Conte’s formula: Neres and Hojlund key, partnership lifts Napoli | OneFootball

Antonio Conte is ready to make his final decisions ahead of today's match against Udinese, opting once again for continuity and the quality of his most in-form players. Up front, there are no changes: David Neres and Rasmus Hojlund will lead the attack on the Friulian goal. A choice that, as highlighted by today's edition of Corriere dello Sport, is not only dictated by the lack of alternatives but by a pragmatic and undeniable observation: lately, they are the only ones scoring.

Conte's "Goal Twins": Neres and Hojlund are irreplaceable, together they have scored 5 of the last 6 goals

According to the newspaper, the coach from Salento will almost entirely confirm the tactical setup that has restored solidity to the team, the 3-4-2-1 formation revived after the break and the misstep in Bologna. In this "blast from the past" system, the Brazilian and the Dane have become the poster boys of the blue resurgence, demonstrating a goal-scoring effectiveness that is unmatched at this point in the season. The analyzed numbers show that, considering the matches played from November 22 onwards, Neres and Hojlund have been among the three most decisive players in the entire Serie A for direct involvement in goals.

The contribution of the two forwards has been both substantial and symmetrical, with four goal involvements each in just three matches. David Neres has found the back of the net three times, scoring against Atalanta (a double) and Roma, and provided a perfect assist for his strike partner against Juventus. On his part, Hojlund responded with a crucial double against the Bianconeri and played the role of provider for Neres both in the away match at the Olimpico and in the game against Dea. This perfect synergy has produced a statistical fact that explains, better than a thousand words, why Conte cannot do without them even in a full-blown emergency: the pair has scored or assisted 5 of Napoli's last 6 goals. A virtuous dependency that the coach hopes to exploit this afternoon to break down Udinese's defense and secure three crucial points.

Andrea Alati

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