Roma had a very defensive game plan against Napoli, which did slow down the opponents but also severely hindered them offensively. The Partenopei had to dig deeper than in other instances, but they came out on top again thanks to a gem by Victor Osimhen.
As Goal points out, the Giallorossi didn’t take a single shot Sunday. It hadn’t happened in seven years. The last time was versus the Partenopei as well. Perhaps coincidentally, Rudi Garcia got the ax not long after such game. They did manage to contain Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and company. However, their attack didn’t create any scoring clean opportunities.
Roma fired off just six attempts versus Napoli and none near the target. Mady Camara had two, while Nicolò Zaniolo, Tammy Abraham, and Bryan Cristante one each, plus a header by Chris Smalling. The capital side has had major trouble offensively this season mostly due to the poor form of their attackers. They generally create at a decent clip, though. They rank well for expected goals. That wasn’t the case Sunday, primarily because of the conservative script of the Special One.
Our Take on Roma-Napoli
The Giallorossi sputtering is nothing new. The injury to Paulo Dybala made things worse because all the other forwards are in a funk. Still, the strategy was understandable because the Partenopei have run amok against most sides so far, and it almost worked out. Even a tie would have done wonders for their self-esteem. Teams that had tried a different approach have routinely been romped. Conversely, the Azzurri aren’t airtight in the back, so some more courage wouldn’t have hurt. The credit goes more to the opponents, who once again came through thanks to their quality.
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