76 shots in three games expose a systemic problem in Napoli's defence

Como, Inter and Arsenal combined to test Napoli's defence 76 times in three matches, an average of 25 shots a game — a number that says nothing about who Napoli were facing and everything about how they are defending right now.

by Gennaro SanninoFriday 11 September, 16:16 CET· 1 hour ago

76 tiri in tre gare: la difesa del Napoli è un problema di sistema, non di avversari — Grafica Arena Napoli

Seventy-six shots conceded in three games, an average of 25 a game. This is not a one-off, it is a trend: over Napoli's last three matches — the home defeat to Como, the loss at San Siro to Inter, the 0-1 Champions League defeat to Arsenal — the defence has given way consistently, regardless of the opponent.

The numbers, game by game, tell a story with no excuses: 21 shots conceded against Fabregas's Como, 29 against Inter, 26 against Arsenal. On Wednesday at the Maradona, Arsenal produced 4.05 Expected Goals Against, after Napoli had already conceded 3.86 in the 3-2 defeat at San Siro. Since Opta began tracking the model, Napoli have never conceded that much across two consecutive games.

In Serie A, Napoli sit 12th with 3 points after three rounds — one win, two defeats, 5 goals scored and 5 conceded. In the last two league games, against Como and Inter, Napoli shipped all five goals of this start; the only clean sheet came on matchday one, in Genoa.

A problem of shape, not of personnel

The cause is not the quality of individual players. It is how Napoli manage the distances between their lines and how solid the back line holds. Napoli give up too much space out of possession, and the team's positioning and pressing choices are failing to keep it compact. It is a question of structure, and it repeats itself regardless of who Napoli are facing.

Head coach Allegri admitted as much in his own way after the loss to Arsenal, calling it Napoli's third straight defeat.

"Third straight defeat."

But the issue is tactical before it is about character. It is Allegri who builds the defensive shape, and until the distances between Napoli's lines shorten, every opponent — strong or modest — will find room to shoot.

Bologna visit the Maradona on Sunday 13 September at 18:00 CET (17:00 UK) for matchday four. A team conceding 25 shots a game cannot afford to carry on like this against visitors arriving in Fuorigrotta, the Naples district where the stadium sits. Before Napoli even think about the goals they score, it is the defensive phase that has to change.