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After Juventus Win: Are Napoli Scudetto Favorites? (Clip From Ep. 489)
4 Plays5 minutes ago
After an emphatic second half performance against Juventus where they once more came back from behind to win, Nima Tavallaey and Carlo Garganese discuss, debate and analyze if Napoli are now favorites to win the Serie A title.
This is an extended clip from this week's free Monday episode of The Italian Football Podcast which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube podcasts.
To listen to this & all other full episodes of The Italian Football Podcast (and support the show), go to Patreon.com/TIFP OR now also available on Spotify OR YouTube Memberships and sign up. Your support makes The Italian Football Podcast possible.
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Transcript
Napoli's Victory Over Juventus
00:00:03
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast. So we'll start off with the big match in Naples from Saturday evening. in Napoli against Juventus. Napoli win 2-1 in a fantastic second half performance problem from Napoli. And most importantly for Napoli, this is a huge win for their hopes of of winning the Scaretto
Napoli's Winning Streak and Scudetto Prospects
00:00:29
Speaker
this season. and In consecutive weeks, they've beaten Atalanta and now Juve. They're on seven straight wins.
00:00:36
Speaker
And I would argue, Nima, that if Napoli beat Roma next week, they would have got rid of three of their really tough games for the second half of the season. I could say, I could argue that maybe that that makes Napoli Scudetto favourites. What do you think?
00:00:53
Speaker
I think it's too soon to make them
Second Half Dominance Against Juventus
00:00:55
Speaker
favourite. um I think what is important is that they continue to win. And they continue to win, not the way they did before Christmas, where people correctly were criticising them for, you know, this isn't sustainable. This is very sustainable. They dominate teams. They just manhandle them.
00:01:19
Speaker
That second half, Napoli were just they the way that they that i mean if you compare the first half to the second half napoly comes out and just do everything they do quicker with more intensity at a higher rhythm. ah The pressing was cohesive and fast and it happened at a much higher tempo and Juventus didn't know what hit them and they couldn't recover. They they just outran, outfought and Konta outthought Juve. It was wonderful to see how Lobotka dropped down in defense with Rahmani and Juan Jesus going
00:02:06
Speaker
wider and then the Lorenzo Spinazzola stretching the pitch, Politano, Neresh, somewhere in the middle middle between wide and the center and again the dancing field with Anguissar running for three people in the middle and Scott McTominay linking up with Lukaku who was that equalizer is all Lukaku for me because the way that he holds up three, four, draws attention from and wins the battle from three, four Juventus defenders is how that space is created um for Anguissa to equalize. ah it was And then they just kept on drumming. They just kept on going. It was like that they put Juva through the ringer and just relentlessly
00:02:59
Speaker
systematically and again we see an apolly that goes a goal down but it doesn't face them it doesn't bother them it has absolutely no impact on them they know what they need to do they know who they are they believe in themselves And they just do everything they do, but at a higher tempo and turn
Conte's Strategy and Squad Management
00:03:17
Speaker
the screws on. And that's another thing at this point in the season, usually with contour teams. And this is what I meant when I said before Christmas that, well, let's wait, because after Christmas is usually when contour teams kick in. It's it's the physicality. They look fresher than everybody else. And it's no, you know, it's not strange that they look and they are fresher physically than everyone else, given that they only play once a week. They only got the city out.
00:03:41
Speaker
But the fact that Conte continues to be able to keep his squad fresh mentally and physically at this decisive moment and in in in in the season is why he has twice before, when playing once a week, won the league in the Premier League and the Serie A.
00:03:59
Speaker
um and it was just fantastic they you know he he he just that they just dominated you it was a second after brilliant they were possessed second half i mean first half will come to you they after you you've entered us with a better team tactically technically and physically all three areas they were the better team in the first half the second half napoli there was only one team on the pitch in the second half and and yeah that physical aspect um definitely but plays into it although you know I want to look at the other things that went wrong for Uwe when we talk about Uwe but um you know maybe Uwe did start to tie in the second half because they played in midweek and I'm sure that is part of it and that's and that's why Napoli do have such a big advantage because they had a week to prepare for this game
00:04:42
Speaker
and the the physical difference in the second half. I mean, it was it was so apparent. um But also, you know, and this comes down to Conte and the praise that we have to give Conte is that, you know, whatever Conte said at halftime, you know, this is what makes him so special. You know, he is, he's able to get a response out of his players. They didn't play particularly well in the first half. And, you know, he is,
00:05:08
Speaker
you know who I mean, everything that he said and his players said after the game is the way that they're all fighting for him. You know you can you can imagine what he said to them at half time. you know You've got to go out there. you got to want If you want to win, you've got to fight. You've got to run. You've got to win every duel. And that's exactly what they did in the second half. Look at Conte's quotes after the game.
00:05:28
Speaker
you know He even used the word leader. Whoever is a leader must do the most with what he has. I have a group of guys who follow me blindly and believe in work. They have grown exponentially. Not everything comes by divine grace but with work. The others are more beautiful and fragrant. We play European football.
00:05:45
Speaker
So, you know, it shows that, you know, that is what he is demanding from his, from his players. And, you know, and spin at solar says with Mr. Con say there is never a day of rest or recovery. He makes us run and go at our best always. And I love this quote, the day we run the least the day of the match.
00:06:01
Speaker
when we have fun. I love that quote. That's beautiful. like day Their day off is the match. It's brilliant. and So you know i think I think that, listen, what Conte is getting out of it, and this is the difference also between him and Tiago Motta, and this is a quits of a Motta, like with Motta,
00:06:18
Speaker
you know I don't want to become the whole English journalist here, or that the person that shouts the most in the touchline is the better manager, because that's kind of the English way of thinking. There is some element of truth there. Look at the difference between the manager and look at the way that Conte, like in Zaggy, rants and raves and he demands. Conte so demands. and you know that That gets the players play with life because they respond to
Unity and Spirit Under Conte
00:06:39
Speaker
that.
00:06:39
Speaker
And that's what a leader does. And with Motta, he's all calm and collective, even when they're 2-1 down. and And he can't get a response out of his players, partly because of that. I mean, listen that's ah that's a basic way of looking at things. But you can see that this Conte, he gets everything. And, OK, it's not sustainable. And it's why his teams, after two years, three years, usually fall apart because he is is exhausted. But for for those first two or three seasons, I mean, he gets the best out of him. And that's i think if he and and the thing that he does the is is how he gets the best out of those who are not even starters. like If you look at Cholito Simeone, when he came on, he was
00:07:21
Speaker
I mean, he was foaming at the mouth. He was on the floor crawling like a dog, throwing head first towards the ball that was being kicked by Gatti. I mean, it was just... Well, did you see Billy Gilmour? Yeah, they were all going to die. Billy Gilmour's played about an average of 30 seconds this season, OK? Billy Gilmour.
00:07:41
Speaker
who, you know, in the in the injury time is fighting with Mckenny. And then at the full time, you see you see Philip Billing has even played a minute since he's since he's come and he's celebrating wildly that they won. I mean, this he creates this is the togetherness and team spirit that Conte creates. And it's so, you know, this is this is what Windjuice, you know, titles and Windjuice game. He creates a group like Feudu in football.
00:08:09
Speaker
Um, he has this ability to create a unit, a team, a team spirit where everyone gives everything for the team and works hard. Um, and he has, and because of the fact that tactically the football is like a well old machine, the players aren't stupid. They feel comfortable in, in the system because and they they understand the system now. and It's not just running m aimlessly. um And they feel that when they can come back from games, in big games, when they're a goal down and win, home, away, that breeds confidence, that breeds belief. And he you know and the way that he he also behaves, because he is he is a volcano you know of of emotion on the side.
00:08:57
Speaker
No, I mean, also, you know, you know, he's done this losing Victor, he's done this this season, losing his two best players.
Overcoming Challenges Without Key Players
00:09:05
Speaker
Victor Ross, I mean, don't get me wrong, playing once a week is a huge, huge advantage, right? And i' and I'm sure next season, I think Napoli, you know, they'll need they'll need to do some really good business in the transfer market. I think they might struggle a bit next season. we thought But, you know, what he's done, having lost his best two players, Victor Rosseman,
00:09:23
Speaker
And kurecha claret these two superstars, let's be honest, Khvitra Claret scared him mid-season in such chaotic circumstances off the pitch due due to incompetence above his head on both players. And it's been chaotic and it's been very public, both of them. The way that he's managed to override that and and do what he's done is is is incredible. And even for this game,
00:09:43
Speaker
you know they're They're without Juan John and Olivera, they have to play Juan Jesus and and and spin it solo. I'm looking at that before the game and I'm i'm thinking Juventus or whoever the opponent is, as that is a real chance to to to to to to target that area. That looks weak to me.
00:10:01
Speaker
And and you know so it's incredible really what he's done with what what he has available and with the circumstances. I mean, I thought Spinet Zola was brilliant in this game. I thought after Anguisa, I thought he was the best player on the pitch. He was rolling back the years, some incredible dribbles. And he was beating Mckenny for fun. um you know And then Anguisa, the guy has turned him into a beast and he scores again.
Exploiting Juventus' Weaknesses
00:10:23
Speaker
and But as well as the kind of the mental aspect and what he's got, psychological aspect of of what he's brought, Conte,
00:10:30
Speaker
you know tactically and this was apparent in this game, but it's been apparent all season and is um you know, he was He was targeting Uwe's fullbacks in this game. That was a clear tactic for me. Juventus fullbacks are weak on crosses and they were putting lots of crosses into the box. That's how the equalizer came on Mckenny, targeting Mckenny and the Cambiasos weak on the other side as well. They were putting a lot of crosses onto it. So that was tactical. But also, just generally, the number of players Napoli get in the box on crosses all season, especially in the last few months, last couple of months or so.
00:11:06
Speaker
um You know, they're getting in five or six players and there's a lot of big guys, you know, Lukaku and Guisa, you know, and McTominay. You know, these players are so good in the air, so dangerous from the air, and and that's why they're starting to score a lot of goals. You compare that to, to say, Juventus, who one or two players are in the box every time they put a cross in. and They don't even really have much of an aerial threat on those crosses from their from their their midfield and attack onward upwards.
00:11:31
Speaker
um you know That's the difference. that that that is I mean, it's quite basic, but Conte has these these basic rules, what he wants from his squad, what he wants how he wants his team to play, and everybody does it. And then he does for individual games. He has certain tactical tweaks, such as you know targeting the U of A fullbacks in this game on crosses. So, yeah that's why it's all working. um and And it was great. And I think individually, um yeah, like I said, I think those were the key ones for me. Anguisa, Spinet Sola, and then I thought Lukaku,
00:12:02
Speaker
you know he he he played the role that he's been doing. And and and I thought Politano was pretty good as well. It's very funny with Politano given that the last two coaches that Juventus have had, ah sorry, Napoli have had,
00:12:17
Speaker
are coaches that discarded Politano at Inter.
Politano's Success Under Conte
00:12:22
Speaker
He struggled under Spalletti and there was you know they didn't get along. Well, he wins usquere the Scudetto under Spalletti. Then Conte comes and he doesn't want him, gets rid of him. And now he's finding him at Napoli and he's actually working really well there. It's like it's It's very, very funny to me, just ah as a note how Politano couldn't work with the mainta, with Spalletti or Conta, but in Napoli everything's great. it's ah it's's it's It's a funny little anecdote there, but no, I mean look, just the tactical aspect of it. Stretching the pitch, you know, when Lobotka drops deep and the two center halves in the back form move out to right and left center back and you have the full back going as wing backs, you have the wingers becoming
00:13:04
Speaker
some sort of inverted wing is creating a numerical advantage there. You have a Lukaku who is the best in the world still ah with his back against the goal holding off defenders. No one gets near him and he's also looking much more energetic and dynamic now at this point in the season and fitter.
00:13:20
Speaker
um And then you have the midfield with the Anguissar, who is everywhere, is a Toto Campista, and McTominay as well. And they just outrun and dominate and create advantages numerical advantages, overloading, overlapping, and just putting the work in.
00:13:38
Speaker
is is is just so interesting and that's why, you know, that's what he did against the Yuva fullbacks because they he basically knew that he could overload and dominate them and create, you know, give give his wingers and wingbacks time for crosses. And if Lou got Lukaku dragging players out of position,
00:14:00
Speaker
And you've got Anguisa and McTominay running in from behind with space. Well, that makes it really, really difficult to to defend against. Again, for sure. I mean, now now it's the transfer market ah big last week of the transfer window. But what has happened here is, you know, and we'll see what happens. They need a replacement for credit scaling. So panachcha and yemi they're in negotiations for both.
00:14:19
Speaker
and they're hoping to get one of one or the other, obviously Conacho is the priority, and but they also, you know, they they want a um another sentiment fielder and defender as well. I mean, I think, listen, Conte has basically, with these two wins, he's basically, that's given him the the authority to basically say, now give me what I want and let me win the Scudetto.
00:14:42
Speaker
because he's put himself in that position. so you know We'll see what happens in the last week but Conte's in a strong bargaining position, put it that way, when it comes to buying a player. but