Friday game - pushed forward for the UCL game against PSG on Tuesday. I believe Rui was rested in the game before PSG the last time, so I expect Hysaj on the left and Malcuit on the right. Will the Ghoul reappear? Who knows? We also have Rog and Ounas back. Meret and Verdi still out. Match Preview: https://www.football-italia.net/SerieA/match/preview/125170 Form Guide: Napoli (D W W L W) Empoli (L D L L D) Last season: Not Played Stat fact: Empoli have won just once in their last seven games at the San Paolo, a 3-1 victory back in February 2008. Napoli (probable): Ospina; Malcuit, Maksimovic, Koulibaly, Rui; Callejon, Allan, Rog; Zielinski, Milik, Insigne Suspended: None Empoli (probable): Provedel; Di Lorenzo, Silvestre, Maietta, Antonelli; Acquah, Capezzi, Bennacer; Krunic, Zajc, Caputo Suspended: None Napoli squad to face Empoli: Ospina, Karnezis, D'Andrea, Albiol, Maksimovic, Koulibaly, Ghoulam, Malcuit, Mario Rui, Hysaj, Fabian Ruiz, Rog, Allan, Diawara, Hamsik, Zielinski, Mertens, Callejon, Milik, Insigne, Ounas
Official: Karnezis Malcuit-Maksimovic-Koulibaly-Hysaj Rog-Diawara-Fabian-Zielinski Insigne-Mertens Very interesting midfield. I like that
Great line up. Very young team. Our midfield are all kids. This is probably my favorite Napoli team if we replace Hysaj with Ghoulam and have Karnezis in goal.
Diawara and Rog together cannot control midfield. We had the same problem against Sassulo. I hope it is just a matter of confidence. Mertens goal was world class. He is getting in form again. I don’t want to see Milik again.
I want to see Milik & Ounas on for Insigne and Mertens We need to get ready for PSG. Maybe Ghoulam can get some minutes.
I am happy for Milik. He needs confidence. He is a great sub. But Insigne and Mertens are on a different level. Mertens finding his form again. Diawara looked good next to Allan. I think Rog should play with Hamsik and Diawara with Allan. They need someone experienced. Together they suck. Still feel our weakness are the wingbacks. Malcuit has a lot of potential but his positioning must improve. Hysaj was decent today but he just lacks quality. Is overun and is no threat in attack.
Milik is really good off the bench. His role should be to keep Mertens fresh. I still would like to see Verdi up top with Milik backing him up when Dries doesn't start. I sometimes forget Verdi's on the team.
Agree. But Verdi and Ounas are still injured. Amin Younes soon coming back as well. I still think Verdi is best deployed on the left and would prefer someone like Jovic. Ounas should be loaned out and let’s see how good Amin Younes is.
I disagree, though only very slightly. All players should be doubted at times. Thus I would change the sentence into ''Mertens' potential is never in doubt." But I agree fully that his start against PSG is a given, but then again, with Carlo, I would not have been very surprised if he had started Milik and if Milik had actually scored the winner of the game. I mean, I'm starting to feel, with time, that Milik does have the lethal instinct of a striker, and that perhaps with work from Carlo and the staff along with the whole team we will have pulled it out of him at last. But the fact remains that after that which Mertens did in the last game it is almost impossible to rotate him against PSG, even considering how Carlo loves to surprise the world with the unexpected.
Potential means the "possibility to perform". Ability is to actually perform. Mertens ever since he was converted to striker by Sarri has been able to deliver goals, At the start of season, he was probably tired from the world cup and he is now getting back into form. The hat-trick is well deserved and all from open play. The second goal is sumptuous and the best I have seen in a long while. As for Milik, sorry I still don't rate him. Yes he scored the 4th goal but I will give more credit to Callejon for that perfect pass to find Milik. Again, my biggest gripe with Milik is his appalling lack of pace for a footballer, and consequently with little or no off-the ball movement. He has to be spoon-fed the ball or else he won't scored. He's the slowest player in the entire Napoli squad and I think quite likely the slowest in Serie A. Occasionally there are some bright spots but watching him play like this is frustrating. Right now, at best he can be poacher for us and come off the bench when we need a bit more physicality or start against weaker teams to give Mertens some rest.