Napoli post-match thread

[geoff clipp]

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.

 

[Marvin]

We did, but tjat is not the point I am making. We lost possession because we gave the ball away too frequently. Pep has to find an answer to this against the very top sides. Ghe answer is sacrificing an attacker for a DM. He did it in the end but he needed to do it 20 mins earlier.

We definitely started to lose control of the game after half an hour or so, and I did think it was down to poor passing rather than anything special they were doing. They pressed really high, 2nd half, and started to take some risks, but I thought even though we weren't at our best we were not that hard pressed. I expected more from Napoli to be honest, especially when it went to 2-1. Instead of Napoli going on from there, City seemed to come back into it. Bernado Silva looked very good when he came on and helped us to retain the ball. He must be very close to getting a start in the Premier League

 

[Armaan]

We did, but tjat is not the point I am making. We lost possession because we gave the ball away too frequently. Pep has to find an answer to this against the very top sides. Ghe answer is sacrificing an attacker for a DM. He did it in the end but he needed to do it 20 mins earlier.

Yep I agree.

 

[george22]

I want to single out Fernandinho, he played great in the first half and wained in the second, but he really gets me pumped up with his intensity. I recognize that they all play very hard, but I fancy Ferns guts. It gets him in trouble sometimes (pen tonite), but he knows his role and I love how he cleans the messes. Stones tonite was indispensable. Ota too. Loving our defense. Edersen? Stone wall

 

[talkativesprout]

Looked leggy for me after the first 40 mins. The movement was that second too slow, and the passes laboured.

 

[ono]

We definitely started to lose control of the game after half an hour or so, and I did think it was down to poor passing rather than anything special they were doing. They pressed really high, 2nd half, and started to take some risks, but I thought even though we weren't at our best we were not that hard pressed. I expected more from Napoli to be honest, especially when it went to 2-1. Instead of Napoli going on from there, City seemed to come back into it. Bernado Silva looked very good when he came on and helped us to retain the ball. He must be very close to getting a start in the Premier League

I think that is true to an extent, but I also think we tried to play on the counter. We are not an exact replica of what Pep had at Barca and at Bayern. We score a lot of goals on the counter attack (even at home against the supposed lesser teams) and at 2-0 against a team who need to attack, it is a good idea, and although we might have looked to be under slight pressure, we did still create the more clear cut openings and actually Napoli's only chances to score really came from our own mistakes. So that in itself shows that our shape was good which probably highlights the fact that we were probably quite comfortable with the flow of the game. In fact, you could even argue that had Pep wanted to revert to possession and control, he would have replaced Sane (who was having a nightmare) with Bernardo, and maybe even Sterling with Gundogan before the hour mark. So I think we were more comfortable than it perhaps appeared, although to be honest I only felt marginally more threatened than I did in the Shaktar game.

I just think we have been so spoiled by the thumpings we've dished out that any win which wasn't total dominance now feels like a 'warning sign' or a let down.

Even in the first half tonight, most of our good moments came on the counter. Our build up was just easier in the first half as players were fresher and Napoli pressed with less men. They added an extra body to the press in the second half so it was more difficult. What I think we could have done is replace Walker with Danilo, and invert him (much like Delph) and allow him to be a pivot alongside Dinho just to enable us to pass the press. But as I said, I think we like to invite the press to an extent because it gives us an opportunity to create attacks which are 3 vs 3 or 4 vs 4. Pep has obviously worked with pacey wingers in the past, but Sterling and Sane are much faster without the ball than the likes of Ribery and Robben, and as such are massively crucial to how we attempt to play when in strong positions in big games. We will see it again I'm sure.

 

[Love_Each_Day]

Naples are good team.

 

[Pam]

This is a difficult group when compared to the Dippers and Raggy groups. Both Shakhtar and Napoli are useful teams to say the least of it. Nine points for City, though. So fuck off Uefa.

 

[TFC]

Hard fought win against a good team with a good manager. Although we had a rough second half we still created chances and that’s good enough for me. Well done lads.

 

[Metalartin]

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.