Napoli head coach Luciano Spalletti has called on his players to improve their service to Victor Osimhen.
The Super Eagles star striker marked his first start for Napoli since November with a goal in Sunday’s 2-0 win at Venezia to boost their title hopes.
It was his sixth league goal and 10th in all competitions for Napoli this season.
Osimhen had been out since last year following a facial injury he sustained in a league clash with Inter Milan.
Speaking to DAZN after the game, Spalletti explained on how Osimhen can be assisted by his teammates to improve.
“He has the quality, it’s us who have to improve in serving him, not dribbling all the time and not putting the defenders in a position to defend against his qualities.
“In the first half we played too much man to man and not enough in space, forcing him to have the entire opposing team around him.”
Sunday’s win saw Napoli move just a point behind leaders Inter in the league table.
9 Comments
I’m glad you are also noticing it. Tell them oooooo before they shut themselves on the leg
that’s how they shut themselves on the leg last season.
I’m happy this present coach noticed it and also bold enough to speak it out.
Old Story!
Coach please specify the player don’t beat about the bush .
Your Insigne is a selfish player not a team player. He dribbles unnecessarily wasting Osimhen’s opportunities to score goals and win the league for you and goes ahead for a ballon d’or. He should be feeding your goal machine in Osimhen period!!!!! That is his duty.
Give him aerial balls, put him in the space with the ball, set him up that way you get his best of goal machinery. Osimhen if they don’t leave that club to one with less type of Insignes who play in a team work approach. Bayern Munich will fit you go and take over from aging Lewandowski who will soon retire.
This is the one reason I stopped following Napoli as it is very frustrating to see. White Italians are like that, When Merthens was filling in for Osimhen he flew to 4 goals in 2 games as the likes of Insingne and Co kept looking to give him a pass at every opportunity the same way they do for Pateangna it is so Frustrating. Osimhen can be clear through an all they have to do is pass to him and they don’t. Sometimes i wonder How his reserve striker can come in after Osimhen and touch the ball so much in the build up in under 10 mins, it is so glarignly obvious and annoying. They really over work Osimhen it is sad. the boy can have 2 goals in every match in a English side
Stupid team. Their attacking midfielders are always very selfish. I have noticed this about this team even before Osimen came there. They rarely give their strikers through ball. Instead they prefer to dribble and attempt to score rather than field their strikers. More reason, their score line is always very narrow, 1: 0.
Specifically aerial balls should be floated at every given opportunity because it is very difficult to defend against osimhen in the air…….. Secondly passes into open spaces is very important because osimhen will attack it and he will always be the first to arrive at the ball……. Don’t worry how osimhen will be able to get to a wide pass just put the ball there for him and let him do the running and finishing……..I wonder why it took spalletti this long to figure this out.
@Akp he knew this but was scared of Lorenzo Insigne, Insigne was the catalyst of this bad behaviour frm the team now he is signed to Toronto FC Spaletti knows he had better address this or Osimhen will walk to a lucrative contract next season as clubs are lining up for him. Let us see what transpires frm here on. But I firmly believe Spaletti knew all along bro.
This is what we have been saying right from when he made the move to Napoli, the team and insigne in particular were not passing the ball to him at vital opportunities, or as much as they should have. they were full of dribbling and taking shots outside the box. They just started really passing to him this season.
Im glad the coach has noticed this, maybe this is why they have sanctioned insignes move to the usa. His influence in the team is of great importance but it can be detrimental to the team if he allows his ego get in the way. He should be more like Vardy who really helped iheanacho last season with his hardwork, running and assists last season.
Im guessing the coach feels they can play as a better unit without insigne, otherwise they wont allow him go.
If they can get a good winger and another good attacker who will give Osimhen some rest from time to time I feel the team will improve.
If the team can rally around Victor Osimhen and give him the passes at the right time,the goals will definitely pour in