AmaZulu players need to change the way they think to finish in the Top 8, says coach Zwane

AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane says his troops need to change their mentality, if they are to consolidate their Top 8 spot or achieve their main target. Usuthu are currently on a low, having lost their last three games in the Betway Premiership, including a 2-1 defeat to Chippa United on Saturday.

This poor run of form has cast doubt over their Top 8 aspirations, as they are seventh on the log with 30 points, just two ahead of Chippa, who are in ninth place. Usuthu have only seven games remaining before the end of their league season, and that’s why Zwane knows they can’t afford to falter going forward.

“We are in theTop 8 already – we just have to consolidate our spot. We were supposed to beat Chippa today,” he said, after the loss to Chippa at Buffalo City.

“But if you look at the past four games that we played, the goals we conceded are identical. Hence, we are putting ourselves under pressure. We gave Chippa a lifeline to get closer to us. So, if we don’t win the next game, then we are out of the top eight.”

A Top 8 finish wasn’t the initial target for the team this season. However, due to their poor run of form, they are now fast settling for that position.

“Our target is position four,” Zwane revealed. “But it seems like those chances are fading because we keep hurting ourselves.

W"e just have to win. Look at today’s game. To be quite honest, there was only one team that played. Chippa were playing at home but were more worried about us.

"I still feel we could have done better. Had we been aggressive enough to force them to make mistakes … we could have done better.”

The three successive losses came just as Zwane was starting life as the sole head coach of the team following the resignation of his co-coach, Vusumuzi Vilakazi. He knows he and his team could have done better to continue with the bright start he had laid with Vusumuzi. That’s why he’s identified what has been going wrong of late.

“It’s a case of mentality,” Zwane conceded.

“You look at even some of the chances they created. The defender is alone, tries to clear the ball, but gives it away to the striker. So, the awareness in the game is not there. The goals that we conceded are the same, and from our own mistakes.

"We’ve tried to rectify all those things time and again, but they keep haunting us and are costly. We should have won at least 1-0, or even more. But we conceded the way we did and lost the game.”

Sure, defenders make mistakes that result in goals, but it’s goalkeepers who are judged by the number of clean sheets.

Usuthu were expected to have an impressive run of clean sheets after signing experienced goalkeeper Richard Ofori and coach Wendell Robinson lately. But that hasn’t been the case. Zwane, however, is pleased with the impact and adaptation of Robinson, who arrived recently after being sacked by Mamelodi Sundowns.

“He has done well. He’s an experienced campaigner. He’s not new to the game. He understands football and the set-up,” Zwane said.