Cape Town Spurs face the ignominy of a record-breaking seventh successive defeat when they go up against neighbours Cape Town City in the derby on Saturday but coach Shaun Bartlett is insisting that they have not been playing badly.
Spurs have lost all six of their opening matches of the new DStv Premiership campaign and if they are beaten again, at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, will set a new record for the most successive losses from the start of a Premier Soccer League season.
But under-fire coach Bartlett says they have not been playing poorly and instead were proven unlucky in the majority of those defeats.
“In my opinion, I don't think we played really bad football in the last couple of games, but just been unfortunate in the final third, both defending and attacking. Maybe that’s something we can do better and our players fully understand that,” said Bartlett at a press conference on Wednesday.
“I think five out of the six games we’ve played, we honestly pretty much dominated, if you look at the stats and look at the chances created.
“The one area we have focused on a lot on in the last couple of weeks is to be a little bit more ruthless, more determined, more committed to put the ball in the back of the net, and then focus again when it comes to defending.
“So it's a collective effort. Attacking players always get the awards for winning games, but it is defence that is most important,” he added.
Bartlett said Spurs had been at a disadvantage because they had little preparation time after winning the Premier Soccer League’s promotion-relegation playoffs, which only finished in mid-June.
“The turnaround time between that and starting the season was not that much, so preparation was maybe not ideal as what you expected or wanted it to be. But our players fully understand obviously stepping up another level, from where we came. I think also adapting to different styles, integrating players into the squad that are coming from other clubs, has taken its time.”
But the Spurs coach said the derby could provide them with a potential change in fortunes.
“This gives a great opportunity, getting the players hyped up for not only just the derby that's going to be taking place on Saturday, but just moving forward in general,” Bartlett added.