Supersport United PSL Season Preview 2020/21

Supersport United finished fifth last season but have lost a key player in Dean Furman. Kaitano Tembo has built a very competitive side that are able to beat the best. however, do they have what t takes to challenge throughout the season?

Recruitment

Matsatsantsa have had another steady window without big disruption to their squad. They have brought in a new number two goalkeeper in George Chigova and two very promising youngsters from Bidvest Wits in Keenan Phillips (right back) and Mpho Mathebula (central midfielder). The one addition who is expected to feature regularly though is Iqraam Rayners from Stellenbosch. He brings pace in the wide areas or up-front in a two-man attack. He impressed last season and in the NFD before that.

There have been two massive losses. Dean Furman left at the end of June and will surely need to be directly replaced in the defensive midfield role. Also departing is Aubrey Modiba, who despite a relatively unspectacular season last time out is still going to be a big miss. He’s now joined Mamelodi Sundowns for a big fee.

Luckyboy Mokoena is being strongly linked with a move from Highlands Park (or TS Galaxy, rather) and would be an excellent attacking addition at right-back, whilst Lucky Mohomi, after several years of inactivity, has joined the club and earned a contract. He made his debut in the MTN8 against TTM but has massive boots to fill.

How They Set Up

Kaitano Tembo has two systems he tends to use. Most implemented is a 4-3-3 with one holding player and dynamic, creative youngsters in Sipho Mbule and Teboho Mokoena further forward. That means one central striker and two support players. Sometimes, it’s Bradley Grobler leading the line with two wingers either side and occasionally it’s Thamsanqa Gabuza up top with Grobler deeper and narrow off the left.

At times, Tembo has used a genuine 4-4-2 though with the duo as an outright strike pairing as well as two wingers. A common change is for the coach to take off a midfielder at half-time and bring on Gabuza and play a more direct game with the midfield battle bypassed.

SuperSport are capable of playing in various ways, either getting it wide and crossing the ball or going direct, or using Clayton Daniels’ outstanding ball-playing from the back. The long-passing ability of Ronwen Williams can both aid quick counters and a direct style. Mbule and Mokoena are equally adept at arriving from deep into scoring positions as they are at bypassing pressure in deeper areas with dribbling.

Who Replaces Furman?

This question could have the biggest say in whether SuperSport can challenge for the title or not. Furman was a pivotal player and captain of the side. His unheralded work in front of the back four to break up play, aggressively close down and start attacks by receiving off the defence and moving the ball to more creative players like Mbule and Mokoena will be difficult to replace. Lucky Mohomi has joined and he brings more quality on the ball than Furman in that role, but only a fraction of the defensive work and leadership.

After the restart, a regular solution for Tembo was to play Mokoena as a single pivot. With his ability on the ball, it gave a lot to the side. However, his positioning and lack of genuine defensive nous will be found out in that role over a season. It is also arguably a waste of his ability to score goals even if his strike against Bloemfontein Celtic in the bio-bubble ended a long scoring drought.

Within the squad, Tembo has a good pool of young central midfielders and both Jesse Donn or Jamie Webber could play that role, whilst Siyabonga Nhlapo started his career as a holding midfielder and played there against Sundowns last season. This feels like a weakness in the side and the club may have missed a trick in not signing Cole Alexander.

Supersport United Squad Depth

The squad has real quality and plenty of pace. Giuly Manziba was a revelation after joining in February. He is an old-school, touchline hugging winger who takes on his man and gets delivery after delivery into the area. Rayners brings speed more for counter-attacks and Evans Rusike should finally return after long-term injury to bolster options.

The issues are the aforementioned deepest midfielder role and in their lack of defensive depth. Beyond Onismor Bhasera and Clayton Daniels, there is just Botswana international, Thatayaone Ditlhokwe to be first backup at both left-back and centre back. Luke Fleurs and Grant Kekana have both performed very well at times in central defence but it does not feel like that backline has enough to withstand an entire season. Even if the brilliant Luckyboy Mokoena is added at fullback, he would add more attacking thrust and an ability to cover at left-back only when desperate but he wouldn’t aid the shortage centrally.

Verdict

SuperSport finished nine points off the champions last season and had they turned a draw into a win after the restart against Bloemfontein Celtic and had they converted two missed penalties against Orlando Pirates, they would have been right in the mix as Chiefs, Pirates and Sundowns were faltering. Tembo does not have the side a million miles away, but despite their ability to win the big games (they beat Chiefs and Pirates last season and did the double over Wits), they struggle to beat sides who sit off them.

Away games against Chippa United, Golden Arrows and Stellenbosch last season saw three 1-0 defeats and a failure to break down organised low blocks not willing to open themselves up to counter attacks nor afraid of dealing with an aerial assault. It’s difficult to see that issue being fixed whilst they are likely to be more vulnerable themselves without Furman and an injury to Daniels for any length of time would be a killer blow. The same was said a year ago and still rings true now.

Prediction

Best Possible Finish: THIRD

Worst Possible Finish: FIFTH

James O'Connor

James is a football analyst who writes about the tactics of the PSL and English Premier League. He holds the UEFA A coaching licence and has previously worked for several clubs in analysis roles.Twitter: https://twitter.com/footy_analysis