CorSport – Napoli, criticism of De Bruyne is pure fantasy! | OneFootball

CorSport – Napoli, the criticism of De Bruyne is an exercise in fantasy!

The most imaginative had already written him off. For them, he was Napoli’s problem, the man who was jamming Conte’s perfect mechanisms. The best response could only come on the pitch, his natural habitat. Where few speak his language, where everyone is left speechless when he invents football. The criticism De Bruyne has received in recent days from all corners of the globe makes no sense. It’s an exercise in fantasy, a game for those who want to stir up controversy without analyzing reality. Every change needs time to be absorbed, to grow, to become perfect. His presence on the pitch has certainly had an impact on the team’s mechanisms, his movements need improvement, and of course, everything can’t be synchronized already at the beginning of October. But when you see him make plays like the one last night that opened a highway for Hojlund on the first goal, you immediately remember who you’re talking about. When you see him deliver the perfect ball for the Dane’s second goal, your eyes light up. That’s how champions are, they dazzle you with their class. And when KDB has a sharpshooter like Hojlund in front of him, everything becomes easier. Rasmus too had already come under criticism; the difficulties he faced at Manchester and with Milan, combined with Lucca’s exploits at Pisa, had already led to hasty conclusions. He too responded in the best way a striker can: with goals. With his first brace in blue, with two goals different in structure but both highlighting all his qualities. Speed, aggression, determination, but also a real striker’s presence in the box.

It wasn’t easy for Napoli to get the better of Sporting; it was a real, tough, hard-fought match. Conte asked the team for patience and got an important response from a group with many qualities that is trying to bring them all out. Once again, Neres and Lang came on well, Gutierrez confirmed himself, and Milinkovic put his stamp on the match with a final miracle. The only one less brilliant was McTominay, but that’s understandable: he’s not a robot, he can’t play every match at 100%. Napoli’s growth also passes through the ability to rotate without losing quality. Conte has been on a mission since the days in Dimaro: to integrate all the newcomers as best as possible so the team can change its style and players when needed. This team has the ability to start a match one way and then change during the game; they can play with four midfielders or with two wingers. There’s not just one way—those who are good at changing and adapting to matches have a better chance of going far. Winning is not guaranteed just because you play with a 4-3-3; every tactical setup can be useful.

Carlo Gioia

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