Kaizer Chiefs latest | Mathoho and Cardoso partnership under microscope!

Kaizer Chiefs dropped three crucial points in the league with a 1-0 defeat to Chippa United on Wednesday afternoon, and more questions continue to be raised.

While Amakhosi’s struggles can be blamed on several factors, including the team’s inability to sign new players for two consecutive transfer windows and injuries to key players, perhaps it is time to look deeper into the players’ dip in form.

READ | KAIZER CHIEFS LATEST | KHAMA BILLIAT TO MISS THE REST OF THE SEASON?

In his post-match interview of Amakhosi’s win over Mamelodi Sundowns, coach Gavin Hunt admitted that his team lacks consistency – and he said that without singling out any of his players.

Hunt further revealed that he’s had to utilize some players out of position which has been the case but looking from the outside, his centre-back pairing of Erick Mathoho and Daniel Cardoso hasn’t given him anything this season.   

Cardoso has at times been deployed in a defensive midfield role with either Anthony Agay or Ramahlwe Mphahlele coming in at centre-back.  

READ | EXCLUSIVE | ORLANDO PIRATES CAN WIN CAF CONFEDERATION CUP – ROGER DE SA

What’s evident is that Chiefs continue to concede cheap goals in critical phases of almost all their games – and this can be supported by the fact that Itumeleng Khune is yet to keep a clean sheet in the league matches he has played thus far.

And the blame should not just fall on him as the last line of defence but on his centre-backs as well for failing to protect him and execute their defensive duties.

Mathoho and Cardoso have been playing together for years now – even during the tenure of Steve Komphela and the understanding should be there.

However, that’s not the case as none of them appear to be able to cover each other whenever Chiefs are under attack.    

More often than not, both Mathoho and Cardoso find themselves facing their own goals when defending long balls played into their own half – and the pair should go back to the basics.

READ | BENNI MCCARTHY’S AMAZULU: THE 5 TEAMS THEY STILL NEED TO PLAY – AND BEAT!

They both lack pace as they enter their 30s and their timing of the ball is sometimes questionable – hence they are often shown clean pair of heels by opposition strikers.  

This season, the two defenders have played together at centre-back in 11 league matches – and Chiefs only managed just two wins in those matches, meaning their defence, led by both Mathoho and Cardoso in those games let them down.

In those 11 league matches, Chiefs managed just three clean sheets, and clearly the problem cannot only be upfront or in midfield or even their goalkeeping department but in defence as well.

And if the defence comes under scrutiny then questions should always be asked about the partnership of the men entrusted with organizing and protecting the goalkeeper – and in this instance, they are Mathoho and Cardoso.  

With only six games to go before the end of the season, Hunt needs to decide whether the combination of Mathoho and Cardoso is the way to go or perhaps consider bringing back the likes of Mphahlele and Agay or even take Siyabonga Ngezana back to his natural position.  

READ | KAIZER CHIEFS LEGEND CALLS MASSIVE OVERHAUL

In the end, Chiefs have an obligation to finish inside the top-eight bracket this season, especially after failing to achieve that in the 2018-19 campaign.