Former assistant coach at Orlando Pirates, Harris Choeu, has diagnosed the factors he believes are contributing to the team's inconsistency.
Despite their squad being considered the second-best in the country after Mamelodi Sundowns, Pirates continue to disappoint their supporters at critical moments, notwithstanding a brilliant start to the season.
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On Wednesday, they missed out on the opportunity to reclaim top spot in the Betway Premiership after losing 0-1 to Cape Town City down in the Mother City.
Choeu, who spent five years at the Soweto giants, believes a few past victories have led to the players feeling invincible.
"Consistency is one of our weaknesses here at home in South Africa; it highlights the quality of players we have," says the former defender nicknamed 'TV4'.
"You don't have to (only) be talented, you also need to have mental quality. No matter how skilled you are, you need to remain focused. If your mindset isn't fully developed, you will be inconsistent - winning today and losing tomorrow.
"It shows that when it comes to consistency, we are not quite there yet here at home, even though we have an abundance of talent.
"Pirates should not have lost that game against Cape Town City. Under no circumstances. Regardless of how good that team is, pound for pound, they cannot match Pirates," he continues.
Choeu believes the result against Stade d'Abidjan in the Champions League should have been a confidence boost for Jose Riveiro's men going into the City game.
"They should have proven to Cape Town City that they are not on their level.
"So, Pirates were supposed to win that game, but their issue is that they sometimes win matches before they are even played. They approach certain games with the mindset that they will earn all three points. This often happens when a team is too accustomed to winning.
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"If they were facing Mamelodi Sundowns yesterday, I can assure you the approach would have been different.
"But now, because they have won some matches by large margins, they tend to forget to attach discipline to their winning mentality. Right now, they are losing that discipline."