Khanye says Sundowns have become predictable under Cardoso

iDiski TV analyst Junior Khanye says Mamelodi Sundowns’ playing style has changed under Miguel Cardoso, particularly during the current season.

Khanye was speaking after Sundowns beat Golden Arrows 1-0 in the Carling Knockout Cup quarter-final at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Tuesday.

The former Kaizer Chiefs winger believes Sundowns have moved away from building their play through the different areas of the pitch from the back. Instead, he says, they are increasingly sending the ball wide and relying on crosses and second balls in the final third.

Khanye also suggested that the squad was assembled around the club’s established football philosophy, but that the players are now influencing the way the team plays in a manner which appears to frustrate Cardoso.

“It hasn’t changed too much but it has changed,” Khanye said on iDiski TV.

“The reason it hasn’t changed too much is because you have signed players based on the style of play of former coaches like Rulani [Mokwena]. And it’s the players who are changing it, but you can tell the coach doesn’t want that. With him you see they go wide irrespective how many people are there, just put the ball in the box and he’ll have issues with the strikers if they are not in the box.”

Khanye said the team’s goals are now coming more frequently from crosses, headers and set-pieces, while warning that those methods could make Sundowns easier to read.

“The style of play has changed, they are scoring from crosses and headers to them they actually go wide, once the ball is in the box they get half of a chance, even from corner kicks. And I think that’s something the coach believes in and it’s frustrating because you have signed players based on technical superiority,” he said.

He argued that many Sundowns players came through the club’s development system and were recruited to fit a possession-based approach associated with former coaches Pitso Mosimane and Rulani Mokwena.

“Majority of the players at Sundowns come from development, I always say you can’t be able to pass the ball around when you haven’t been developed properly,” Khanye said. “So, it’s the players who are changing the style but the coach I don’t think he believes in that.”

According to Khanye, Cardoso becomes frustrated when Sundowns move the ball quickly and bypass the midfield.

“Right now, Sundowns doesn’t mind to play two touches at the back and go forward, the ball jumps the centre they don’t mind,” he added.

Khanye said Cardoso prefers the team to break forward, move the ball wide and target Iqraam Rayners or the far post, with players reacting to any rebound.

“What he wants is break, go wide try and pinpoint and find [Iqraam] Rayners or the last pole and pounce on the second ball for a goal,” he said.

He conceded that the change has not yet produced obvious negative results because Sundowns have won the CAF Champions League and MTN8, but maintained that their approach was becoming predictable. He cited the same pattern in the match against Durban City, when Thabang Matuludi scored twice.