Napoli, Conte: We must be more clinical, on Hojlund and McTominay | OneFootball

At the end of the match lost 1-0 against Torino, Antonio Conte spoke at a press conference from the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, analyzing his team’s performance and providing an update on last-minute injuries.

Napoli, Conte: “We lacked energy; on the growth process of the new signings…”

On the issue of the absentees Hojlund and McTominay, the coach explained: “If they were with us it was because we wanted to play them, but Scott suffered a cut on his ankle during Thursday’s training session and had to receive six stitches. Yesterday he tried to get on the pitch, then preferred to step aside. Hojlund, on the other hand, came back very tired from the national team and felt a small strain in his quadriceps. In these cases, even a small problem can become risky. Where I come from, we say better a healthy horse than a lame one: if a player isn’t at 100%, someone else plays.”

On the team’s performance, Conte emphasized the difficulty in finishing: “In the first half we looked good in our build-up, but we lacked energy and bite. In the second half we raised the tempo and pressed Torino, but we have to be more incisive in the final third. We have the greater share of possession, but when it comes to finishing, the numbers are low and that’s jarring: we need to score goals.”

On the goal conceded and the defensive phase, the coach clarified: “There was no lapse in concentration; it was a lucky ricochet that put Simeone in front of goal. We’re trying to play a more aggressive and proactive football, which inevitably leaves space for opponents on the break. We need to improve how we handle duels and pressing.”

Finally, on the growth process of the new signings and the youngsters, Conte concluded: “Players like Lucca need to work to raise their level. Our season will depend a lot on the growth of those who arrived this year. Performance must be separated from the result: even against Milan we played well but the result was negative. Today, despite the goal conceded, we created chances and made the game. Congratulations to Torino; we’ll keep growing.”

Andrea Alati

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