Why Mdu needs to explode

Now 22 years old, a full Bafana Bafana international and with well over 100 appearances for Kaizer Chiefs to his name, Mduduzi Shabalala is a success story.

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Amakhosi development coaches have been producing plenty of first team players over the last few seasons. However, it is now a full four years since Shabalala was handed his Chiefs debut by coach Arthur Zwane. How has the Number 10 progressed this season? How does he compare to the options both within his own club and those at the two current title challengers in Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates? We saw him benched for the recent Soweto derby, which raised questions among supporters. Are we going to see a player capable of scoring and assisting goals regularly, or has Shabalala already hit his full potential as a player? Soccer Laduma investigates.

What type of Number 10 is Mdu?

If we watch Mduduzi Shabalala play, we see someone who usually features as the Number 10 in a 4-2-3-1 shape. Whilst he has played in a wider role at times, it has usually been with an adventurous fullback behind him - allowing “Mdu or Die” to move into a Number 10 role when Kaizer Chiefs have the ball.

You get many different styles of players in that role. You get the ones who look to position themselves in space, receive on the half-turn and immediately look for the run of their centre-forward. Think of former German international Mesut Ozil or an Arthur Sales at Mamelodi Sundowns. You get those who look to receive the ball, twist and turn, and work an angle to strike a shot at goal. Chelsea's Cole Palmer falls into this category. Then you get the combiners - a Themba Zwane or a Patrick Maswanganyi - who want to use flicks and quick touches to link up with their wingers.