What Sundowns need to do to be invincible

It is needless to say that the primary target for the Mamelodi Sundowns coaching trio of co-head coaches Manqoba Mngqithi and Rhulani Mokwena along with ‘senior’ coach Steve Komphela is to go the entire DStv Premiership season without defeat.

READ: Two trebles in a year – all hail Pitso Mosimane!

Sundowns already have a blemish from the MTN8 where they were booted out in the quarterfinal by Bloemfontein Celtic in what was widely viewed as revenge as Celtic were the casualty in the Nedbank Cup final last season, succumbing 1-0 to Masandawana.

Anyway, the top eight trophy has always been something of a farfetched dream for the Brazilians, at least in the past 13 odd years as they last claimed it in 2007 under the old disguise of South African Airways.

Be that as it may, the biggest domestic prize is the league where Downs have finished as runners-up three times and won it five times in the last decade.

Before Pitso “Jingles” Mosimane left for the top job at Al Ahly, he won five league titles , a domestic treble once last season and another treble that included the Caf Champions League in 2016.

Mosimane also guided Sundowns to a record tally of 71 points in a 16-team PSL era, which they achieved during the 2015/16 season.

Literally, there is not much left for the coaching trio to achieve that Mosimane hasn’t already achieved, except that  Mosimane has never gone a season unbeaten.

For Bafana Ba Style to achieve that unprecedented feat, at least according to modern era recollection, they would need to tweak here and there.

Below are some tips which could steer Sundowns to the right direction:

Improve the scoring rate

As the age-old saying goes; don’t fix it if it is not broken. Sundowns have been free-scoring since their wobble opening game against TTM in the league where they drew 1-1. In most cases, if you score three goals in a game you are likely to emerge as winners, but when Sundowns conceded three against AmaZulu, they scored four. It shows that this side have the capabilities to find the back of the net as the newly formed attacking partnership of Peter Shalulile, Themba Zwane and Kermit Erasmus have been enjoying a good vein of form. However, Sundowns need to improve that rate. They need to score more. They cannot afford to take their foot off the paddle as they did in a 1-1 draw against Maritzburg last time out.

Work on the rear guard

The Brazilians seem to be working on new combinations in all departments, as it is expected after a team with a wholesale of recruits. The challenge, it appears, is the backline. We saw the introduction of Brian Onyango at centre back where he was paired with Ricardo Nascimento at the expense of Motjeka Madisha. Rivaldo Coetzee, who doubles up as a centre back when Sundowns are defending and plays as a central defensive midfielder when they attack, was left out of the team as well. Those changes proved to be costly as Onyango and Nascimento have never played together and Downs were left vulnerable to set-pieces, it could be a recipe for disaster as that is a sensitive position to chop and change for sake of squad rotation.

Manage Kekana well

A captain in the team has a lot of influence and should be treated with due delicacy. As the skipper for the side in its most successful period, Hlompho Kekana has seen some changes in his role and his involvement this season. The 35-year-old only completed a single 90 minutes this season and has started on the bench three times in six games. Those stats would be quite decent for most midfielders in the division, but not for Kekana who has averaged 25 out of 30 league games in the past seven seasons. If there is a player who epitomises the phrase “age is just as number”, it has to be him but the coaches seem to be on a mission to reduce him to a spectator. If that is the case – nothing much wrong with it – they need to have a cautious and delicate approach on how they phase out Kekana and use him sparingly.

Maintain the identity

You would certainly have to look no further than Sundowns if you are looking for a team that plays with a certain identity. Downs are known for their expensive shoe-shine and piano brand of football that comes with a lot of dazzle and flair. Never has it been more constructive than under Mosimane’s watch and it continues to be the case under the trio who have embraced the biblical nicknames of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. However, they really do need to make sure that they keep installing this identity into the new players because anything else has proven to be a flawed recipe for Sundowns, at least under the ownership of Patrice Motsepe. In the early days of Motsepe’s leadership, Downs had an open cheque book but did not bother to instill the club’s identity into the new players. The coaching trio cannot afford to ignore that.

Avoid unnecessary changes

Football in the coronavirus era has been boasted with an additional two substitutions. We don’t know how long the mother body, Fifa, will permit this but coaches in the world over will certainly embrace having the luxury of two extra options. For a team like Sundowns with a huge squad that lacks no quality in all departments, it might be tempting to always draw five aces from your sleeve. The players would welcome this as chances of them playing are higher and it is easier to rotate the team.

However, the fact remains; there is no coach who has managed to please the entire dressing room and Sundowns coaches should avoid falling into the slippery slope of thinking they can give everyone a chance. It is okay to make just two substitutions or even one, just as long as the team is still playing well. Yes, player management, fatigue and mileage come into play, but it’s always best to stay away from the tool box if it is not broken.

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