From pressing to percentage play

After taking over last season, Middendorp looked to introduce a high-pressing game to the club whilst his teams look to play out from the back with build-up play. Crucial players to that style of play were Hendrick Ekstein, Dax (Andriamirado Andrianarimanana) and Teenage Hadebe. The former duo were Amakhosi’s most proficient players at pressing in midfield, while Hadebe was good at playing out from the back and brought a natural left-footed balance to the squad.

However, the style of play has completely changed this season with those three performers no longer options in the squad. From the very first game, it was clear that Chiefs were not going to use intricate short passing where the goalkeeper and central defenders look to play out from the back. With Leonardo Castro back in favour and another excellent target man, Samir Nurkovic, being signed, Middendorp changed to a direct, long ball way of playing. This has not only brought excellent results and maximised the strengths of his tall battering rams up front, but it has also suited Daniel Akpeyi and Mathoho, neither of whom are suited to a more modern build-up style and would have been out of their comfort zone trying to play that way. The German coach saw the tools at his disposal and tailored his side’s tactics around maximising his resources. That has been a big factor in making Mathoho look good and trying not to have his weaknesses exposed too often.