Napoli post-match thread

[goodfelladh]

Had to DVR the game and watch when I got home from work (2:45 in the afternoon here in the States)...what a tale of two halves. Probably should have had 4 goals in the first half, then the second looked a lot like last year's spells of passing it around in the back and flirting with disaster. Regardless, take the three points and move on.

 

[Akiva]

Ultimately we could have won by much more, not even just from the multitude of chances in the opening 30 minutes.

Feels like some around here just wait for an opportunity to be negative, but we beat the best side in the Serie A and, unlike their game against Shaktar, they were at full strength.

Top performance by City yet again IMO.

 

[Chipmeister]

I really thought it was a top performance and could have been more goals before Napoli worked out what they were up against, credit them for having a go and are certainly a quality side. Hamsik is exceptional and anyone else think would be a great addition as a DM player when YaYa moves on. I was really pressed,with the way he was demanding the ball and trying to get his players to play especially orchestrating the front players to press hard. Good player with experience now.

 

[p.taker]

Tough game, Pierce and Higginbotham desperate for Napoli to get something, quite laughable really.

Will go through the thread and would be amazed if anyone else mentions anything similar to that paranoid opinion.

 

[MillionDollarDream]

I wonder if any PL teams are tracking Sarri's progress with Napoli? I don't think his style would suit a squad like Chelsea's but I wonder if Arsenal could land him if they offered the right money at the end of the season?

Hope not mind you, I want us to rack up the trophies as much as possible with the best football bar none, with nobody stealing our limelight while we grow as a club. He might hold off for Barca if they make an off the books agreement, providing he continues at this level.

On another note we just equalled Shakhtar's result against the same team, I think it shows that this was not an easy group at all as some tried to claim when the teams were drawn. We wont get the level of credit we deserve for our 9points but I think most other teams representing our league would have dropped points and possibly even lost a game due to underestimating the opposition by this stage.

He's a Napoli fan through and through and worked his way up to land his dream job so it would be real hard to see him leave on his own.

 

[MancInAus]

The most impressive part of this game was the last 30 minutes for me.

How well we defended, worked as a team and gave nothing away (apart from the penalty from the otherwise flawless Fernandinhno). What an accomplished team performance. We were under the cosh for a good quarter of the game and we came away with a great win. Lest we forget missing Aguero, Kompany and Mendy, all starters.

I think we can lose in Naples and still top the group comfortably.

Burnley beware.

 

[BigJoe#1]

A little unlucky with KdB hitting the bar and not going in, and then the other chance that sat on the line. Had those gone in it would have been another battering, but this ref must have given Napoli a lot of belief that they could get something out of it. I've no idea what the first pen was for and the fact that defenders and attackers looked totally bemused as to what he'd awarded, and the second one the guy went looking for a foot to trip over. Every 50-50 he gave to them. The most laughable was D Silva jumping with someone where both went for the ball, Silva ends up with a bandage on his head and Napoli end up with the free kick. The guy strutted about the field like some kind of egocentric peacock. Was it the same guy who booked Sergio for simulation in the Monaco game last season when he was totally cleaned out for the most blatant pen of our CL campaign. He was putrid in that game if it were he, and he has morphed into execrable in the meantime.

We can have no complaints about either penalty Decision, first one saw Walker with both hands around the forwards neck and shoulders holding him down, the second was a blatant trip, whether or nit the boy was looking god it'll. TBF I thought the ref had a rèasonable game.

 

[TravisBickle]

Excellent result and we destroyed them for the first half hour. They came into it in the second half but the most important thing is we're almost there in this group now (especially given Shakhtar still need to go to Italy). Looking like we'll be able to give a lot of our important players the night off when we go to the Ukraine a few days before the derby in December.

Yep it’s important we get at least a point in Naples to put this group to bed early.
Last thing we need is a long trip to the Ukraine a few days before the derby.

 

[FCBarca]

We can have no complaints about either penalty Decision, first one saw Walker with both hands around the forwards neck and shoulders holding him down, the second was a blatant trip, whether or nit the boy was looking god it'll. TBF I thought the ref had a rèasonable game.

Yeah that's the despicable Lahoz from Spain, no complaints can come from the two penalties as they were clear although the Walker one you really don't see called enough IMHO. The irony of course is that this peacock, like in the Silva foul mentioned earlier, rarely gives legitimate penalties in the Primera - arrogant and terrible at managing a match. Pep being angry at the end was a reminder of his experiences dealing with this guy from his time at Barcelona

 

[TCIB]

Cheers mate. Calmed me down a bit. Got used to our dominant displays in PL this season, this game was different beast.

What is all this "us" and "our" stuff. Your not a city fan from what i can see. There is downbeat and there is going out of your way to ignore good points and try to amplify any moments we were less than perfection.