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youtalkcock

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Generous Asset


FIVE THINGS NAPOLI MUST DO TO BEAT CHELSEA IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Posted on Tuesday, 13th March 2012 by Padraig Whelan

Napoli-Chelsea-Hamsik-+-Lavezzi-+-Cavani-300x206.jpg


Leading 3-1 from the first leg of the Champions League round of 16, Napoli will be full of confidence as they depart for Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea on Wednesday after destroying Cagliari 6-3 this weekend without the likes of Edinson Cavani and Christian Maggio.

With the Blues having departed from manager Andre Villas Boas since their defeat at the San Paolo and replaced with him Roberto Di Matteo until the end of the season, Walter Mazzarri will certainly fancy his chances of progressing against a manager who is untested at this level.

There are also some good omens for the Italians ahead of this crucial clash as their hosts have failed to win at home in any of their last five knockout Champions League ties and have never managed to overhaul a deficit of two or more goals in the second leg of a knockout game in this competition which would bode well for Napoli but, of course, stats mean nothing on the night.

So what are the five things that Napoli should do in order to give themselves the best chance of joining AC Milan in the quarter-finals of the Champions League by besting English opposition as the Rossneri did last week?

1. Score first

It may sound like a ridiculously obvious thing to say and is of course easier said than done but should Napoli bag the first goal of the game at Stamford Bridge it should effectively see them through to the next round. Chelsea will then need to score three times just to force extra time and you can’t see Napoli being so tactically naive that they would throw away a 4-1 aggregate lead although their lacklustre defending against Cagliari on Friday night will give Chelsea some hope of scoring goals.

Yet, this Napoli side possesses one of the most dangerous attacking line-ups in world football and a front trio of Ezequiel Lavezzi, Edinson Cavani and Marek Hamsik would worry any side and rightly so. Goals can come from anywhere in this side best exemplified by the three strikes in the first meeting between the sides. A goal borne of individual brilliance, a cross into the box and a quick counter-attacking move proves that this side are a threat no matter where the ball is and have scored in every Champions League game this season. Chelsea, be warned.

2. Ensure Ezequiel Lavezzi sees a lot of the ball

The best chance of doing number one is by carrying out number two. To say that Lavezzi was influential in the first leg would be an understatement. ‘Pocho’ ran Chelsea ragged throughout and every member of their defence looked completely out of ideas with how to deal with the Argentine’s running, pace and tricks. He deservedly hit the back of the net twice that night to put his side on the brink of the next round and he will definitely fancy his chances once more running against Branislav Ivanovic who is not best renowned for being a pacy full back.

Lavezzi is most conspicuous in his absence when Napoli struggle and seem to lack a cutting edge and Edinson Cavani in particular does not look the same player without his tricky strike partner beside him. The player is also in the form of his life at the moment and seems only to be growing in confidence and has bagged five goals in his last four games in all competitions. A player who is at the top of his game will know he can perform against any side and Chelsea should be worried.

3. Learn from Milan’s mistakes

After Milan teetered on the brink of another glorious failure and embarrassing Italy once more last week, Napoli must ensure that they do not leave for London with the same mind set that the Diavolo did. It was painstakingly obvious from the moment the game began that Milan’s thoughts were on the next round and they felt that they only had to turn up to ensure their passage to the quarter finals and it almost went horribly wrong.

Napoli cannot afford to take to the field believing that they too are all but through especially with their lead being a more slender one than Milan enjoyed and also due to the fact that Chelsea do have an away goal. Walter Mazzarri is a clever and experienced tactician though and there will be no chance of any player in the Partenopei squad feeling that they already have one foot in the quarter finals. He will ensure that the side that take to the field on Wednesday will play with the same hunger, desire and intensity that we saw from them in the San Paolo last month.

4. Federico Fernandez must play

A criminally underrated player and unlikely scorer of two Champions League goals already this campaign, Fernandez is as much of a threat in attack as he is at the back but he should be thrown back into the side on Wednesday after Salvatore Aronica’s very poor performance in the first leg. He struggled against the pace of Daniel Sturridge and never looked comfortable and although Hugo Campagnaro and Paolo Cannavaro did not carry over their excellent defensive record they had shown in Serie A, they should be partnered by Fernandez for the second leg in the absence of Miguel Britos to injury.

The Argentinean never looked out of his depth when he played in such big games earlier in the season and although Mazzarri does favour his tried and tested trio at the back of Campagnaro, Cannavaro and Aronica, the latter had too many jittery moments in the first leg that you couldn’t help but feel he will be targeted as the weak link by Chelsea’s forwards if he is in the side tomorrow whereas Fernandez is unfazed by facing high-quality players and in fact he seems in his element testing himself against better players. He may not have been outstanding himself defensively against Bayern Munich in his lone Champions League appearance this season and admittedly it would present a risk that Mazzarri is unlikely to take to play the 23-year-old, it could be a gamble that would pay off.

5. Napoli’s attackers must target Gary Cahill

Easily Chelsea’s weakest player in the first leg and if Roberto Di Matteo chooses to target Aronica, then Mazzarri should reciprocate by making sure his players know that in new signing Gary Cahill, Chelsea are for the taking at the back. Making his debut in Naples last month, the player looked absolutely clueless and completely out of his depth and could have been blamed for all three goals but especially the second and third.

With John Terry making his way back to fitness and could be in line to play, it is unclear whether or not Cahill would retain his place in the side but if so it is hard to imagine he will fairany better agains the robust forward play and movement of Cavani or the pace and trickery of Lavezzi. Yet even if he is the man to make way for the returning captain, a player who is not fully fit playing at the heart of a defence at this stage of the competition, even a player as experienced as Terry, would also be a player who could struggle against such an explosive Partenopei attack.


 
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juicylucy

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
looks like it will be many against one whether in the forum or outside. The difference is before this started the guy could count on support knowing he had many friends. My support mostly came from guys who thought i was right. Some of them i never even chatted with before.
So the other party is assured of assistance but i am not. You understand if i decline.


Put Time Put Place Thread?

Geylang lor 4 kopi shop?
 

juicylucy

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
sorry again bro. You must realise i am on the losing side. There are too many of them and they got muscle. When they come in full force i will be history.

LOL, another 4 points lost. Zapped by power of 8. Dey, quickly go and spread your sperm and up me :biggrin:
 

Raiders

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Generous Asset
Not many 16 power pointers here, can roughly guage who's the one who zapped you, definitely not me, i upped you before :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

No lah, I mean that guy's power is 8. Thats why i got -4 points. But heck lah. If zapped until zero, register anohter nick come in lor. 十年后又是一条好汉:wink:

Im more interested in picking up girls at sgchinese for free fucks. :biggrin:
 

youtalkcock

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
but this is my thread to give a clear picture of what had happened and how i am bowing out.

Initially when i first saw your reply in DASHUANGXI's thread, it gave me the impression you are either his clone or his crony to "resume his duties". But after reading your flame threads with oskibaby, you definitely don't talk a newbie but like lancheowman. :biggrin:
 

juicylucy

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
you misread. i never said i was a newbie. I am not forummer lancheowman either

Initially when i first saw your reply in DASHUANGXI's thread, it gave me the impression you are either his clone or his crony to "resume his duties". But after reading your flame threads with oskibaby, you definitely don't talk a newbie but like lancheowman. :biggrin:
 
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Alamaking

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Initially when i first saw your reply in DASHUANGXI's thread, it gave me the impression you are either his clone or his crony to "resume his duties". But after reading your flame threads with oskibaby, you definitely don't talk a newbie but like lancheowman. :biggrin:

Which 1? :confused:
 
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