Orlando Pirates Starting 11 vs Cape Town City?

Orlando Pirates have taken a break from thinking about the CAF Champions League. Cape Town City FC in the Betway Premiership is on the agenda.

BETWAY PREMIERSHIP: CAPE TOWN CITY VS ORLANDO PIRATES

According to the Premier Soccer League fixtures, the Buccaneers face the Citizens at 19:30. With midfielder Makhehleni Makhuala suspended, coach Jose Riveiro will make one forced change.

Here’s the predicted starting lineup:

• Goalkeeper: Sipho Chaine
• Right-Back: Deano Van Rooyen
• Central Defender: Nkosinathi Sibisi
• Central Defender: Thabiso Sesane
• Left-Back: Deon Hotto
• Central Midfielder: Miguel Timm
• Central Midfielder: Thalente Mbatha
• Attacking Midfielder: Patrick Maswanganyi
• Right Winger: Mohau Nkota
• Left Winger: Relebohile Mofokeng
• Striker: Tshegofatso Mabasa.

JOSE RIVEIRO – WHY I DON’T ROTATE

Despite high volumes of matches per week, Orlando Pirates coach Riveiro is not a big believer in squad rotation.

“We know that consistency in so many things not only in the starting 11, the starting 11 is one thing but there are so many things we have to do consistently within the process,” Riveiro said via iDiski Times.

“Our intention is to prepare the players to play every three, four days and that requires a certain amount of resources to make sure that they are available for selection and then it’s my decision to see which one will fit better with the type of game we are going to play, what kind of a winger we need, what kind of full-back we need etc.

“I think I have said this many times in my two-and-a-half seasons here that we don’t believe in rotation as such. Like understanding that we are going to have two teams and one team is going to compete in this competition and then in three days is coming, it’s not going to work. It’s not working anywhere.

“So we try to keep our structure as much as we can, our core as much as we can and understanding that it’s not a science but it’s close because we have a lot of resources nowadays in football for us as coaches to be as accurate as possible, to know maybe when one player is already accumulating fatigue because we play three games in a space of eight days and needs rest before he gets injured.

“And there is some reflex during the process that will tell you that okay today Riveiro needs to rest a little bit. So that’s what we are trying to make sure that we have as much players available as possible and then try to see carefully what is the moment of the player and what we need for each and every game. So far we are doing well in terms of players availability.

“We don’t have too many long-term injuries right now. Some players are getting close to being back and being a problem again for me to select the right one. But I think the most important thing in the end is that the players are committed, everybody is making an effort to accept their roles at this moment, knowing that players who are not participating right now I’m sure in two months maybe you’ll be talking about them like crucial players for us,” the Orlando Pirates mentor concluded.