Juric hails Napoli's first hour against Roma but the rest is the problem

Ahead of Monza-Napoli, the Monza coach says Allegri is "much more attacking" than he was at Juventus. We take it as a compliment that confirms our doubts: all three Roma goals came after the first hour.

by Gennaro SanninoTuesday 27 October, 19:19 CET· 2 hours ago

Juric: «Ho visto un Napoli favoloso per un'ora contro la Roma». Il problema è quello che è venuto dopo — Grafica Arena Napoli

"I saw a fabulous Napoli for an hour against Roma. Allegri seems much more attacking to me, different from the one at Juventus." That was how Ivan Juric previewed Monza-Napoli at his press conference. The game is on Wednesday 28 October at 20:45 CET (19:45 UK, 15:45 ET) at the U-Power Stadium.

The praise comes from the coach of a side with 7 points. Monza are 15th and have lost five of their eight games. It sounds like a compliment. To us it sounds more like a diagnosis.

For an hour against Roma, it went just as Juric says. Anguissa scored with an overhead kick on 28 minutes and McTominay added a second on 48. That made it 2-0 at the Maradona against a side of similar standing. Then Soulé scored on 69 and Balerdi on 74. McTominay made it 3-2 on 83, and Balerdi equalised again on 89.

All three Roma goals came after the first hour. We know the part Juric praises very well. The part he leaves out is the one Allegri raised himself after the 3-3: "Over the course of the season we have let teams come back on us many times."

More attacking, and more fragile

The numbers show this Napoli has changed. Against Roma the xG was 2.44 to 1.90. But the change has a cost we know by heart: 17 goals conceded in 11 games across Serie A and the Champions League, and 7 in the last three.

Allegri said as much himself after the 4-3 win over Bodø/Glimt: "When we are in our own half we are fragile." An opponent who tells you that you are "much more attacking" is also telling you where he plans to hurt you.

"When we are in our own half we are fragile."

Juric was also clear about what he wants from his own players. "For tomorrow we have to approach the game as usual, with aggression. I always want to be proactive. I expect a team that wants to run, wants to press, that has hunger."

He did not hide Monza's problems either. "We need balance. The feeling is that we are conceding too many goals, and that we concede too much in situations that are unusual for my teams." On his midfield: "I don't need a screen, but we have to be more aggressive to win more duels." He gave nothing away on his line-up: "I don't have a fixed eleven, the choices are made for the game."

Two leaky defences

These are two teams that concede too much. Monza have let in 18 goals in eight league games. Napoli travel without Badiashile and Spinazzola, but Rrahmani is back in defence.

Landucci will be on the bench, because Allegri is serving the first game of a two-match ban. The coach Juric calls changed will not be able to step in from the touchline during the part of the game that has cost us the most points so far.

So what is the point of being "fabulous for an hour" if the points are lost in the half-hour that follows? Napoli are 10th with 11 points. Roma, who came back on us twice, have 18. Lazio lead the table on 25.

Against a team that has lost five games out of eight, good football for the first hour at Monza will not be enough if the result does not follow.

The first answer comes on Wednesday 28 October at 20:45. On Sunday 1 November it is Juventus, again without Allegri on the bench.