The season of Naples it is now marked, in some ways even cursed, and there is no possibility of straightening it. Calzona’s team manages to throw away the victory despite an excellent performance, even managing to bring the Maradona crowd back to their side, putting Roma under the spell like perhaps no team so far under De Rossi’s management. The reaction is certainly there, the one invoked by the square for almost the whole week and also by the owners by bringing forward the pre-match retreat by 24 hours, even going beyond expectations after the disasters with Frosinone and Empoli: 27 shots to 10 (23 chances from goals to 9 according to Lega data), almost 4xG which usually leads from four goals to upwards, but too many wastes in Roma’s area and the usual gifts in the defensive one for a 2-2 which gives the idea of the stupid season of the Neapolitans.
Different attitude, but same mistakes
Calzona’s accusations in recent weeks have concerned the lack of spirit in making the extra run when not in possession, the lack of application in creating density below the line of the ball, allowing himself to be put in too easily. And the change in attitude was seen from the first minutes, giving little or nothing to Roma despite Dybala often juggling between the lines. In the end, Napoli nullifies an excellent match with a senseless intervention by Juan Jesus, yet another in recent months, who sinks the intervention instead of accompanying Azmoun towards the wing, and then conceding a goal from a corner kick situation to a millimeter offside on a late climb by Di Lorenzo. For the rest, little to report, except a long-range shot by Pellegrini, while on the other side Osimhen, Kvara and their teammates bombed the goal of a Svilar in a state of grace.
ADL’s compliments and Calzona’s regret
Post-match there is space for a quick tour of the changing rooms for the president, to cheer up the team and also mention some compliments for the attitude and performance, beyond the unfavorable result. Francesco Calzona was of the same opinion in the conference, after having criticized the team in the last few outings: “Apart from the two goals on set balls, which we know they are strong at, we didn’t concede much. The team gave a great performance technically and tactically, as well as pride. Today I congratulate the boys today, they gave a great performance from all points of view against a Roma team that under De Rossi’s management, we gave them a scoring opportunity and that’s it We had 13 clear scoring opportunities”, the regret of the coach who will have to try to motivate the team for a final in which even seventh place is now far away.
