Napoli's defence has conceded more than Cagliari and Frosinone
Five goals in four league games and 61 shots allowed tell a story that goes beyond a blunt attack.
Napoli have conceded five goals in four Serie A games, the eighth-worst defensive record in the league — worse than Cagliari and Frosinone. The attack is no better, with six goals scored (also eighth-best), but it's the defence that weighs heaviest on a tenth-place start built on two league wins, two league defeats and a Champions League opening defeat to Arsenal.
The more alarming number isn't goals conceded but shots allowed: 61 in four matches, among the worst in the division so far. An injury crisis — seven cases, same as last season — has hit defence and midfield hardest, from Buongiorno to Beukema to Anguissa. But that's only a partial excuse: Napoli concede too much even with a full-strength back line, and an injury crisis alone doesn't explain that.
Read also Corriere dello Sport: Napoli have Serie A's oldest squad
On Sunday at the Franchi against Fiorentina, the first real test for Allegri isn't about team selection. It's about whether a defence that has held up worse than the squad's quality suggests can finally hold firm.
Source: Il Napolista
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