Baxter explains reasons behind some of the selections in Chiefs' cup defeat to TS Galaxy

Stuart Baxter has explained some of the selections that raised eyebrows in his team's 0-1 Nedbank Cup last-32 defeat to TS Galaxy at FNB Stadium on Saturday night as trying to get Kaizer Chiefs' “in-form players on the field”.

Chiefs were notably rusty in the opening half as Galaxy displayed the greater industriousness returning from the two-month Christmas and Africa Cup of Nations break, and playing to a clever gameplan from coach Sead Ramovic.

Amakhosi showed a clear intention to get their transitions working more efficiently coming out of the change rooms, but Phathutshedzo Nange's blunder with an intercepted back-pass gifted Augustine Kwem the opener that left Chiefs chasing the game.

Baxter had seemed to want to preserve some of the players who performed well for the depleted teams who won two and lost one of their three games played amid the club's Covid-19 outbreak in December, and Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya made just a fourth league start at left-back.

As Chiefs' momentum improved in the second half, even with conceding the goal, the introductions of notably rusty Samir Nurković, Leonardo Castro and Lebogang Manyama — all back from lengthy injuries — almost seemed to work against that improvement.

Baxter admitted the performance was patchy all round, and far off Chiefs' quality.

“We didn't play at any time with the quality we have. Our training this week had been first class, and I was certain that we'd give a better performance than that,” he said.

The coach was asked about the introductions of Nurkovic and Castro with just over half and hour left, and Manyama with 20 minutes to go.

“We didn't start Samir, 'Lebza', Leo for that reason — that they are off the pace in terms of 100% match fitness,” the coach said.

“We went with a slightly tweaked formation because we wanted to get our in-form players on the field. So 'Mshini' had that role in the pocket where he could drive in towards their defence from.

“We had 'Siya' [Ngezana] at right-back, who would stay [back] a bit more and let Ntiya kick on forward.

“But again, even the in-form players didn't play with the quality that we know they have. So that's why you gradually go towards what you know — that Samir can give you 30 or 40 minutes, and that Leo and Lebza can.

“So when this one's not firing let's try a different shape and personnel. We had to try and take the game back.

“And even though we didn't play with the quality I know we have, we still gave away a terrible goal and missed a few more-than decent chances.

“So that could have very easily been a bad performance, not a great day at the office but we went through because we created a chance and took a set play.

“But once you give away that first goal, in the cup, you run the risk of seeing what we saw tonight — they run down the clock, injured players, goalkeeper takes his time and breaks up the rhythm.

“Basically we didn't show the quality we have.”

If the coach's selections raised questions in a generally patchy first day back at the match office for Chiefs, one that did not was of 27-year-old Brandon Petersen making a solid debut between the posts, pushed up the pecking order above Bruce Bvuma.

TimesLIVE