Antonio Conte is preparing Napoli’s tactical revolution. Real outfielders are needed for the new 3-5-2: two ideas come from Milan and already have the coach’s approval
Napoli, Conte e gli esterni per il 3-5-2: Manna porta 50 milioni a Milano (Foto: LaPresse) – serieanews.com
For someone like Antonio Conte, the form is never just a diagram on a blackboard. It is an identity. A tactical manifesto. A starting point for building everything else. And that is why, in Naples, the idea of 3-5-2 has not waned. In fact, the more the weeks go by, the more it seems to be powerfully returning to the coach’s plans.
The reality of the facts has so far dictated a 4-3-3 of necessity, even well-functioning in some stretches, but far from Conte’s true style. With the right men-and finally healthy-the coach is ready to veer toward his natural habitat. But real outsiders are needed, the ones who do the back and forth without dips, without alibis, without fear. And that’s where the market comes in.
Politano is working wonders in that role but does not have the flair for it, Spinazzola is having a convincing second half of the season but does not offer continued guarantees on the physical side. Olivera is excellent but it cannot all fall on his shoulders and – let’s face it – if he were to sit on the bench it would not be a drama for anyone. Mazzocchi is a good reserve, but honestly he is not of the level you have to aspire to if you are Napoli and you are going to play three competitions.
That is why, assuming (and not granted) that we want to return to the 3-5-2, because in any case Conte is working on a team that as this year can indifferently interpret multiple modules, the priority would be one: to find two reliable interpreters for the side lanes. Not “adapted” outfielders, but specialists. And the answer could come from Milan, where there are two profiles that we have already proposed separately and that would be perfect for such an operation.
Napoli, Saelemaekers e Carlos Augusto i nomi giusti: due ’99 che possono diventare dei top
The argument is very simple: this summer Napoli will have a very large budget, starting at 150 million euros and rising, depending on disposals. The right amount to be able to not only reinforce but even reinvent, shape.
Napoli, Saelemaekers e Carlos Augusto i nomi giusti (AnsaFoto/LaPresse) – serieanews.com
So why not build a team that traces the winning experiences of the past? In that case there is only one way: two outfielders who can do the whole wing and around whom we can build a team with a 3-man defense, then whether it is a 3-5-2 or the 3-4-2-1 in London will be seen with the rest of the market.
We have proposed the first name before. Carlos Augusto, Inter’s Brazilian class of ’99, arrived from Monza and remained somewhat in between a starter and a benchwarmer. On the left, ahead of him is an unquestionable Federico Dimarco, and this has inevitably reduced the Brazilian’s minutes and ambitions.
Carlos Augusto can play both outside and left wing in a three-man defense, and he considers him perfect for his Napoli team. Inter never armored him: for 20-25 million the deal can be done. A reasonable investment, for a footballer already ready and with margins for growth. And in the Azzurri he would finally have the regularity he lacks.
On the opposite flank, the most concrete track leads to Alexis Saelemaekers, back from a season on loan at Roma. He will return to AC Milan, but his future in the Rossoneri is far from a foregone conclusion. His profile, shaped to perfection by Claudio Ranieri, fits perfectly in a system with fifths, but if a four-defense coach were to arrive at Milanello, his chances of staying would drop dramatically.
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Saelemaekers has the running, athleticism and tactical intelligence to play that role the way Conte likes. Most importantly, he already has good international experience, is used to pressure and can also act on the left if needed. Having returned from loan at Roma, Milan will value him at between 25 and 30 million, but with a well-conducted negotiation, softer formulas can also be reasoned with.
With Carlos Augusto and Saelemaekers, Napoli would finally have the two tracks to build its ideal 3-5-2. Young, ready, motivated. Battle-hardened, Conte-like people. The question now is whether De Laurentiis will be willing to sink on both, or whether choices will have to be made.
This article Napoli, Conte and outsiders for 3-5-2: Manna brings 50 million to Milan appeared first on SerieANews.
