Fernando Da Cruz has explained his tactical decision to deploy Reeve Frosler in midfield for Kaizer Chiefs FC, a move driven by necessity and the player's unique skillset. The head coach used the natural right-back as a holding midfielder in last weekend's 1-1 Betway Premiership draw with Stellenbosch.

Da Cruz confirmed the switch was not a sudden idea, having trialled Frosler in the role during pre-season. "We already tried Reeve in midfield during the pre-season," the coach said. "The best quality of Reeve is that he can play in different positions. So it’s very interesting for him."

Injury and selection context

The primary reason for the positional change was a shortage of available central players. Da Cruz revealed his squad is dealing with two injuries and one case of illness, severely limiting his options in the middle of the park. "We have two injured players and one player is suffering from illness," he said. "So we don’t have a lot of choices. The other choices were young players; that’s why we started Reeve in this position." Players like Lebohang Maboe, Siphesihle Ndlovu, and Adolf Mtasingwa were absent from the matchday squad. The coach did not specify the names of the injured or ill players, but confirmed the absences forced his hand.

This tactical adjustment comes as Chiefs handle an inconsistent run of form. They currently sit 5th in the Premier Soccer League standings with 14 points from eight matches, having drawn three of their last five games. The team has struggled to find a consistent rhythm in the early part of the season.

The club's immediate focus now shifts to continental competition, with a difficult CAF Confederation Cup second preliminary round trip to face Red Arrows in Zambia this Saturday. Da Cruz made his comments at the Carling Knockout Cup draw in Fourways on Wednesday, where Chiefs were paired with TS Galaxy in the Last 16. The Carling Knockout match is scheduled to take place after the upcoming international break.

After the Zambia trip, a massive domestic derby awaits as Kaizer Chiefs travel to face second-placed Orlando Pirates on 31 October. That Soweto Derby is one of the most anticipated fixtures on the South African football calendar. Before that, the team must handle the challenging away leg against Red Arrows, with the Confederation Cup group stage places on the line.

First reported at goal.com