Napoli, Conte’s wall: record defence and title-winning form | OneFootball

Napoli picks up where it left off: an impenetrable defense, a true trademark of Antonio Conte.

Napoli, Conte's wall: record-breaking defense and championship numbers

After winning the tricolor with just 27 goals conceded last year - the best defense in Serie A and in Europe - the Azzurri show even more impressive numbers at the start of this season, reports Corriere dello Sport.

Numbers that speak: xG at historical lows

Two games, zero goals conceded, just 17 shots allowed. But the most striking data is related to the xG/shot (expected goals per shot): last year it was 0.08, now it has dropped to 0.05, a sign that the shots conceded are almost harmless. The overall xG per game is 0.46, compared to 0.81 last season. Translated: Napoli concedes little and that little hardly turns into a real opportunity. Against Sassuolo and Cagliari, Meret experienced two ordinary games.

The Conte model: first, don't take them

"First, don't take them" has been Conte's mantra since his presentation in Napoli. It was the same at the record-breaking Juve and elsewhere. The coach has molded a team that defends with eleven:

The attackers are the first defenders;

Politano works the entire wing;

Lobotka sacrifices himself as an additional midfielder;

The fullbacks move inside the field in the construction phase, but remain attentive in marking.

The system can vary, but the idea remains the same: balance and compactness, even in times of difficulty.

The key men of the Azzurri's rearguard

From goalkeeper Meret, protagonist of the last two championships, to the new arrival Milinkovic-Savic; from Rrahmani, leader of the department, to Buongiorno, a valuable purchase; passing through Juan Jesus, always useful joker. This year Conte can also count on:

Beukema (30 million from Bologna),

the young Marianucci (growing since his arrival from Empoli),

the established Di Lorenzo, Olivera and Spinazzola,

and soon Gutierrez.

Not to mention the physicality of Anguissa and the contribution of the forwards, often decisive in the non-possession phase.

A defense that is a team project

The solidity is not the result of the defenders alone, but of a collective idea that permeates the entire team. Each department contributes to protecting the goal, and the tactical identity remains clear even in changes of formation.

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