CorSport – Conte needed just three weeks to create a new Napoli! | OneFootball

CorSport – Conte Needed Just Three Weeks to Create a New Napoli!

Conte never resigned. Those who wanted him out of Napoli and out of the title race have been proven wrong in a week to remember. The victories over Atalanta, Qarabag, and Roma have erased the embarrassment of Bologna and, as the coach said, sent a message above all to the group. “If we want to, we can,” are the words that will echo from the depths of the Olimpico to the mind of every Napoli player.

In twenty-one days, everything has changed; three weeks were enough to give birth to a new Napoli. A different team, with the spirit of the Italian champions. A compact, determined, and fierce group that rebuilt itself during the most difficult weeks, when nothing seemed to be on the horizon. The relaunch operation has three new faces who have taken center stage and transformed the team. Without Anguissa, De Bruyne, Gilmour, Meret, Gutiérrez, and Lukaku, Conte found yet another solution. He was forced to dust off another tactical setup, the 3-4-2-1, and put his trust in Beukema, Lang, and Neres, who until a week ago had spent far more minutes on the bench than on the pitch.

The response was astonishing. The Dutch defender, who had been sidelined after the collapse in Eindhoven, relaunched himself as part of the trio with Rrahmani and Buongiorno. Just one goal conceded in three matches and a rediscovered defensive solidity, thanks in part to his exuberance. But it is above all the two attacking wingers who have given the team a new face. Napoli was struggling to create and, above all, to find the way to goal; in three matches, they have scored six. And, most importantly, they have become lively again from the attacking midfield onwards. Neres and Lang have brought a breath of freshness and unpredictability; they have flair, quality, and boldness. They are afraid of nothing, they challenge, they take risks. They are good at playing wide but also at cutting inside, and they are a constant threat for anyone marking them.

Their rise has reduced Politano’s playing time, one of Conte’s untouchables, but perhaps also Napoli’s best impact sub coming off the bench. With so many absences and so many matches close together, everyone’s contribution will still be necessary. While waiting for returns and some help from the January transfer market—because in midfield the squad is really thin—Napoli will emerge stronger from this emergency. Because now there are more solutions in the archive. So far, Conte had alternated between two formations, the 4-1-4-1 and the 4-3-3; now he knows that the 3-4-1-2 is also an important card for the present and the future. This ability to change comes from the coach’s great versatility, which can also be useful during matches. Especially since the commitments until March will be many and all close together. Now Napoli will take the field 4 times in 12 days against Cagliari, Juve, Benfica, and Udinese before flying to Arabia for the Super Cup. Lukaku will be seen again, but above all, on Sunday at the Maradona, a great former coach will return: Conte versus Spalletti, the protagonists of Napoli’s last two league titles. It will be a night of strong emotions.

Carlo Gioia

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.