Here are the coach’s words after the draw at Como: “A good performance, because otherwise we wouldn’t have come out of this match unscathed”
The match in Como flows between lights and shadows and ends in a 0-0 which for Antonio Conte represents more of a point gained than two points lost. Thus, in fact, Napoli keeps their distance unchanged with fifth in the standings, waiting for Roma to take the field. “It was certainly a good performance, because otherwise we wouldn’t have come out of this match unscathed. We know very well that both we and Como were playing a lot, perhaps more so given that they are chasing the Champions League. We are aware that there could be some consequences. In the first half we struggled to give the right pressure. Como practically have a movement player in goal, it becomes very complicated to press because when the ball arrives to him he is able to always find the player by making you run 80 meters backwards. The team, however, is We did well, in the second half we improved and we had the opportunities to score. With three games remaining, we took another step forward towards qualifying for the Champions League and the highest possible placing.
FIRST AND SECOND HALF
—
The coach explained the key to understanding the match, focusing on the difference in performance between the two halves of the game. “In the first half, Como created a couple of chances through lost balls, we weren’t too clean. The two central midfielders were too far apart from each other, we need two point guards who move in a synchronized manner. We lost a couple of balls in a stupid way and we were apprehensive. The match was balanced, then in the second half we raised the level and could have exploited situations better.”
DE BRUYNE OUT
—
On the hour mark, Conte replaced De Bruyne to bring on Anguissa. The playing time had suggested some physical problems, which the coach denied. “De Bruyne is as he was in the previous match, nothing has changed in seven days. Against Cremonese he played in an excellent match, he is in the same physical condition. There are matches in which sometimes you can exalt yourself more and others in which you can exalt yourself less. Kevin did his part, he was very tidy, then I brought in Frank by moving McTominay to the attacking midfield” he concluded.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
