Siena 2 vs. Napoli 1

By: Neil | May 4th, 2009

After the final whistle, Roberto Donadoni took responsibility for what he called “an ugly moment in our campaign.” This game brought back memories of Napoli’s loss to Chievo earlier in the season. The whole team was uninspired, and we lost the game in the first twenty-five minutes. Not one Napoli player stood out. If you notice that Pia got his name on the scoresheet and conclude he must have done something good, guess again. The goal came from an error by Siena’s third choice keeper who had been on the field all of two minutes. It was unreasonable to expect the same kind of performance as against Inter, but to go from the best form of the season to the worst form in just one week is astounding.

Nobody bothered to tackle Kharja all game long

I did get some enjoyment from this game watching Siena keeper Gianluca Curci in action. He didn’t make any incredible saves – Napoli’s attack didn’t produce very many shots – but he played almost as a 5th defender, controlling the 18 yard box and effectively cutting off most of Napoli’s attacking space. It’s amazing what a keeper can do when he sees himself as more than just a shot stopper. I have no idea why Curci lost the starter’s job at Roma. I also have no idea why he isn’t being considered as Italy’s third keeper. What has De Sanctis done recently to make him a lock for the third jersey? In any case, as soon as Curci left with a twinge in his thigh, Napoli scored on a free kick that Curci would have handled with ease.

Zalayeta and Portanova challenge for possession

Napoli was so bad I don’t think one player would have made a difference, whether it was Russotto or Lavezzi. Every player except Navarro was ripped apart in le pagelle. The main problem was that in the first half nobody was interested in doing any defending, and Siena could bring the ball upfield without very much opposition. Once the game reached 2-0, it was always going to be difficult to come back. Siena’s defence was well-organized and Napoli wasn’t showing very much offensive creativity. One thing that needs to be posted is Donadoni’s pre-game message to Napoli’s fans. The Don called on fans to be more realistic in their expectations. I’m wondering if some potential transfer targets have said no to Napoli because the fans are quick to turn on the team in moments of difficulty. One episode that sticks out was the home game against Cagliari earlier in the season. Napoli had a perfect home record at this point, and the fans started to whistle when the game was tied 1-1. When the fans are too demanding, it puts way too much pressure on the players and they will choose to play elsewhere.

Here are the highlights:

A couple of notes on the mercato. Apparently Inter have offered $20m euros plus Colombian defender Nelson Rivas for Hamsik. I wouldn’t consider $20m crazy money, and plus Rivas has really struggled this year and doesn’t really fit into Napoli’s defence. Hamsik is worth more than that. Second, Napoli target Juan Camilo Zuniga actually played a very good game before leaving in the 86th minute with an injury. However, I don’t think Napoli should break the bank for this guy. The 10-15m euro figures being talked about are a little high. He’s definitely a sought after player, though, so the competition for his services will drive his price up.

Next up is a second consecutive away game against Lecce. Donadoni has promised a much different team, and it really can’t get any worse.