PSL Transfers: Sekhukhune United

The transfer window is heating up, showing that domestic football is (nearly) back. Ahead of teh restarts, we’ll be sharing articles on intersting teams in the PSL this season. Today, we focus on Sekhukhune United, who come into the second half of the season sitting pretty: third in the Premiership, just three points behind leaders Orlando Pirates. However, if you did deeper into the numbers, it shows that their impressive start may not be as sustainable as it looks. The club’s recent recruitment drive, signing Lehlohonolo Mojela and Tidiane Diomande, while recalling Andy Boyeli, is not just a show of ambition; it may be insurance against what the data says may be coming.

Efficiency v Effectiveness

On the surface, Sekhukhune’s attack seems functional. They have scored 16 goals from an Expected Goals (xG) of 18.31. They are slightly underperforming in terms of shot quality, but nothing signifcant. The real concern is in their points tally, where their 25 points is built on an Expected Points (xPts) total of 21.5. They have earned four more points than expected, and that’s mainly because of a solid defence that has conceded only 7 goals despite an xGA (Expected Goals Against) of 12.50. This 5.5 goal overperformance in defence is the bedrock of their title charge, but such defensive runs rarely last an entire season. To remain in the hunt for CAF qualification, they also need their attack to “overperform” somewhere.

The Age Problem

Looking at the squad usage data, one can immediately see – most of their best players are old. Bradley Grobler (37), Thabang Monare (36), Daniel Cardoso (37) and others have played key roles this season, but their availability may be reduced in the second half of a grueling season. Take Bradley Grobler for example. Despite his efficiency (6 goals from 5.58 xG), relying on a 37-year-old to sustain the league’s second-highest xGtotal is a massive gamble. The squad has a healthy cluster of ‘peak’ players (aged 25-29), such as Keletso Makgalwa and Siphesihle Mkhize, but many of these players are mostly defensive or good in transition. By bringing in Tidiane Diomande (26) and Lehlohonolo Mojela (29), the club is mixing youth with experience, balancing their firepower. These players can carry the physical load when Grobler can not do it.

Do they really need more attackers?

The data says yes. Sekhukhune are 4th for shots taken but do not have a single player in the league’s top 10 for individual shot volume. Yes, their attack is spread out but there is no clinical striker besides Grobler. The record PSL scorer has had injury troubles in the past, and a dry spell coul cause Eric Tinkler headaches. Recalling Boyeli and signing Mojela give them something different, both in terms of style of play and individual strengths. Last season, they missed out on CAF football by one result, and these signings are about making sure that doesnt happen again.