start with Kaizer Chiefs. We have to step up our game. We have been doing well but it is a matter of using our chances and defending better,” he said.