When the Serie A fixtures were released in August, fans of Italian football were quick to point out a stand-out fixture in the first half of the campaign. Napoli-Juve was scheduled for the beginning of December, but few could have predicted that the Partenopei would be unbeaten in the league after 14 matches, four points clear of Juventus at the top of the league.
Whilst the Bianconeri have stuttered to defeats against Sampdoria and Lazio, Napoli have been fully in control, drawing only one of their opening games whilst delivering their brand of attractive football that has been admired even by the likes of Pep Guardiola. Maurizio Sarri’s side have looked much more resolute in their Scudetto aim, bolstered by the pact made by their star players in an attempt to win that most highly-coveted prize.
But Juventus are well-versed in the art of winning when it really matters, and the Bianconeri took all three points on Friday evening, securing their first clean sheet at the Stadio San Paolo since 1997. Former Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain seemed charged by the pre-match jeers from his former supporters, and who else would it be but him that scored the decisive goal?
“We are happy, because winning here is not easy, but it’s early days,” said Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon after the final whistle. “When we take on certain games with this determination, unity and focus, we are a truly solid team that could repeat its success yet again. It’s not easy to bring these ingredients to the field every time.”
Those key ingredients were truly evident in a highly-effective performance that neutralised the normally potent threat of the Napoli system. The quick, short passing game that has become so synonymous with the “Sarrissimo” style was still evident despite the loss, the home side having completed 794 passes as opposed to 384 from Juve.
But Juve boss Max Allegri was wise to how Napoli play, the astute tactician all-too-aware that a beautiful style doesn’t always bring results. He set his side up with this in mind, his players defending as a unit right from the front in order to negate the opponent. Even Paulo Dybala worked hard to drop deep, often marking star midfielder Jorginho in an attempt to disrupt attacking moves that so often build from him.
The very fact that the visiting coach was able to do so is part of the problem here. As we saw in Napoli’s Champions League fixtures with Manchester City, the regularity of their efficient system can be a double-edged sword. Lesser teams are unable to cope with the way their regular XI have an almost-telepathic understanding, but more proficient Coaches are able to come up with a way to negate their abilities, as Friday evening proved.
A Scudetto bid based on the same eleven players is always going to be a fragile one, and without a Plan B Maurizio Sarri has nothing else in his arsenal if he finds his system being stifled.
“Winning games isn’t all about possession, but rather making the most of your strengths, identifying the weaknesses of your opponents and getting the best out of those situations,” said Allegri after the match, hitting the nail on the head. “The tactics depend on the games and the players at your disposal.”
With this in mind, surely Sarri must now realise that he needs to have another plan up his sleeve if he is to triumph in the matches that really matter. But all is not lost for Napoli if they can refrain from letting their heads drop after this defeat. The form they showed to go 14 games without defeat will not disappear overnight.
Their 4-3-3 is hugely effective against the smaller teams in Serie A, with many finding their sharp, short passing game – as well as their lethal front three – unplayable. As Juventus haved proved in recent years, the title is not won and lost on one-off games. Success is achieved through building a winning habit, a momentum that cannot be halted with the occasional blip.
Napoli look like they are closer than ever to achieving this rhythm, while Juventus have seemed a little more vulnerable. Inter, of course, are still unbeaten and are another team in the title race at the moment at least, but any rivals to the six-time champions are going to have to learn to stand tall in the key moments. For Maurizio Sarri, this means he eventually needs to figure out a plan B.
