Rulani dissects new-look Chiefs side

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has dissected the new-look Kaizer Chiefs side under Molefi Ntseki as the two title contenders renew their fierce rivalry in a DStv Premiership clash on Wednesday.

Chiefs got their season under way on an underwhelming note by being held to a goalless draw by Chippa United at the Moses Mabhida Stadium over the weekend.

READ | 'Our players know it's a big game' - Ntseki rallies Chiefs ahead of Sundowns clash

Sunday's clash saw as many as five debutants for Chiefs who are undergoing somewhat of a squad transformation in an attempt to challenge for honours.

"The starting point is that we have to respect every team, we have to respect all our opponents and Kaizer Chiefs is no different," Mokwena said.

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"The performances of the team, of course you have to also gauge in relation to some of the changes that have been made from a technical perspective.

"They've got a new coach and he needs time to work on his ideas and get the players to adapt to a different way of doing things.

"It's a little bit clear, even though it doesn't move too far away from the 4-2-3-1 that they deployed last season, but there are moments where it is little bit more aggressive of a 4-3-3 and the front-three is a little bit more in the advanced line than in the previous season under coach Arthur Zwane.

"It also shows with the profile, you have Ranga [Chivaviro] you have possibilities of Saile who is a striker, but plays out wide. Ashely du Preez plays up front and then you have a front-three that really in the profile of makeup are strikers in the front line.

"Still with a midfield two at the base where they play around with that combination, whether it's Castillo, Zwane – or Castillo, Sithebe, or like yesterday they had Yusuf Maart.

"So they have that and then to give possibilities for a 10, and they've tried different players in that position.

"Mdantsane has been tried inside and outside, Potsane has been tried inside and outside in the friendlies and they have Ngcobo and Shabalala interchanging positions (against Chippa).

"So, it gives them a possibility of having a second striker and depending on the profile of the second striker, it's either a central midfielder who collapses closer to the six and eight, or a 10 that collapses a little bit closer to the number nine.

"But you still have very aggressive full-backs in Hlanti and Reeve Frosler, so you know those possibilities of final third entries, crosses into the box, where they are aggressive with that and for sure maybe the biggest improvement, against Chippa you saw two or three very good actions where they went on the sides.

"But the two centre-backs give them a lot of stability this year, where they are a lot stronger in defending the box with Ditlhokwe and Msimango, so that shows a big improvement on their side but big respect to them.

"From a physical profile, they have got enough to hurt you, both in open play and on set pieces – so yeah, we have to understand, it's a team in the process of improving itself and it does seem to me, qualitatively they've improved a lot."

Kick-off is at 15:00.

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