If I have a soft spot for another team in Serie A, it's probably Roma. It took a fourth attempt to beat Bodo but at least they beat them on the one game that actually mattered. What a game from Zaniolo too. I think Norwegian football is rising, to the level of Sweden and Denmark at least, maybe even higher. It's not like in the 90s when they were team that would boot the ball forward and use their physicality to win. They are much more technical now. I admire Spalletti and he did something fascinating at Roma, but it's clear he (and this applies I think to Allegri too) is falling behind the younger managers. Inzaghi and Italiano understand how to play out of the back. I have to agree Spalletti has developed something of reputation of bottling it. I wish he was less reactive and gave the opposition more to think about by taking chances and pushing men forward. I also have to say, there are issues with ADL's lack of investment into the squad. This team needs to strengthen still to properly challenge for a league title. I would like to see Jorginho come back and for Ruiz stay, but ADL won't allow for it. Having a strong midfield, capable of controlling games, is what will give Napoli the greatest edge. Juventus went 9 years winning titles and it all started with Pirlo. The road to greater success I firmly believe starts there.
Osimhen cost 50 million not 80. 20M of it was a price tag add. Lille bought 3 Napoli youth players for that amount. 10M sere bonuses. Spalletti failed with Roma too. He is a good coach and Roma and Napoli are the toughest places to win at given the pressure but lack of winners. But Spalletti has shown he cannot overcome that.
Blame has to be shared IMO. We can blame Spalletti (deserves it) and the performance of some players but in the end "the fish stinks at the head". I never believed in this scudetto. The ADL Napoli era is a book I've read so many times. You don't have to be psychic to know how it ends. We are locked into a perpetual cycle with this guy. The goal is to finish 4th so we get that CL money (CL a competition we can never win) Never be good enough to win the league Get eliminated or banished to EL Fail in the EL Struggle to finish top 4 Make the absolute minimal investments in the markets Rinse & repeat
When ancelotti was brought in we invested? I think ADL did try to some extent; it just didn't work out because what Ancelotti tried to do strayed too far away from what Sarri had built up. It's this mismatch of managerial philosophy and directions that has been our biggest reason for the downfall.
50m or 80 million, he still sucks against the top 8 clubs. Hope this helps. Rendimento in campionato (gol+assist) degli attaccanti di A nei big match (sfide contro le prime 8):#Abraham 7⚽️ 3🅰️#Mertens 6⚽️#Vlahovic 4⚽️ 2🅰️*#Immobile 4⚽️ 2🅰️#Zapata 4⚽️ 2🅰️#Dzeko 5⚽️#Ibrahimovic 4⚽️ 1🅰️#Morata 2⚽️ 1🅰️#Lautaro 2⚽️#Osimhen 1⚽️ 1🅰️*alla Fiorentina— Marco (@MRC_typing) April 19, 2022
Enough to make any napoli supporter furios with the decision to play Osimhen ahead of mertens. Hope this closes the conversation. Osimhen is mesmerizing with his physical abilities, but he is not productive. The numbers don't lie. The argument as to Napoli not being good enough at setting a ST up also dont hold any water since mertens has 6 goals in top 8 with arguably little playing time (even less as the main forward)
Mertens suits their style of play more so than Osi. I would put blame on Spalleti for his support of Osi. He's not refined for the possession type offense that they play, and will never be mistaken for a false 9 forward. He is built for a direct striker role, and will shine with that type of offense built around him. His athleticism allows him to score against lesser opponents, but the way he's utilized makes defending him easier for the upper tiered teams.
PL pundits are dumb. They will throw money at him. Even in the Rome game the BT Sports commentators were saying Napoli should not sell him for any price. We can make money and should do that.
Osimhen still has the capabilities to be one of the best strikers in Europe, especially if we get the right coach for him. But right now Mertens is the better forward, which is where I have my problem. We should keep Osimhen unless an offer of 120+ mill shows up.
The way he is utilized is or the way he naturally plays? Because I have seen that Osimhen in fact does try to be a link up station some times, he just fails at it, probably due to inexperience or bad coaching. But then again it can be hard for any forward to be better than an in form Mertens in this team, because mertens as a type just fits Napoli.
I would play: osimhen---mertens---ounas insigne----lobotka----ruiz rui---jesus---k2---di lorenzo/rahmani ---------meret transitioned when in posession to: osimhen-mertens-ounas -----rui-insigne-ruiz --------lobotka jesus-k2-di lorenzo/Rahmani ---------meret This way we fit all the players I believe are the best we have. And the players with the most creativity are also the ones that play further up the field (example Mario Rui vs Di lorenzo). Yes I would make Insigne into a midfielder, someone try to take the ball off that midget when he isn't running after it, I dare them. Also I have put emphasis on choosing players that don't usually give the ball away for free (like zielinski and 2022 anguissa) We get the fast players on the wings and keep slower players (insigne and mertens) more central. Also bear in mind that Insigne can and does actually defend (way more than zielinski)
I also think Osimhen on the wings is better. But we should think of next year. We have two new players coming and Fabian will leave. I still don't like Rrahmani and Ounas needs consistency before I tale him serious. Anguissa is a fraud. Will be hard to make CL. Osimhen KVARA-Mertens/Zielinski-? Lobotka-? OLIVERA-Koulibaly-Rrahmani-DiLo Meret
He has to learn to pass better, and it's obvious he's been trying. Where coaching comes in for me is his positioning on the pitch. He plays far too advanced for the type of possession offense the rest of the team plays.
I've been saying that for months... He is one of our best forwards, unfortunately for him, our best forward plays his exact position. Which is also why I want Osimhen on the bench, since I don't see Spalletti trying him on another position or playing with 2 upfront, which history has shown the Napoli squad isn't built for (Ancelotti era)
See how Inter easily sweep aside Roma and we cant? We have no business winning a championship. Roma are an absolute disgrace and we went life and death with them. Smh
We have been horrible all year. The good start has made many not see it. Now progress form last year. Spalletti needs to go.
Today both Osimhen and mertens play, however mertens is not the cf but the attacking midfield. Many of you have asked for this, lets see what happens. Personally I think Mertens should be the cf and osimhen on the bench or wing..