Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen was in action as Napoli lost 4-2 to Barcelona in Thursday’s Europa League game.
The Nigerian international, who had a decent performance, was not given too many rooms to cause damage on Barcelona defence. He was later substituted in the 74th minute for Adam Ounas.
Jordi Alba opened the floodgate of goals in the 8th minutes with a brilliant finish before Frenkie De Jong extended their lead to 2-0 in the 13th minute.
However, Lorenzo Insigne reduced the score line to 2-1 when he converted a penalty in the 23rd minute to keep Napoli’s hope of qualifying to the next round alive.
But their dreams was dashed as Gerard Pique and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored two more goals to take the game beyond the reach of the host.
Matteo Politano netted in the 87th minute but the goal was not enough to give Napoli any hope of a last minute comeback.
15 Comments
Osimhen should leave Napoli for AC Milan, Inter Milan or Juventus. Napoli players are not feeding him enough passes.
Egbon Insigne!
He actually gave Osimhen a couple of passes today. Grazie, Lorenzo! We are grateful!
However, like Harry Kane, if Insigne has a chance to shoot, no matter how small that chance is, HE WILL SHOOT.
He won’t pass the ball if he believes he has a chance. Never, ever! Not even to his mum!
Some will call that selfishness. Others will say it is acceptable, because he’s a striker, and strikers want to score goals.
However, when Napoli suffers because of Insigne’s goal scoring ambitions, then we have ourselves a conflict of interest.
Which is more important? Insigne’s name in the newspapers, or Napoli winning games?
Talking about the game, seems Xavi is doing a good job of inculcating tiki-taka basics on his charges. Nice passing football from Barca today. I especially enjoyed their goals.
The first was a counter attack started by Aubameyang, who released the ball to Adama Traore, strong running from Traore thru the midfield, then a pass to Jordi Alba. Yes, you read it right. Jordi Alba the left back had made a lung bursting run from his wing to the center forward position, and he took the goal like a center forward.
Pique’s goal was a good goal, but the goals by De Jong and Aubameyang were pure class. I can imagine Arteta having pangs of regret after watching Aubameyang’s energetic display today. Is there something he could have done to keep the lad at Arsenal? Well, Arsenal’s huge loss is Barca’s gain!
Auba missed alot of scoring chances though. He could have easily scored an hatrick, if not for his wastefull attempts.
If we note, all Xavi needed to do home and away was to keep Oshimen on offiside trap thus, cutting him running ways. The only chance he had to run was what led to the penalty Napoli had.
My point, Spalleti is not tactical to have played a 4-3-3, leaving Oshimen on the winds and Patenga or Martens in the middle. Sounds unprofessional, right?
You should note that Oshimen does well when it comes to defending. Moreover, Napoli lost it all when they tried passing the ball around from the backline. The midfield was lost and overtaken by the Catalanans.
What’s my point, as experienced as Spalleti was, he was outplayed by Xavi who is barely four years into the coaching union. The present Nigeria Coach has something close to what xavi does but, there is a missing link. The missing link? We will come to that later.
What’s the missing link?
Did anyone watcb GLASGOW RANGERS complete with the NIGERIAN trio of BASSEY, BALOGUN and ARIBO-BBA treat almighty, yes you heard me; almighty BORUSSIA DORTMUND to a soccer leaaon?
Boy, BASSEY is far, far ahead of both ZAIDU and COLLINS in my reckoning at LB for SUPER EAGLES! That audacious footwork that took out the DORTMUND RB before his cross caosed all, sorts of confusion leading to JAMES TAVERNER scoring was the highlight of his night!
BALOGUN was solid at the back. SE really nissed his calming influence and organization at the back at last Afcon.
ARIBO, just like LEON pointed out during the AFCON is ata his best as a roving attacking midfielder.
Calvin Bassey was the Man of the Match crazy numbers
Osemhen need to work on how to do dribbling runs incase he find himself in a tight situation.
The Napoli coach destroyed the game with his plan. Passing from the back line and saw that the Barca playrs repeatedly are out playing him and he didn’t change his tactics immediately How could he continues as a professional.
Our own Osihmen missed a couple of chances also.
The Napolis were outplayed and it wasn’t their night.
To me the coach should be blamed for his poor tactics that he couldn’t adjust.
@osas not only the coach including the players destroyed the game some of the napoli players need to stop playing selfish football and start playing team football especially insigne need to stop his unprofessional football the napoli board should seriously speak to the squad or else it will continue like this for along time.
Abeg make nobody come here to blame Osimhen ooo. That Napoli team is a big error. Ordinary 2 to 3 straight passes they can’t make without loosing possession to Barca. Their midfield was totally collapse. Even the backline made lot of blunders doing opponent passes here and there. Spalleti mumu will neva finish. I still don’t understand why he always bench Mertens who is the most creative player in the team. Point of correction Osimhen did not loose any clear goal scoring opportunities so stop blaming the young Man. Throughout the minutes he spent on the pitch, he gat no single through pass on goal except the one he get and yet he was productive by getting a penalty which yeye Insigne step in to take. B4 this match, i have always say this Napoli are not very good and if care is not taken they might be docked out of the top 4 this season again. They can never be title contender with all this lackluster performance. Every player get his own style of play and bcos Osimhen is not a dribbler doesn’t reduce his ability cuz he makes up for that in superlative ways. If he was another striker bet me Napoli will never get that penalty bcos i don’t think any striker has the pace of Osimhen to make that run which left Ter Stegen with no choice than go all out eventhough it was not an intentional foul. I pray Osimhen get good offer from teams like Man City,Bayern or even PSG if Mbappe leaves for Real Madrid. The. We will all see the best of him. To those his critics pls check his goals and assists stat with the national team since after 2019 AFCON Where he has become SE top 9 before u blame him for Napoli poor football.
How can anybody Blame Osimhen He needs to leave Napoli. He made excellent runs in the first half created the penalty which may I add had he taken and scored would have been an excellent boost to his confidence. Spalletti is to blame as he has no say to Lorenzo Insigne what soever other wise why must Osimhen continuosly create penalties and not take them??. Does anybody understand the amount of confidence a converted penalty can give a player in such a match. Also I Ask yourself why Pataegna Osimhen No 2 at Napoli always has many opportunities to score when he is introduced because he is Italian and his Italian Brothers Insigne and CO will always freely pass him the Ball when he is open much so than they do for Osimhen. I don’t even think Insigne leaving is enough Osimhen needs to Leave Napoli completely now as Insigne has created this distasteful culture of not Passing Osimhen the ball when he is free. there where many counter breakaways in that Match when the ball should have been released sooner to Osibobo but Insigne held on till it was too late. What a Bunch of Italian racists.
Pataegna a player who doesn’t have half as much speed as Osimhen always touches the ball way more than him when he comes on in the second half that is to show you what i am talking about That team does not want Osimhen to shine as it is paining them that he is keeping their Italian Brother Patagnea on the bench. Spalletti being scared of Insigne and also Italian is also blind to this
That is how day are you could see what is happening btw Russia and Ukraine racist inside human turned into war only God will help these white humans.
Versatility at it’s Best Calvin Ughelumba Bassey.. started at CB and Moved to LWB
As much as I like Osimhen yall need to stop being so biased. He needs to work on his finishing and his 1v1. I watched the game. Many times he was ahead of the squad about to score and just kept on missing and giving away turnovers like 3 times in a row. He just doesn’t show up for big games and napoli as a whole. They had a chance to go top of the table and just settled for a draw against cagliari. He didnt show up for inter milan game, but he tie the game against cagliari. At most he scores to tie games not to finish it.