Despite the looming danger of possibly finishing outside the top eight for the second consecutive season, Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Nkosingiphile Ngcobo insists that the team is "not panicking".
Speaking to journalists during a media open day at the Chiefs Village on Thursday, Ngcobo admitted that the players are aware of their precarious position on the Betway Premiership log but remain focused on turning their fortunes around.
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"About the table and the teams below us having games in hand and winning their games, we had a discussion about that and we are aware of that as a team. What we need is just to focus more on our games and give 200% to win more games and not panic because of that so we are just focused on every game we play now, (that it) is a cup final and we give it our best," said Ngcobo.
He also reflected on the team's struggles, particularly their inability to maintain the standards set at the start of the season.
"When you look at how we started the league. I think very well, scoring goals but I'm not sure what then happened. Yes, we are worried but we are not panicking. Not that we are playing bad, but we are not scoring the way we did when we started the league. That is what is worrying us. I think maybe we dropped our standards a little bit which is unacceptable, so we are focusing on that and trying," Ngcobo observed.
Ngcobo further expressed the team's frustrations with their performances, particularly their inconsistency and inability to control games in key moments.
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"At the moment everyone is really frustrated, even us players, but then it is just a matter of us focusing and putting in more effort. We are not playing bad but need to put more effort in getting goals and making sure that we go up the log and also go to the final in the cup. I think from the beginning we have lacked that, to control the game even when it is 0-0 or 1-1 and (even when) we are playing better than the opponent we always struggle to maintain the tempo. I think we just get frustrated and start rushing and we lose our games like that. It's the inconsistency that disturbs us most of the time," Ngcobo concluded.
Chiefs will host TS Galaxy on Saturday at Peter Mokaba Stadium in a must-win encounter in the evening. The team will be looking to secure three crucial points as they fight to climb the log and finish the season on a stronger note.
