Sheppard – Chiefs ‘not good enough’ after another draw
· Citizen
Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach Dillon Sheppard admitted that this many draws is simply ‘not good enough’ after Amakhosi were held by Stellenbosch in the Betway Premiership at FNB Stadium on Tuesday evening.
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Chiefs – too many draws
Amakhosi remain unbeaten in the Premiership this season but five draws in eight games leaves them eight points behind second-placed Orlando Pirates and nine behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.
Sheppard attended the post match press conference because Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz was taken ill after the match.
“Coach Da Cruz has fallen ill, he was vomiting so the doctor is checking to see if he is ok,” said Sheppard.
“It is not a case of settling for a point,” he added on Chiefs’ five draws.
“Each game is different, with different merits and objectives, but we want to win football games. I think we are doing enough to win, but if you look at the type of goals we are conceding, we have to be better.
“I think the stats show that we are second or third in the league in terms of conceding (the fewest) chances. But teams are still scoring (against us). It is something we have to improve. And also as an attacking force, (Wandile) Duba had a chance again today, he could be top goalscorer already. But these are things we must keep working on the training pitch to try and improve.
“We are not losing games but it is not good enough.”
Sheppard – ‘We were a bit back-heavy’
In a poor first half, Chiefs’ best chance came when Mduduzi Shabalala played in Duba, but he delayed his shot, and Stellenbosch ‘keeper Sage Stephens saved.
Sinoxolo Kwayiba, who had hit the post in the first half, put Gavin Hunt’s Stellies in front in the 48th minute. Chiefs levelled ten minutes later through Shabalala’s well taken goal, but neither side could find a winner.
Even as Chiefs mounted attacks in the laters stages of the game, not enough players were getting into the opponent’s penalty area in open play.
“As the game went on we wanted to throw bodies forward but we were a bit back-heavy,” admitted Sheppard.
“They threw two up front and we were five (at the back). We tried to get the wing backs higher and to get other midfielders to join but we didn’t have that, we have to go back and improve. We get into the final third and are not able to capitalise. It is something we have to work on.”