Kaizer Chiefs head coach Arthur Zwane has explained what has been the difference with Ashley Du Preez's form after he scored for the second consecutive game against Marumo Gallants over the weekend.
Du Preez opened the scoring for Chiefs early in the game but the Glamour Boys went on to concede from an error at the back and drew 1-1 with Gallants, as they affected their chances of finishing second.
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The former Stellenbosch striker had a season that was interrupted by injuries but has managed to score eight goals and assisted five goals in all competitions for Amakhosi.
The 25-year old has been in fine form recently and Zwane says it's because he has improved his combination play and he's no longer just a direct player waiting to make runs behind the defence.
"I think you would look at 'Ash' where he's coming from. He's coming from a setup where he was playing more as a transition player," Zwane said in a press conference.
"More than a player that can also come into the pockets, wait for the right moments, wait for combination play, he's improving on that if you can see.
"He doesn't lose the ball cheaply like he used to because he was more of a direct player but fortunately you have to vary your game in the modern game," he said.
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Du Preez's goal against Bahlabane Ba Ntwa was well taken, where he made his run from deep, showed a burst of pace to isolate one defender in a one on one and unleashed a left-footed diagonal shot that found the bottom corner.
"What if the opposition plan for you and they know that 'Ash' is more of player that is explosive, waiting for that space? So if you look the goals and the chances we create of late, where 'Ash' is involved, he comes from deep," Zwane continued.
"He creates space for himself, he finds himself in one v one situation, why? Because he's unpredictable now. He's no longer a player that has to wait, because if they drop too early he does not have that space, in the past. But now he's varying his game," he added.
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