Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter believes Nkosingiphile Ngcobo wasn’t able to affect the game against SuperSport United enough because he didn’t get the right service.
Ngcobo came into the Amakhosi starting lineup after Keagan Dolly was suspended for the game but couldn’t prevent his side’s 1-0 defeat to Matsatsantsa.
Baxter later explained the 22-year-old didn’t affect the game as much as he wanted due to two reasons.
“I thought Mshini did ok, I thought when we got him on the ball in the right places, then he affected the game,” the Chiefs coach said when asked by iDiski Times journalist Lorenz Köhler about Ngcobo’s performance.
“And when we didn’t, he’s left chasing the game and that’s not his strength. He’s not Cole [Alexander], he’s not one of the constant movers that will close down people in attack.
“So if we don’t get him on the ball in the right areas, then it’s difficult.
“I don’t think it was that that caused the imbalance in midfield. The imbalance in midfield was caused because we were thinking very straight, we were thinking in straight lines. The ball moves slowly, then they could shift and the ball moves in straight lines and too many balls were not finding their correct address.
“Whereas if we’d have played a little bit and then played diagonal, and cut through on the day, that would be right where Mshini is and now he’s receiving the ball and the goal is there. But he’s receiving the ball straight at him…
“I think it’s partly our fault for not getting him in the game and partly of him wanting to do too much when he was getting on the ball.
“I think it was more that, than that we didn’t keep the balance. But we kept losing the ball in the wrong areas and then he’s not the one that is chasing back. He did his best and he did ok in that respect.
“So again I don’t think he’s the one I should look at and say ‘well you could’ve done a lot better’, there is a few others that could’ve picked it up a lot better than him.”
Chiefs return to action on Saturday when they will face Stellenbosch away from home.
