The talented Orlando Pirates FC left footed centreback Mpho Chabatsane, is arguably one of the most technically gifted centrebacks in the league especially looking at how he effortlessly able to pass short and long passes with geometric precision and watching him taking the penalty like he did, showed that he either undermined his technical ability to go for precision over power or he was really in fear. Phumlani “BMX” Mkhize was one of those few players that I knew that Will go for power over placement since he preferred to use his laces straight above the goalkeeper and was successful but others, never had any success when going for power over precision.

As I said in the previous post, the loss against Casric Stars was not necessarily about who missed a penalty but rather as a result of profligacy in front of goal in 120 minutes. Now what I’m highlighting here, it’s how Mpho Chabatsane who is extremely technically gifted, decided to go for power when his technical gifts suggests that he should have done much better but it’s clear that fear overwhelmed and perhaps was thinking too much about what if he misses especially because he’s still new at the club and supporters can easily turn against him. I hope he will grow from here and get matured and know how to handle the pressure because I refuse to believe that even at training that how he was taking his penalties. The boy is technically too good to take a penalty like that and if nobody has told him that, I hope this somehow find a way to reach him.

Orlando Pirates team may not have won convincingly especially because they wasted few chances against Polokwane City away from home but the reality of the matter is, if you want to win the league, you must have this capacity of grinding out results by turning zero point into one or 1 point into three points at the dying stages of the game and it’s exactly how the double treble was achieved.

As I said previously, I no longer have time to write here about the game so that’s why even About the derby haven’t said a word. Back to the grinding issue, it was very close for Pirates to drop points after opponents equalized late in the game but the never say die attitude propelled the boys to get to the finishing line with maximum points on the day and that’s what they will need to keep on doing even though due to profligacy in front of goal, Sundowns are likely to retain their title at worst, on goal difference especially with the prolific Iqram Rayners back and firing again and can only get better with each game that passes and that’s where the biggest challenge for Orlando Pirates will come from.

Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has been talking a lot about efficiency in the final third and it’s because they are creating very good chances but lacks someone clinical enough to put them away but they don’t have that particular individual and now will have to rely on collectivism across the pitch for goals of it’s where Sundowns edges them. While everyone can score at Sundowns like Marcello Allende has been doing in the last few games and other midfielders, it’s in players like Rayners, Shalulile and the Colombian attacker Leon, that they get the much needed edge. Hopefully, Bucs will collectively be strong enough to match and surpass what sundowns is doing in front of goal.