Trouble is brewing in Naples but to mention a crisis would be inappropriate. Lets’ save that for the red half of Manchester. It is still early days of Carlo Ancelotti’s reign in the south of Italy yet it feels as if it has been a lifetime due to the drama that has unfolded.
In the first three games of the new Serie A season, Napoli has earned six points which doesn’t seem at all too bad, unless you are a side that is aiming to win the Scudetto for the first time since 1990.
Napoli’s three games all had a similar narrative in the fact that they conceded first. Against Lazio and AC Milan they managed to spawn a comeback and ultimately seal the three points. However those performances only served to highlight that this is a team that is still suffering the after effects of Maurizio Sarri’s departure.
On top of that, Ancelotti is still yet to figure out the formation that fits best for his team and these problems caused their defeat to Sampdoria. The former Milan manager’s decision to leave out Captain Marek Hamsik and forward Jose Callejon created a detrimental effect on the team’s performance.
In the end the 3-0 defeat at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris was inevitably coming when one keeps in mind the kind of start the Azzurri had made. But then again it is all not doom and gloom for Napoli if Ancelotti can find the right formula to take this team to the next level.
Next Match
Unfortunately for the Italian, he needs to do it fast because his team are about to face some tough encounters especially in the Champions League. Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain will be rubbing their hands in glee after watching Napoli’s start.
Conversely, a trip to Florence beckons for the Naples side after the international break. If memory serves us correctly, it was against Fiorentina which saw Napoli dramatically collapse in their race for the Scudetto, handing Juventus the title last season. Thus, it is no surprise that the whole of Naples waits in bated breath for what promises to be a fascinating encounter.
