Former defender Tshepo Masilela expressed doubt about whether the playing style of the Chiefs club under head coach Fernando Da Cruz is suitable. Despite Chiefs remaining undefeated in the Betway Premiership championship this season, the team has failed to convert several promising performances into victories.
In seven league matches, Chiefs have accumulated 13 points, securing three wins and four draws. Masilela believes that Da Cruz's tactics cannot be definitively labeled as defensive, pointing to the tactical use of players like Pule Mmodi, yet he also stressed that defensive errors cost the team points.
Masilela explained on the Soccerbeat podcast that, looking at the team's structure, he does not see a defensive style. He noted that while the team might utilize a winger or wing-back like Pule Mmodi, defensive mistakes constantly disappoint and lead to lost points.
In the first seven league matches, Chiefs scored 12 goals but conceded seven. Critical defensive errors have become a frequent topic of discussion surrounding Da Cruz's team. Commenters have also pointed out the lack of a stable starting lineup after pre-season games and eight league matches, as well as problems in defense and insufficient penetration into the penalty area by attacking players.
However, for Masilela, a more important question goes beyond results and concerns how fully Chiefs understood Da Cruz's football philosophy before his appointment. He noted that, unlike working at clubs such as Pyramids FC or Yanga SC, one must observe how Da Cruz builds the team to understand whether he is attacking or possession-oriented, and he questioned whether the team conducted adequate preparation for the philosophy to align with the club's culture.
The former Bafana Bafana international believes that Chiefs might be facing a situation similar to what happened with Manchester United when Ruben Amorim was appointed. Masilela referenced the Portuguese coach's decision to stick to his preferred system despite calls for tactical changes.
He compared this to the situation at Manchester United when they hired Ruben Amorim, and he chose to resign after receiving offers to change his back three, adhering to his belief in the system.
Da Cruz has already demonstrated a willingness to adhere to his principles at Chiefs, and the team's undefeated record indicates positive aspects upon which further work can be built. Nevertheless, four draws out of seven league matches also highlighted subtle issues that currently separate Chiefs from consistently collecting three points.
In Masilela's opinion, the problem may not be so much whether Da Cruz is an attacking or defensive coach, but rather whether his football philosophy aligns with who Chiefs ultimately want to become.