Monday 4 December 2017

MY TAKE ON THE GAME BETWEEN NAPOLI VS JUVENTUS .

juventus played napoli on friday night . the game was significant because it was important for napoli to show that they are the best team in italy and play the best football over there . now before i write about the game as i had written time and again that the coaches try to find out the weak points in the opposition and try to explore it or try to create imbalance and start the offense from there . the coaches game is to think and coach and the players job is to carry it out on the field . the other thing is that as i had written earlier about game reading and that had been in reference to defense but just as game reading is important on defense it similarly important on the offense as well . you have to take into account the defensive formation and players qualities . even the coach had coached them and taught them as to what they need to do but its the players who is playing and has to improvise and read the play . he has to read as to where he can create space which zone he can exploit who to use in the play and take the necessary decision . its just like a chess game out there where on each one is sizing up one another and try to out do each other . if the players are of equal strength then the match will be a draw because both will cancel out each other and that is why the coaches job is to find that extra factor which can be beneficial to his team . napoli are a very good team and play good football but the trouble with napoli is that their game can be read from a distance and unfortunately sarri had not been able to add anything new to the game . napoli's game is forward going game but unfortunately what they lack is flair in that team and they dont have anybody who can attract the defenders and create space for others . 
juventus started the with 4-4-1-1 formation while napoli started the game with their usual 4-3-3 formation . i think allegri was prepared for napoli and they had prepared very well for napoli . the most important  factor when you play a pressing game is that you have to be reletless and press very hard . even though napoli were pressing and their team formation and they were working very well in tandem . while pressing the seem to be somewhat hesitant because first off juventus players possessed a physical and technical advantage over napoli's players ( whether anybody admit that or not ) .   napoli's players were waiting for juventus players to take first action and that allowed juventus players time on the ball were able to play themselves out of the press . napoli's players were circumspect and they wanted juventus players to first move because of the first goal because juventus players could play out of the press and because of the pressing many were caught on the wrong side of the ball and there was a lot of space at the back for costa to explore which led to higuain's goal ( just like last year where on juventus scored the goal and sat back to absorb the napoli's pressure for win.
allegri had prepared juvnetus very well for the napoli's test . he wanted juventus to sit back and hit back on the counter . the most important facet of the game was that he wanted higuain to come off the back four and stay inside so as to disrupt that back two . his plan was that higuain would come inside and costa and dybala to run beyond higuain . juventus had better players who could get out better in one on one situation . napoli were just one dimensional in the first half . both the team were not going to concede space in the middle so there was going to be space on the wings for both the team . as i had said napoli were one dimensional in the first half and most importantly mertens who i consider the best player in that team was just not involved in the offense in the first half . in the first half napoli were just not able to bring the ball inside from the wide areas . mertens wasnt not involved in the offense at all . secondly none napoli players could show their magic and show some skill on the ball to create chances for their team . mertens was left frustrated in the first half because of the lack of touches to the ball as well as his involvement . most of all i was very frustrated with callejon's movement and his positional understanding of the play . hysaz for me has one of the best passer of the ball in tight situations but he was let down by callejon . mario rui who was playing as left back was choosing to cross the ball which is ok considering that atleast they were getting the ball in the box but mertens beating chilleni and benatia is me beating anand in a chess game . 
in the second half sarri made the changes . he must asked his players to play around mertens and mertens to come off the back four and let insigne and others get beyond him but the trouble is that juventus were prepared for all this . secondly the length of pass from where napoli were trying to open up juventus was a bit far ( i would show that in the diagram . the passes were atleast 30-40 yard passes and which should had been further forward  ) . this was allowing buffon and others that necessary time to come off the line or make that necessary interceptions in the play . most of all i think that the mistake that sarri made was that he subbed allan for zalenski . zalenski is a very good player but allan too has a very good underrated game and i think he was realling shining in that game and would had been one of the difference maker  in that game . i thought that callejon would be subbed and he would bring somebody upfront or even just like same allerdyce tried put koulibally upfront and play mertens off him and that would had been hell of a play .

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