After a thrilling start to the Serie A campaign, fans and observers alike sang Calcio’s praise last weekend. Unfortunately, the action failed to live up to the high expectations this time around, as the second round of the season witnessed some under-par fixtures and forgettable performances.
Nonetheless, the matchday had its moments as some still managed to steal the limelight and deserve some recognition for their efforts. So here are the tops and flops from Serie A round 2.
Top (Player) : Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
What a performance! What a signing!
After stealing the headlines with a stunning debut against Verona last weekend, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is at it again, pulling off a spectacular performance at the expense of Monza.
The Georgian scored a personal brace as Napoli routed their visitors with four unanswered goals. He showcased his splendid shooting by finding the top corner on his first goal, while leaving the defender in his wake ahead of the second goal thanks to his wonderful dribbling.
Lorenzo Insigne could become a distant memory at the Maradona Stadium sooner than expected.
Flop (Player): Rafael Leao
Picking up flops is always a sensitive affair. A flop isn’t exactly the worst player of the weekend, but rather the most disappointing. It’s some sort of a formula between expectations and reality.
So based on his round 2 performance, Rafael Leao receives the unceremonious recognition, after all, we’re talking about the Serie A MVP from last season, yet, he’s been unable to make the difference for Milan thus far this term.
The Portuguese started the away fixture against Atalanta in a decent fashion, before slowly fading out of the encounter. After an hour of play, Stefano Pioli had seen enough, as he decided to haul him off the pitch.
Top (Manager): Luciano Spalletti
At a time when the rest of the field is still in the midst of an adjustment period, Luciano Spalletti has obviously done his homework during pre-season and has a clear vision in mind.
Despite ringing considerable changes in the summer, Napoli have hit the ground running, and a large chunk of the credit must head towards their commander who has kept the ship steady and sailing in the right direction.
Flop (Coach): Massimiliano Allegri
Truth to be told, any manager in the world would struggle when missing the precious services of Paul Pogba, Angel Di Maria and Federico Chiesa all at once.
However, Juventus simply aren’t allowed to produce such a hollow display as the one witnessed at the Luigi Ferraris when hosted by Sampdoria.
The Bianconeri looked short of ideas as Max Allegri decided to thrust a bunch of runners in the middle of the park who failed to produce anything noteworthy. The team’s performance only improved following the introduction of teenage sensation Fabio Miretti, raising questions regarding the manager’s unconvincing selection.
Flop (Result): Stalemates
In the opening weekend, all ten fixtures ended with winners. But in round 2, more than half of the field settled for a draw. Even worse, four matches ended in goalless stalemates, including an anticipated brotherly clash between the two Milinkovic-Savic when Torino hosted Lazio.
Let’s hope that the general level of play improves once the temperatures begin to decrease.
Top (Team): Napoli
Another comfortable win for the southerners marked by an excellent performance. Surely Kvaratskhelia was the star of the show, but the rest of Spalletti’s men also deserve credit for their solid displays. including Kim Min-jae who grabbed himself a goal, Piotr Zielinksi who remains a fabulous playmaker, and the revived Stanislav Lobotka.
Napoli are now sitting at the top of the Serie A standings after round 2, and one can hardly make an argument against their merit.
Flop (Team): Monza
On the opposite end, Monza are still seeking their maiden Serie A point despite an exciting transfer campaign orchestrated by Adriano Galliani and company.
The Biancorossi looked hapless and short of ideas during their trip to Napoli, as their new buys apparently need some additional time to gel. For Giovanni Stroppa’s sake, they need to find their footing before it’s too late.
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