Baxter explains reasons for selections in Chiefs’ cup defeat to TS Galaxy
Amakhosi picked up pace in the second half but the introduction of players back from lengthy injuries seemed to work against that improvement
Stuart Baxter has explained some of his selections that raised eyebrows in Kaizer Chiefs’ 1-0 Nedbank Cup loss to TS Galaxy at FNB Stadium on Saturday night. He was, he said, trying to get “in-form players on the field”.
Chiefs were rusty in the opening half as Galaxy displayed greater industriousness in returning from the two-month Christmas and Africa Cup of Nations break, playing to a clever game plan from coach Sead Ramovic.
Amakhosi showed a clear intention to get their transitions working efficiently when they came out of the changeroom, but Phathutshedzo Nange’s blunder with an intercepted back-pass gifted Augustine Kwem the goal that left Chiefs chasing the game.
Baxter seemed to want to keep some of the players who performed well in winning two of their three games played amid the club’s Covid-19 outbreak in December, and he picked Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya for just his fourth league start at left-back.
As Chiefs’ momentum improved in the second half, the introduction of the rusty Samir Nurković, Leonardo Castro and Lebogang Manyama — all back from lengthy injuries — almost seemed to work against that improvement.
Baxter admitted the performance was patchy all round and far off Chiefs’ quality.
“We didn’t play at any time with the quality we have. Our training this week had been first-class and I was certain we’d give a better performance than that,” he said.
The coach was asked about the introduction of Nurković and Castro with just over half an hour left, and of Manyama with 20 minutes to go.
“We didn’t start Samir, ‘Lebza’, Leo for that reason — that they are off the pace in terms of match fitness,” the coach said.
“We went with a slightly tweaked formation because we wanted to get our in-form players on the field. So ‘Mshini’ had that role in the pocket where he could drive in towards their defence from.
“We had ‘Siya’ [Ngezana] at right-back who would stay [back] a bit more and let Ntiya kick on forward.
“But again, even the in-form players didn’t play with the quality that we know they have. So that’s why you gradually go towards what you know — that Samir can give you 30 or 40 minutes, and that Leo and Lebza can.
“So when this one’s not firing let’s try a different shape and personnel. We had to try and take the game back.”
If the coach’s selections raised questions in a generally patchy first day back at the match office for Chiefs, one that did not was of 27-year-old Brandon Petersen making a solid debut between the posts and rising in the pecking order above Bruce Bvuma.