Orlando Pirates’ New Approach Under Scrutiny After Early Maswanganyi Substitution
Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Xola Mlambo has voiced his concerns over whether Patrick ‘Tito’ Maswanganyi is best suited to the Soweto giants’ evolving style of play. This is under new coach Abdeslam Ouaddou.
Maswanganyi found himself at the centre of debate after being substituted in the first half of Pirates’ MTN8 semi-final second leg against Mamelodi Sundowns this past weekend. With Sundowns leading 1-0 on the day and 2-1 on aggregate, Ouaddou opted to replace Maswanganyi with Bandile Shandu just before half-time. The tactical switch proved effective. Pirates changed their attacking approach and eventually booked their place in the final. They won the tie on penalties.
Mlambo: Maswanganyi Needs the Ball More
Speaking on the Switch On Network YouTube channel, Mlambo highlighted that Maswanganyi’s strengths may not be fully utilised in Pirates’ current setup.
“ Tito is a good player; he wouldn’t be called up to the national team if he wasn’t,” said Mlambo. “But maybe the style of play of the coach is not suiting him. He’s a ball player, not someone who’s going to keep chasing and running up and down.”
Mlambo suggested that Ouaddou should find ways to get Maswanganyi more involved in Pirates’ build-up play. “You need to get him on the ball. If you’re not allowing him to have the ball, you’re limiting his creativity,” he explained.
Tactical Adjustments Needed
The former midfielder also pointed out the challenges Maswanganyi faces in adapting to a system that relies heavily on diagonal passes. It also relies on compressed attacking spaces.
“Playing diagonal balls has its advantages, but when wingers act like half-10s, it creates an overload in tight areas. You need players who can thrive in that situation,” Mlambo noted.
He added that Maswanganyi must also adapt to the demands of the system. “When you’re playing with diagonal passes from the centre-backs, the question becomes, how do I involve myself? As a player, you have to adjust, unfortunately.”
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