Napoli sit eighth on 14 points and Allegri has questions to answer

Napoli are eighth in Serie A with 14 points from 10 games, level with Bologna. The arithmetic is simple, and it is not kind.

The wrong company

Being part of the pack is not enough for this squad. The fanbase judges Napoli against Inter, Milan, Juventus and Roma, and all four are ahead. The side really pulling away is Lazio, whose lead means Napoli are now watching the title race from a distance.

Torino are just behind on 13. With this squad and this wage bill, eighth place cannot be passed off as acceptable.

Why the pressure is on Allegri

That is where the debate about Allegri starts. Some supporters want him sacked. Others are sticking with the team. Both camps are asking the same thing: why does a side built to compete at the top have a defence that never looks secure, and an approach that sometimes seems to wait for the opponent?

The last five games read L-W-D-W-L. There is no consistency in that run, and consistency is the coach's job.

Injuries matter. Neres is out with a thigh tear. Badiashile is expected back in December, Lobotka at the end of December and Buongiorno in January. But the absences explain only part of the problem. They do not explain the overall level of performance.

Porto next

Napoli travel to Porto in the Champions League on Wednesday 4 November, kick-off 21:00 CET (20:00 UK, 15:00 ET) at the Estadio do Dragao. It is a separate competition and the league table has no bearing on it. But supporters still feel Europe is where the team is judged, and after Sunday they want to see more character.

The transfer window is shut until 2 January. The answers have to come from the pitch and from the man in charge of it, not from promises.