Sarri picked up shambles from Benitez. A team that was on the down. Finished 3 and 5. This team was on the up so less changes needed and thus expectations are different. My big worry is how we start games.
We cannot start games conceding so many dumb goals! Milan had 2 shots and 2 goals before we scored 1! We need to concentrate more and take our chances! Especially insigne who keeps prematurely shooting
He's a backup keeper at Arsenal. Came over to be the backup of our backup. Milan's first goal was unstoppable, I'll give him that. The second goal should really have been saved. Reflexes not fast enough. Will Meret be better when he return? Massive brain-fart from our defence that lead to the second goal. What the heck were our defenders doing by giving Milan all the space? And this was the 2nd time we gave away cheap goals. This is something that Ancelotti must fixed urgently. Hamsik seems to be having some kind of fitness issue. He's one step slower to the ball and getting outmuscled. Wonder if it's the age catching up thing or just no more motivation like in the past.
Sarri: “I have to say thank you to Rafa,” added the Tuscan. “When I arrived in Naples I had the feeling that the team was almost ready to play my football. “If I arrived after another coach it may have been more difficult for me. He’s a very good Coach.
I don't think that he was doing badly, but when people look at how the game progressed, they need to blame smn or sth. Hamsik is a legend, so it's only natural that he gets it. Against Lazio many ppl were ready to give him a chance, now they criticize him again, but if we forget the two Milan goals we weren't doing that bad. My problem is that Milik was weak again, he just couldn't do anything in the attack, none of the work that an attacker is supposed to do if we do not consider goals or assists. And then it gets difficult for every player on the pitch to go forward. I agree with all the other things you wrote in the post, that's also why I voted for Karnezis to start in the game. He wasn't bad against Lazio and he deserved to get at least one more game, perhaps then we would have won 3:1... Anyway, if Milik can provide good performances successively, we improve our defense and Hamsik assimilates still more properly, as Carlo suggested he is capable of after the team has become more organized as a whole, we will be good, I think. I am sorry to say it but in a team that works properly, it is heaven to have Mertens coming off the bench... but I believe it would be the same with Insigne, for that guy obviously often does not need the whole 90 minutes, many times 20 would be enough for him... Mertens off the bench is like introducing a God onto the pitch, yet he does not deserve to fill the shoes of that role, and he will probably not be content with it, although he is humble and kind-hearted, and on top of it all, in love with Naples. But still, he is a professional with great skill, passion, and unique abilities.
I am basing my observation on what I saw in the game, Not to say he's bad but looks like he is missing a step or two. We should consider rotating him with Zelinski/Diawara. Milik did well past few games but still lack the pace to really troubled defenders. He has improved and appeared "faster" that he was in the pre-season friendly games where he was awful. Still, he is too much of a poacher to my liking. We still need a striker as our depth in this position is rather weak. If Ancelotti will not play Mertens as a #9, then Mertens should share games with Insigne on the LW. And Verdi with Callejon on the other side. That way we keep everyone fresh. I presume Ancelotti unlike Sarri will like to go far in CL, so squad depth will be tested. Make no mistake, our 3-2 win is not a convincing victory. It could have very well gone the other way at 2-2 with our leaky defense. We cannot always depend on luck to come back from behind. On a side note, Luperto looks good for that 15mins cameo he was on. He won quite a number of the 50/50 balls and his cross field pass resulted in Mertens goal.
I definitely agree that Hamsik should be rotated, but he's not the only one, as you yourself suggested in this post. But he seems to be the one towards whom a whole lot of attention is directed. I understand that it was not a convincing victory, but why should it be? I agree with Ancelloti on this, AC Milan is a good team, it's not like playing little kids. Juventus didn't have a convincing victory against Chievo, so what? It was a victory and that's important. Of course, we need to improve, but these kinds of victories are normal for even the biggest clubs, and perhaps it is the team who can get them the most often that can be successful. Just look back at last season, how many of those victories did Juve pull of? Like 25? I remember going on livescore so many times seeing Juve not having a good result close to the end of the game, hoping that it will last, yet somehow it mostly didn't. That's how you recognize a team with confidence, that's how you win games where the opposition has two lame shots and score two goals at the beginning of the match, or sth like that.
My point is.. while I am obviously happy with the comeback and the win, there is still much work to do. Our defence for a start need fixing. We ( or rather the players ) should not be lured into the comfort zone thinking all is well. For the record, neither Lazio or AC Milan are really good in both games or the outcome might have been different. The real test will come against Juve away and when we have to fight on 2 fronts ( UCL and Serie A ). I still don't think we can win the Scudetto ( Juve is too strong ) but at least I am more optimistic now about second or third place, for now. If under Carlos, we can get the same or more points, and go further than round of 16, I will say this season is a success.
Hamsik is doing well he is just not organising the team like jorginho did. Add that we lost Reina too someone is gonna have to step up and lead. Allan and k2 look like the new leaders
Yes, we should not be lured into the comfort zone, I agree with that and I have stated that, we need to improve. Neither of the two teams were good in the two games? Chievo wasn't good as well against Juve, neither by quality nor by performance, but nonetheless, Juve struggled. I agree with the real tests coming later... Agreed. Juve are strong, but things happen and the chance is there. It would be very difficult to reinforce to actually think about the Scudetto, because the Juve are too strong, no matter if we do or don't reinforce. And if we did, the players we have now would be totally wasted and left without any gratitude. And Sacki, it is probably true, but still, this is a bit different system, a different play. Also, I don't think Jorgi was as good when he started with us as he was the last season or 2, so it's too early to say.
This is the same nonesense that Ancelotti said about ADL. These guys are politically smart and don’t want enemies. All pleasantries. Nothing else.
Agree. I also think Hamsik’s passing was good. But Jorginho told everyone what to do. Hamsik and Insigne should not be captains. They are not leaders. It should be Allan, Albiol and Koulibaly. Reina was not the best keeper but his loss shows how disorganized defense is. Hard to blame Ospina. He does not know anyone and does not speak the language. Meret will be difficult too. We should have gone for Areloa.
If we were married, I would be Mr. Right, but you would be Ms. Always Right! Comparing the relationship between the president and his coach with that of two coaches in the same league, I must be going nuts. You have a point, but in this case the two simply do not correlate. I have penis burn, I have to go and put my penis in the fridge now, or rather, the freezer.
Yes, but he wasn't that good since the very beginning, which means that your judgment is just as premature as my father's ejaculation was.
My point was strictly related to the fact that Hamsik is only getting into the duties of the position, therefore it is premature to say anything, although I agree with the fact and deem it very probable. But on the other hand I don't want to forget that Jorgi was also criticized for quite some time when he started with us in that position, and I remember it well. But still, I also think that Hamsik will probably not get there, but if so, I will be positively surprised and personally buy a plane ticket to Naples to hop on Carlo's big Italian shaft.
Jorginho was wrongfully scapegoated and briefly got replaced by Diawara who played well but to almost no effect. We lost 6-2 to Real Madrid over two legs, Jorginho came back to the team, and after that it resulted in us getting almost full points for the remainer of the season, but more importantly we played the best football the club arguibly has ever played. What you say is kind of incorrect, sorry. Jorginho made one mistake against Besiktas and that put him off the team, while Hamsik, Callejon, (Gabbiadini) and Insigne kept handing in performances that can only be characterized as dogshit and still had the manager's trust. Hamsik (and Diawara for that matter) is doing well but comparing him to Jorginho, who is slowly being seen as one of the best midfielders in the world, is not fair. To add to the Diawara/Hamsik discussion; Hamsik has been starting games while Diawara has been subbed on to bolster a result thus far - it's hard to compare the two unless we see them in the same situation
One word, Jorgi bias. It is also not fair to compare a player like Hamsik, who has given us everything and is now quite old, and who is also getting used to a new position, with smn like Jorgi who is in his prime and has played in one position for a very long time. You are in love with Jorginho and Sarri, so you cannot see the picture as clearly as you should, and so you always tilt the scales in Jorginho's favor. You ignore or refute one thing in the case of Jorginho and use it as a damaging factor towards others. And once again, I was not perpetrating this unfair comparison, but it was you. I just said that it is unfair to compare the two now, especially before we have given Hamsik enough time to try and prove us wrong. To reiterate, I have been losing faith in Hamsik as well, but considering the circumstances, I want to give him the benefit of the doubt until his bad performances have completely and utterly destroyed all of it.
When have I said anything negative about Hamsik in the regista position? I just said he isn't (used to) commanding the defence like Jorginho. Unlike many I disagree to the notion that Hamsik has been bad in that position, if anything I think the defensive responsibillity is just as much on the 4 other midfielders than it is Hamsik, though I can see Diawara doing better defensively
Team should move to 4-4-2 honestly... no Jorginho means 4-3-3 is over for Napoli. Hamsik does not fit in with this team, he is not defensively responsible enough to justify him in the line up anymore. Aurelio should have cashed in and let him leave when he wanted to.