Allegri warns Napoli defence: fall in line or sit out

In press conferences Allegri is his usual self: patient, measured, never over the top. But the message he's sent his players in the dressing room is anything but soft — fall in line or make way. He isn't obsessed with possession, nor a fanatic for aggression at any cost, but he knows the first rule of Italian football is not conceding. In three straight defeats, against Como, Inter and Arsenal, the sloppy defensive errors have piled up one after another.

Tactically, Allegri hasn't abandoned his starting idea of a 4-3-3, but it wouldn't take much for him to change approach if the situation demanded it. A back three with Favasuli and Di Lorenzo as the wide centre-backs hasn't been ruled out, even if there's no plan yet to start with a back five. The blueprint remains open — an implicit admission that this defence still has something to fix.

Once Beukema is back to full fitness, he'll form a settled partnership with the untouchable Rrahmani. Beukema has already explained he lost his pre-season to a tendon problem, now resolved. Rafa Marín, who answered the call in the toughest test of the season so far against Arsenal, remains a credible alternative for that role.

Badiashile, who arrived at Napoli without completing his pre-season training, isn't yet ready to start despite already getting minutes on the pitch: Thuram's goal in Inter's comeback has already left its mark on him, but there's still time for him to prove his worth.

Di Lorenzo, on the other hand, remains the one genuinely undroppable player: captain against De Bruyne, he held up even on the toughest night and is preparing for a return to the national team. For Allegri, as for Conte and Spalletti before him, he's one of those players you don't give up.

The test of whether Allegri's warning has worked comes on Sunday 13 September at 18:00 CET (17:00 UK, 12:00 ET) at the Maradona, against a Bologna side with just one point from three games. Before the three points, the team needs to show it has stopped gifting goals.