07 August 2019, by: Grant de Smidt

WHY PIRATES DEFENCE IS KEY TO CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CHALLENGE

Orlando Pirates kick off their CAF Champions League campaign against Zambian side, Green Eagles on Saturday in the Preliminary Rounds. Having failed to get past the Group Stage last season, Bucs will need to defend significantly better to improve on that this time around.

Since last season, Orlando Pirates have had a reshuffle of their backline. Having used five different right-backs through the season, three have now departed the club. Abbubaker Mobara, Diamond Thopola and Thabo Matlaba have all moved on, leaving Mthokozisi Dube, Asavela Mbekile and now the 19-year-old forward, Thabiso Monyane as options in that role.

The latter played there in preseason and in the opening PSL game against Highlands Park and is being converted in a modern, attacking fullback – so many of the best ones in world football started out as forwards or wingers. He has not been registered in their squad for the qualification rounds though.

Centrally, the club sold Marshall Munetsi to Stade de Reims and released homesick Caio Marcelo. Gladwin Shitolo was loaned out again, as was Sandile Mthethwa. Brian Hlongwa is back from loan at Real Kings and has signed a new deal, but the depth centrally is very suspect.

Justice Chabalala has not been registered in the 28-man squad and did not play at all last season for a reason – he does not suit playing out from the back – whilst Ntsikelelo Nyauza needs to get himself fully fit and focused again.

Munetsi’s loss will be felt in continental action. He brought athleticism and gave an outstanding display in Bucs’ 0-0 home draw with Esperance in Happy Jele’s absence.

Left-back has seen Bongani Sam and Tebogo Tlolane arrive and with Paseko Mako too, the club looks to have depth (but not experience) should Innocent Maela get injured or suspended.

Pirates started their CAF Champions League Group Stage last season with three clean sheets in their first three games. However, two of those matches ended 0-0 and that led to Bucs needing full points hauls in their final matches. That need to attack led to six goals conceded and a backline not as protected by their midfield.

Those two 0-0 draws came at the expense of their frontline. In both games, Pirates fielded just three attackers, leaving Augustine Mulenga on the bench both times. That selection allowed extra steel in midfield with Marshall Munetsi supplementing Xola Mlambo and Musa Nyatama for the away game at FC Platinum.

In the third game, at home to Esperance, the side had Mlambo, Nyatama and Ben Motshwari as a midfield three and again failed to score without four attacking players on the pitch. In the fourth game, a 2-0 defeat away to Esperance, Paseka Mako was the extra defensively-sound player selected instead of a fourth attacker and a another blank scoresheet was the result.

In the fifth game, at home to FC Platinum, Pirates used a back three and opened up the channels for the Zimbabwean side to exploit on the break. Marcelo was used in that game despite two months of inactivity prior to that. That game had four attacking players on the pitch, but at the expense of a balanced side.

In Pirates’ final match, they again used a back three, but with Kudakwashe Mahachi and Ben Motshwari as wingbacks, the wide areas were exposed and the latter was hugely missed in midfield. They could never quite find the right balance between attacking and defending.

Pirates were 2-0 down after 37 minutes in this game. For the opener, it came from Bucs’ own build-up play from a goal kick. Jele had pushed very wide, Alfred Ndengane was free but ignored by Wayne Sandilands and both Mlambo and Nyatama had dropped centrally to the edge of their box. A Sandilands diagonal to Maela landed in a vacant midfield and when a long shot came in, Ndengane deflected into his own net.

The second goal came from an FC Platinum throw-in. Marcelo was pulled very wide with Maela marking no one. Ndengane misjudged the ball and was easily outpaced trying to cover behind Marcelo in the left channel, and Sandilands was beaten to the ball when he raced off his line.

The opening goal in this game came from a short freekick. Pirates had been expecting a delivery into the box but instead, Esperance played a pass up the side of the freekick wall and the goal was finished from that assist. This goal came from general poor organisation and awareness and also from a very smart set-play routine from a team simply more savvy than Pirates.

The second goal came late on as Bucs chased the result, but one simple long ball bypassed Jele and Ndengane while Maela was too far away to cover his veteran central defensive teammates. Mulenga had given the ball away with a loose touch inside his own half initially.

In a must-win game, Pirates were 0-0 at half-time before the home side took a 2-0 lead. For the first goal, it came from a set-play. Although the initial delivery was headed clear, Horoya picked up the second ball, cut inside Mahachi and fired off a shot. Sandilands dived over the ball for what was quite clearly a goalkeeping error.

For the second goal, it came from Pirates’ possession. Mulenga dropped off to collect 15 yards into the Horoya half. He gives the ball away, the home side counters, Ndengane backs off instead of staying tight to the last man, then fails in his attempt to make a tackle with his weaker foot.

The ball squirms under Sandilands and is finished with Nyatama slow to react to the loose ball. Jele had also backed off during that goal and doesn’t engage the first ball carrier.

Last year was a great learning experience for Pirates and the side will be more streetwise defensively this time around. Some key improvements based on last year’s evidence would be to select four attacking players where possible or at least a third central midfielder with goal threat in Fortune Makaringe.

Secondly, perhaps they should always play a back four to not allow space in the channels against their slow central defenders. And thirdly, to score first, as obvious and idealistic as that may be. Conceding first with their slow, old centre backs leads to more open games and therefore space for opposition counters.

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