La Spezia wins again in Naples. The unfortunate Lozano puts his own, as does Spalletti. The excuse of absences does not hold. And Juve have five points
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Napoli 22/12/2021 – Serie A football championship / Napoli-Spezia / Photo Insidefoto / Image Sport In the photo: Dries Mertens-Ivan Provedel
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Napoli got lost, like De Andrè’s Andrea. A year later, Spezia won again in Naples. The victory at San Siro was an exception and in some ways an illusion. The negative trend of the blues has resumed its course. In the last eight games, Napoli have only won twice: against Lazio and Milan. Four defeats: Inter, Atalanta, Empoli and Spezia (three in a row at home). Two draws: Verona and Sassuolo. Eight points in eight games. Worrying media.
And this time the alibi of the absent holds much less, unless you want to cling to Insigne (not our case) and to Koulibaly (who, however, may not play against Spezia). Fabian remains but frankly, as strong as he is, he cannot be a source of recrimination.
Napoli hit La Spezia, even if it would be dishonest to let imagine a ninety-minute forcing. The man of the bad evening, in addition to Spalletti, can only be the unfortunate Lozano who made a lot of mistakes, including a sensational goal with almost empty net, with only one defender on the line. Spalletti put his part in it. He first deployed Mertens as center-forward, then took him off at half-time (we don’t know if due to an injury), he excluded Elmas from the starting eleven.
Football is a simple game, you have to throw the ball into the net. Everyone can choose the way they think best suited to their characteristics but if you don’t check it out, you can only appeal to all the statistics of this world. And Spalletti’s Napoli this evening gave a time to Spezia and to the championship. The first half, in which the team appeared limp, without determination. Luck, as well as bad luck, you deserve it with your behavior. And Spezia took the lead without shooting on goal, with an own goal from Juan Jesus. However, Thiago Motta’s Ligurians played an excellent match, courageous, bold, with high pressure, always bringing many men into the opponent’s area. In the first half, Napoli had some opportunities but it was never determined in front of goal.
In the interval, Spalletti surprisingly removed Mertens for Petagna. Maybe there were physical reasons. In the second half, Napoli has definitely accelerated, at least in the first twenty minutes. Especially with Politano. In practice, however, he had a sensational opportunity only thanks to a suicide by the La Spezia defense: but the unfortunate Lozano made a mistake with a practically empty goal, he hit the only defender on the line. Petagna scored but they whistled an attacking foul that we believe he would never have whistled in England.
Spalletti then also included Ounas for Zielinski. Gradually, Napoli lost further clarity. And nothing more happened until the defeat, except for the top of the crossbar hit by Elmas and for the final whistles.
Napoli closes 2021 with five points over Juventus fifth. At the Befana there will be a direct confrontation in Turin. Better not add anything.
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