Abdeslam Ouaddou pinpoints key areas for improvement at Orlando Pirates | OneFootball

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Ouaddou highlights major areas for improvement at Pirates

Photo: Independent Newspapers

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has identified key areas he believes are hindering his team from expressing the brand of football he wants to implement, as he is enduring a tumultuous start to his tenure.

The Moroccan mentor kickstarted his era with an MTN8 quarterfinal victory over Polokwane City, but performances in the Betway Premiership left a lot to be desired amongst many Bucs faithful and pundits alike.

Pirates lost their opening two league matches to Sekhukhune United and Marumo Gallants respectively, matching a club record from the 2007/08 campaign. The dismal showing has the Soweto giants fixated in position 14 on the log standings.

Quizzed on whether he has identified his best starting XI, as he constantly chops and changes his team, the 46-year-old tactician revealed that he is yet to figure out his best team, highlighting that there is still room for improvement on linking the lines.

“I think we still have to work some links between the lines, some connections between the lines as well, but of course we have seen a lot of interesting things. Now maybe we don’t have the confirmation [of our best starting XI], but soon we must have the confirmation to bring happiness to our fans,” said Ouaddou.

Ouaddou went on to state that his charges ought to make their presence felt in both boxes, with the Buccaneers having scored a solitary goal in the league, while conceding three in the frustrating Betway Premiership defeats.

“For me, at the moment we need to be efficient in the two boxes, this is the reality and it’s what we are going to try to achieve for the next coming games,” added the former Gallants boss, who saved the Bloemfontein-based outfit from relegation last season.

With pressure mounting amidst supporters’ criticism and frustration, Ouaddou and his troops face a daunting task of overcoming Mamelodi Sundowns in the first leg of the MTN8 semi-final at a sold-out Orlando Stadium on Saturday.