Golden Arrows’ Pitso Dladla calls for mental reset after winless run

Pitso Dladla says Golden Arrows must improve their mentality in front of goal after a 1-0 defeat by KwaZulu-Natal rivals Milford FC extended their winless run in the Betway Premiership to four matches.

Abafana Bes’thende controlled large periods of Saturday’s contest, according to their coach, but failed to convert their chances. Milford FC needed only one goal to secure all three points.

The result has increased concern around Golden Arrows, who finished sixth in the league last season and have now gone four consecutive matches without a victory.

Dladla was particularly frustrated by his side’s start, believing they should have established an early lead after putting Milford FC under pressure.

“I thought we started very well, we dominated the first half. In the first 10 minutes, we should have actually scored two goals. We were playing on our front foot but it has been our downfall when the team is down, when we are dominating but we’ve been not scoring at the same time,” Dladla said.

Golden Arrows also had to guard against being exposed on the counterattack, but Dladla felt they managed that threat effectively. He said the main problem after the interval was the quality of the decisions made in attacking positions.

“We were cautious not to be caught on counterattacks of which we controlled very well and then in the second half we spoke to the boys that we are doing things right but it’s a matter of decision making,” he said.

The visitors increased their attacking efforts in the second half, although Dladla felt their urgency affected the patience they had shown before the break.

“We pushed in the second half, although the game just became balanced because we became more desperate in terms of getting the goal. We were not like the first half where we were patient,” the coach added.

Dladla believes the solution may require more than work on Golden Arrows’ physical, technical and tactical performance. He suggested the players’ mindset could be the decisive factor as they attempt to end their poor run.

“It’s a good question, sometimes it’s not only physical, only the technique, only positioning yourself, sometimes it’s mental. How strong are you mentally? Sometimes it’s calmness, composure in the box and the conviction in the box that you are able to score,” he said.

The Golden Arrows manager said his players were reaching dangerous areas and competing to be first to the ball, but lacked the belief needed to finish their opportunities.

“So, we should work more on them psychologically more than anything because in terms of arriving in the box, in terms of even being first on the box, we are doing all that, it’s more about mentality more than anything now.”