Today I want to continue the analysis begun yesterday of the SSC Napoli players and their performance in this first part of the 2018/2019 season. Yesterday we analyzed goalkeepers and defenders, today we will end with midfielders and strikers.
Midfielders
Amadou Diawara: He has shown great quality last year being the best in the field of Napoli in the match against Real Madrid Champions League winner. He has physical strength and game vision, but it seems that from that moment on, also due to the exploit of Jorginho, he is regressing. This season he found little space and played badly on the field. He seems timorous and always plays simple sometimes even risking a dangerous backpass while not vertical. A pity because he has almost infinite potential. Rating 5
Allan: This midfielder is the best retrieving balls in the world. He runs a normal footballer twice and uproots balloons to anyone. So much so that after a super performance against Neymar and Mbappè even in France have understood the potential: there is a rumor of a possible offer by the PSG between 70 and 100 million euros coming. A beast, one of the best in the field always, a silent leader, great. Rating 8
Piotr Zielinski: The Polish come to Napoli as a possible replacement for Hamsik and his role and characteristics are very similar to the latter: he likes to fit in and has a great shot. However, Zielinski is equal to Hamsik even in the biggest defect of the latter that has limited his career by avoiding him to make that final step: I'm talking about continuity. Zielinski alternates euro goal and super performance with anonymous and subdued performance. Rating 6
Marko Rog: This year he played very little. He showed something last year with Sarri but he can not explode and express himself at his highest level. Allan-style player but with slightly better feet. It could be a mix between Allan and Zielinski if he unlocks mentally. No Rating
Marek Hamsik: At the Slovak this year it was changed role. He has always played in midfield in an advanced position, a role he has played for almost the whole of his career. Now he is playing as the playmaker in front of the defense. Ancelotti's idea wants to exploit his vision of play and precision in the passages, the problem is his discontinuity and when he does mistakes, in that role, the damage for the whole team is enormous. Example the match of Liverpool in which he did not spot a pass. Rating 6
Fabian Ruiz: The Spaniard has only found continuity lately, he has struggled a little bit in the adaptation at the beginning but now he is showing his qualities to the best. He is physical, technical and has a great shot. An elasticity and speed in the movements with the ball between the feet, which combined with the technique remind me a little Ibrahimovic or Milinkovic-Savic. He is very young and can still grow a lot. To keep an eye on, so far he was impeccable. Rating 7.5
Strikers
Amin Younes: This player made more noise outside the field than in the field. He played only one game and also showed some interesting but not too many ideas. Ancelotti sees him little, surely he has some reason. No Rating
Lorenzo Insigne: Always more fundamental, he is among the best of this Napoli and shows attachment to the shirt. A little shadowy in some important game but can happen, he always plays for the team and helps in all phases of the game. True leader. Rating 7.5
Dries Mertens: "Ciro" has proven to be more Neapolitan than the Neapolitans. Pissed off and wounded when Napoli failed a few games, he was the first to give the charge to his companions churning out goals and performances as a true champion. A little discontinuous when he started as the holder. Rating 7
Jose Maria Callejon: He was also employed as a full-back. He is very good at the insertion and very good at the defensive phase. This year he is scoring less but the sweat and the help for the team are always at maximum levels. Rating 6.5
Simone Verdi: Many expectations around him when he was bought this summer after a long courtship. In Bologna, his former team he did very well. In Napoli, he was held back by various injuries and saw the field very rarely. When he played he did not leave his mark. Rating 5
Adam Ounas: In practice, he is doing what Mertens did at the beginning when arrived in Naples. Enter the game in progress when the opponents are tired and with his speed and technique, the man is aiming to create numerical superiority. Not seen by Sarri, with Ancelotti he is doing very well. Rating 6.5
Arkadius Milik: The Pole finally returned this year after almost two years due to a double injury to both crusaders. He is fine physically and does not miss a shot in the penalty area. He knows how to defend the ball and get his team up, he knows how to hit his head and he just plays very well. A complete and powerful center striker, we only hope that the body allows it. Till now one goal every 98 minutes. Rated 7.5
My Top 5 in This Napoli:
1. Koulibaly
2. Allan
3. Insigne
4. Milik
5. Fabian Ruiz
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