Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Xola Mlambo has shared his thoughts on Patrick ‘Tito’ Maswanganyi’s role under new coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, suggesting the star attacker may not be fully suited to the Buccaneers’ current tactical approach.
Maswanganyi endured a difficult moment during Pirates’ MTN8 semi-final against Mamelodi Sundowns this past weekend, when he was substituted six minutes before half-time with the Soweto giants trailing 1-0 on the day and 2-1 on aggregate. The tactical change, which saw Bandile Shandu introduced, eventually paid dividends as Pirates forced penalties and sealed progression to the final.
Xola Mlambo Believes Maswanganyi Needs More Ball Involvement
Speaking on the Switch On Network YouTube channel, Mlambo emphasized that Maswanganyi’s quality is unquestionable, pointing to his regular call-ups to the South African national team as proof. However, he argued that the current system may be restricting the midfielder’s strengths.
“‘Tito’ is a good player, he wouldn’t be called to Bafana Bafana 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 the type you want chasing up and down.”
Tactical Adjustments Needed
Mlambo believes that Ouaddou should look for ways to get Maswanganyi more involved in possession, rather than expecting him to adapt to a system that limits his creativity.
“You need to get him more on the ball. If you’re not giving him the ball, then you’re taking away his best attribute, which is creating and dictating play,” he explained.
He also highlighted how Ouaddou’s approach, which often relies on diagonal balls and narrow overloads, can make life difficult for players like Maswanganyi.
“Diagonal balls have their advantage, but when wingers are pushed into half-10 roles, the space becomes compressed. That’s where you need players who thrive in tight areas. For Tito, it’s about finding a way to adjust and still make an impact,” Mlambo said.
Balancing Creativity with System Demands
While acknowledging that players must adapt to tactical demands, Mlambo insisted that the coach should also build around Maswanganyi’s strengths. “As a player, you have to adjust, unfortunately. But as a coach, you also need to maximize your most creative players.”
With Pirates chasing silverware on multiple fronts this season, the big question remains whether Ouaddou will tweak his system to better suit Maswanganyi, or whether the star midfielder will be forced to adapt his game to fit the team’s evolving philosophy.
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