Miguel Cardoso says Sundowns are now harder to read with more dynamic

Speaking after their hard-earned one-all draw against Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium yesterday, Cardoso says these are just some of the things they were working on during the pre-season. 

The Portuguese-born coach says this approach to their build-ups makes them unpredictable to the opponents, and some of the additions they made in this transfer window, like Siyanda “Skhwishi” Ndlovu and Antonio Van Wyk, add to this new dimension in their play.

"There are indeed, I think the team is now capable of managing different ways of building up. Sometimes when we approach Rowen we have a three man build up, sometimes we have a four man build up. When Rowen is far away sometimes we have a three man build up with Modau, sometimes we have three man build up in between centre backs,” Cardoso said.

“Sometimes outside, what I see now is that the team became much more dynamic in the way the team builds, it seems the contacts to control our game are more difficult. 

“So, there are more challenges for the opponents because they don't really know what is gonna happen and that is obviously a key that a coach can have. When you have a Siyanda that you bring in, he brings his own characteristics out and inside. “He can target goal from range, he can penetrate. When you bring Antonio, you know what he can get, he's being a little bit punished by playing on the right, he's a better player on the left but it's a compromise of the team and he's respecting that."

READ: Kaizer Chiefs coach stressed tactical discipline to limit Sundowns

After losing Bafana Bafana midfielder Jayden Adams, following his passing last month, and the injuries which have been troubling them in the midfield, Cardoso says they are seriously thinking about signing another midfielder.

"You also need to understand guys that this team suffered some changes by accident. We lost Keanu, that was a very important asset in our organisation by injury,” the coach added.

“We lost Jayden and that is a big bridge in the middle, let's see if we'll still be able to bring someone that can also cover a little bit more options in the middle. We're gonna go for a high level demands in terms of games."