Chiefs Panicked: ‘We Were Too Casual…’

Kaizer Chiefs were ‘too casual’ and began to ‘start panicking’ in their defeat to AmaZulu, a loss which blew the 2019/20 Absa Premiership title race wide open…

The Glamour Boys suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Usuthu as they were beaten 1-0 at FNB Stadium on Saturday night, a first win for the visitors over Amakhosi in almost exactly 13 years.

Having gone into the game after doing a league double over Orlando Pirates, Ernst Middendorp believes that his side didn’t do what was required to win the game, admitting that it was hard to break down an AmaZulu side that was fighting for their lives at the foot of the table.

Speaking to the club’s official website, Middendorp said, “In the beginning we were too casual… We spoke about it during the week, I was hoping that everybody understood the message. This is something that often happens after winning the Derby match, the players get too relaxed and don’t put themselves into the next game.

“We had a fantastic chance to make it 1-0 early in the first half, we took it too casual. Not really with the excitement I am talking about. And at a critical time, just before half-time, you concede. Then you start panicking and playing against the wall. You also face a block of a defensive team, defending quite deep and you struggle to find the key to unlock them.”

The German went on to add, “We failed to get the right identity in the game. Exactly what I meant when I said we took it casually. Now suddenly we concede and start panicking. We were unable to string passes together and players struggled to find each other in the game. When you get a shock, you then try to correct yourself as an individual and as a collective.”

Chiefs now have some time to try and bounce back before facing Bidvest Wits on March 18, but are set to be without Willard Katsande (knee) and Reeve Frosler (suspension) for that game in a couple of weeks.