Chiefs assistant Sheppard explains six-defender line-up in Stellenbosch draw

Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach Dillon Sheppard has defended the team selection and tactical plan used in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Stellenbosch FC at FNB Stadium.

Amakhosi started with six defenders in the match, while Sibongiseni Mthethwa was the only recognised central defensive midfielder in the XI. Mfundo Vilakazi, Mduduzi Shabalala and Wandile Duba formed the front three in a 4-3-3 system.

The unusual balance of the side prompted questions after Chiefs were held at home, but Sheppard said injuries, fitness concerns and Stellenbosch’s expected style had shaped the line-up.

“ No problem. So the reason with the line-up, obviously with the injuries that we have had. Young Thulani has just come back from a long-term injury,” Sheppard told the media.

“To throw him into a game where we’ve just come off a FIFA break, I think it would have been unfair on him.”

Sheppard explained that the coaching staff had used pre-season to find an alternative solution, with Reeve operating in midfield.

“So we had to find alternatives in the pre-season. We worked with Reeve in the midfield and, like I say, he’s played that position before,” he said.

“With the three weeks we had and prepared with him, he did really, really well. So that was the reason behind that.”

Sheppard also said Chiefs had adjusted their defensive personnel because Mako was making his first start of the season and Stellenbosch posed a threat through direct play and their attacking options.

“We wanted to use… with Mako coming back, it was his first start for the season, so to give him that back four-all, because we were thinking with the long balls and with a lot of the pace, the way Gavin wants to play was the up-and-down game,” he explained.

“So we wanted to look after also Bradley Grobler. We anticipated Bradley Grobler to play with Kwayiba. To play as two strikers and you know the aerial qualities that they have. So we wanted to control those areas.”

The assistant coach rejected the idea that the starting system should be viewed as purely defensive, stressing that its shape could change during the match.

“But to go back to your question with the system. The system is just there to… starting system, but in the game it’s all changing. Players have roles and responsibilities to occupy positions at different times,” Sheppard said.

“We can say it’s defensive. But it’s also attacking when your wing-backs are nice and high and you’re in a 3-2-5, then it becomes a very attacking system.”