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NAPOLI GO TOP!

By Vidur Arora

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Roma hosted Napoli at home in a match full of drama , despite it ending 0-0. Spalletti and Mourinho both decided to start with 4-2-3-1 on paper. 

It was bound to be a battle of two rigid defences. Two tall, fast and physical strikers in Abraham and Osimhen also went head to head . Napoli would have taken the draw against Roma as they go top of the league and their unbeaten run in the league continues.

Roma got dominated by Napoli at home as they had only 35% possession at the end of the game. Mourinho’s Roma were ready to make it a scrappy game and looked to break on the Napoli defence through their attacking trident of Abraham, Zaniolo and Pelligrini. It was a tough watch but Mouirinho made sure people had something to talk about after the game. Jose always makes sure the storyline revolves around him, an uncanny ability for a manager in these modern times. 

 

Let’s take a look at the 3 major takeaways from the match.

 

A SLOW START FROM BOTH SIDES

 

The match started really slowly. Both teams looked really sluggish in the opening 25 minutes of the game. Napoli looked the more dangerous of the two.The midfield trident of Anguissa, Ruiz and Zielinski were dominant throughout the game, progressing the ball through Roma’s lines with ease

 

However their attacking trident was not so effective. Insigne and Osimhen were bright but did not prove incisive. Nonetheless Mourinho seemed a little too enthusiastic throughout the game. Roma looked dangerous in rare moments when Tammy Abrham ,Nicolo Zainolo and Lorenzo Pelligrini started combining.

Koulibaly was resolute, and  made sure Napoli did not concede.

 

MOU WILL BE MOU

 

Over the years every football fan has become accustomed to Jose Mourinho’s ability to add drama every time he is in front of the cameras. He started complaining to the referees during the 10th minute and kept calling out Napoli players for going down too softly, constantly screaming at them to get up.  After about 35 minutes of Mou’s ranting in the first half, the Napoli players were frustrated and took issue with the Portuguese telling him to calm down.in the 56th minute Mario Rui and Zielinski tried to politely calm him down as he kept ranting at the referees.

Seemingly Mourinho’s frustration was leaking onto the pitch as 4 of his players got booked in Abraham,Vertout, Mancini and Karsdorp. While the Napoli players remained calm and so did Spaletti till the final whistle that is. 

 

Mourinho finally got sent off by the referee in the 81st minute. Leaving the sidelines as Roma struggled to find inspiration against Napoli who kept trying till the end.

A familiar pattern of toxicity is emerging at Roma now something Mourinho cannot seem to escape. 

 

NAPOLI SCUDETTO CONTENDERS FOR SURE

 

Luciano Spalletti’s Napoli had a 100% win record coming into this game. Spalletti has made Napoli into serious title contenders with a strong and solid defence marshalled by Koulibaly. A fluid and versatile midfield trident capable of dismantling defences. Victor Osimhen could arguably be that 25 goal a season striker Napoli have been looking for since Higuain.

He looked sharp against Roma but could not give his team the lead despite troubling Rui Patricio and the Roma backline constantly. At 22 he is not the finished article but is progressing at a frightening pace, and if he breaks the 25 goal mark this season Napoli will end in the top 3 of Serie A for sure. They should be considered strong title contenders.

 

 

Vidur Arora
A Swansea City fan, who fell in love with the game watching Joe Allen play. Usually found in the wild with headphones in his ears and bobbing his head. Love his art too.

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