KUALA LUMPUR: After picking up just one point against three of the Super League's title contenders, Paulo Josue has urged Kuala Lumpur to get their campaign back on track beginning with the visit of Melaka to Cheras tomorrow.
Malaysia Cup champions KL have yet to get going in the league as they followed a 3-3 draw against Selangor with defeats to Kedah (3-2) and Johor Darul Ta'zim (3-0), who also trounced Bojan Hodak's side in the season-opening Charity Cup 3-0.
But with home matches against Melaka and Sabah to come before a trip to Paroi to face Negri Sembilan this month, KL captain Josue sees a chance for KL to start racking up points.
"We have a chance to get points with two of our next games at home. I'm not just saying it but we have to show we can do it," said Brazilian attacking midfielder Josue, who began the defeat to JDT on Wednesday in an unaccustomed "false nine" role.
"We need to show the type of football we played against Selangor in two friendly matches during the break and in the second half against JDT before the red card.
"We created some chances against JDT but we have things to improve and need to start collecting points. Playing games like these without collecting points can affect confidence. So we need to adapt and work hard in the next game."
KL will be without midfielder Kenny Pallraj after his sending off against JDT when they face Melaka in a repeat of last year's Malaysia Cup semi-finals while Zhafri Yahya, who missed Wednesday's match with a foot injury picked up while on international duty, will be assessed before the match.
Having conceded three goals in each of their league outings, goalkeeper Kevin Mendoza is nowhere near to matching last year's 13 clean sheets, just two shy of the club record.
"It's a bit frustrating but I'm sure we can change things in the next game. We've had some tough opponents so far but I think we'll be okay," said Philippines international Mendoza, who pulled off some fine saves against JDT.
"We'll be playing a lot of games this year so I will try to get more clean sheets than last year.
"There is a big expectation on us after winning the Malaysia Cup and it will be hard to do the same but we'll do our best."
Melaka coach Risto Vidakovic stunned his team's fans when admitting that "internal issues" had affected his side after a 1-0 home defeat to Sabah on Tuesday.
Saying that several players had not received their salaries, he alluded to this for strikers Ifedayo Omosuyi and Adriano Narcizo missing the Sabah defeat.
"This is the first time in my career as a coach I have faced this kind of situation," said the widely-travelled Bosnian.
"Some players have not received salaries for two, three months. Some new players have not been paid at all. It is very difficult to work in this kind of situation."