Wanted – strikers who can score goals

Free State Stars coach Luc Eymael (right) believes only an inability to convert their chances is keeping Ea Lla Koto from having another successful season.

“I have three strikers but only one has scored. Harris Tchilimbou scored for us but he is not a striker, he is a playmaker. Most of our goals come from the defenders,” said Eymael following his side’s 3-1 loss to defending league champions Mamelodi Sundowns. Stars are eighth in the Absa Premiership table, with just three wins in their first 13 league matches, as they prepare to take on SuperSport United today at Goble Park. Ea Lla Koto finished sixth in the league last season, and won the Nedbank Cup.

The Stars coach and his club were dealt a further blow yesterday when both were fined R100 000, after Eymael failed to attend the post-match press conference after his side’s game against AmaZulu on August 19. Both fines were suspended for 24 months, as long as the Stars coach “is not found guilty of breaching his media obligations” again.

“The difference between last season and this is that last season we didn’t create as many chances than we are now. We are one of the teams that create a lot of chances but unfortunately we are not scoring enough,” he added.

While his strikers’ lack of goals is cause for concern, Eymael’s rearguard is not looking particularly good either. Ea Lla Koto have let in 17 goals in 13 games and have played more league matches than anyone else.

“We are conceding a lot ... we concede because of individual errors. It is individual mistakes and it is difficult to plan for individual mistakes because unfortunately I am not God and I cannot imagine these kinds of things,” Eymael explained.

However, the Belgian predicts that 26 points should be enough to save any team from automatic relegation, as opposed to the usual 30-point mark that has been the benchmark over the years.