Osimhen starts vs Inter

[Enugu II]

Ugbowo,

Victor is not the finished product just yet but he has the talent and that far surpasses some players that are considered finished. In my view, Victor also has unquestionable drive. While I agree with you that he is just not clicking yet with his team mates, but I believe that he will come good in the next season. His absences this year were very costly but all that should be rectified in the next year.

It's the same old story with Osimhen post injury/covid.

Some say his runs are ignored, I say his so called runs are piss poor. I've never seen a fleet footed forward be so static and predictable. The CBs in this game only got challenged after he was substituted. He made the game so easy for them. He waits for the ball to come to him when he is surrounded by Conte 3 CBs.

It was not the smartest performance.

I keep wondering why he doesnt join build up. He just stays high with the defense. They are not going to play any balls in behind and he wont come play with them. I was so frustrated watching him. Mertens came in and the attack was flowing effortlessly. Much more mobility.

I started to blame Gattuso. Maybe that' how he wants him to play. Then he brings in Mertens and completely flips it on its head.

Sigh.

It's not looking good guys.

[tedder89]

Bros, I'm hoping you watched the Sampdoria game the weekend before and compared how differently the two defenses set up and how that affected Vic's ability to run into his favored channels vs Inter. There is also clearly a disconnect between Gattuso's slow build up/safety first approach while having a striker who's raw pace gives you so many different ways of playing...rumor is he won't be coach next year...we shall see

Yesterday there was no space given Inter's deep back 5 designed to spring quick counters compared to Samp's back 4 with Colley (attempting to) man mark him where he made so many quick lateral runs that were not utilized by his team mates until Mertens finally gave him a peach of a pass for his goal.

Yesterday, he rightly tried his utmost to tie up whichever CD was marking him while Gattuso's favored slow build up/cutback from byline dross was executed and produced the own goal. Other than a couple of quick one/twos with Insigne or Ruiz he pretty much followed the script as written.

Apples and oranges.......

It's the same old story with Osimhen post injury/covid.

Some say his runs are ignored, I say his so called runs are piss poor. I've never seen a fleet footed forward be so static and predictable. The CBs in this game only got challenged after he was substituted. He made the game so easy for them. He waits for the ball to come to him when he is surrounded by Conte 3 CBs.

It was not the smartest performance.

I keep wondering why he doesnt join build up. He just stays high with the defense. They are not going to play any balls in behind and he wont come play with them. I was so frustrated watching him. Mertens came in and the attack was flowing effortlessly. Much more mobility.

I started to blame Gattuso. Maybe that' how he wants him to play. Then he brings in Mertens and completely flips it on its head.

Sigh.

It's not looking good guys.

[olu]

I need to watch some more Napoli games. From the highlights I've watched and from comments read online I think there is some truth to Osimhen needing to learn how to move better in the box and create separation from his markers. Lille played long balls quite often and allowed Osimhen to run down the flanks and into space, but this Napoli team plays a different way. Osimhen needs to adapt and learn how to play different ways. He doesn't need to be a one-dimensional striker.

If I were him, I would reach out with Kelechi and try to pick his brain and may be even train with him privately in the offseason. Kelechi's movement in the box and without the ball is excellent. He also needs to study strikers like Kane, Shearer, and Inzaghi who know how to move without the ball.

There is also some truth to Napoli's wingers not passing enough. Immobile, Lozano, and Mertens when he plays on the wings are all goal-scoring wingers so their first instinct is not always to look for Osimhen. If Osimhen works on freeing himself, he is more likely to get the ball though.

[vancity eagle]

It's the same old story with Osimhen post injury/covid.

Some say his runs are ignored, I say his so called runs are piss poor. I've never seen a fleet footed forward be so static and predictable. The CBs in this game only got challenged after he was substituted. He made the game so easy for them. He waits for the ball to come to him when he is surrounded by Conte 3 CBs.

It was not the smartest performance.

I keep wondering why he doesnt join build up. He just stays high with the defense. They are not going to play any balls in behind and he wont come play with them. I was so frustrated watching him. Mertens came in and the attack was flowing effortlessly. Much more mobility.

I started to blame Gattuso. Maybe that' how he wants him to play. Then he brings in Mertens and completely flips it on its head.

Sigh.

It's not looking good guys.

I concur 100%. Glad to see someone else sees what I've been saying.

I said it as well and was attacked.

For every time Osimehms runs are truly ignored, there are another 5 or 6 times where his play is poor and he makes poor runs.

[maceo4]

This is how they were all attacking Kele....all of a sudden DRM dey shout senior man....This is Vic's first season

You too you turn mouth small now...

Anyways the boy is young and will continue to improve, I can't say the criticisms aren't warranted, but hoping for better displays in the future.

[Bigpokey24]

This is how they were all attacking Kele....all of a sudden DRM dey shout senior man....This is Vic's first season

You too you turn mouth small now...

Anyways the boy is young and will continue to improve, I can't say the criticisms aren't warranted, but hoping for better displays in the future.

it is a free country, you should read my signature... man can type whatever man wants on the internet, it is free, no one will tax me

[Lolly]

Costacurta rejects Osimhen: "Unripe and too easy to mark, he doesn't have the right moves in the box"
18.04.2021 23:04 by Pierpaolo Matrone

Photo Article
Negative performance for Victor Osimhen , never really in the game against Inter. Alessandro Costacurta , former defender and talent of Sky Sport, also spoke about it in the post-match of the satellite broadcaster: "I've been watching Osimhen for a while and it seems to me that he is still immature in the area. He does not have the movement and the counter-movement to free himself in the area. I don't know if it's a matter of training, if he's not confident because he has been out for a long time. It seems almost easy to mark him because he doesn't get free.

And this here is an accurate report of Osimhen. He needs to adapt his game. You need smart runs and movement these days, hustle and brawl is not enough.

[tedder89]

Costacurta rejects Osimhen: "Unripe and too easy to mark, he doesn't have the right moves in the box"
18.04.2021 23:04 by Pierpaolo Matrone

Photo Article
Negative performance for Victor Osimhen , never really in the game against Inter. Alessandro Costacurta , former defender and talent of Sky Sport, also spoke about it in the post-match of the satellite broadcaster: "I've been watching Osimhen for a while and it seems to me that he is still immature in the area. He does not have the movement and the counter-movement to free himself in the area. I don't know if it's a matter of training, if he's not confident because he has been out for a long time. It seems almost easy to mark him because he doesn't get free.

And this here is an accurate report of Osimhen. He needs to adapt his game. You need smart runs and movement these days, hustle and brawl is not enough.

With all due respect to Costacurta, I’m not sure what game he was watching......you can’t make runs if there is no space to run into......

For anyone who thinks Osimhen is “all brawn, no brains” watch the Sampdoria game carefully......

[vancity eagle]

Costacurta rejects Osimhen: "Unripe and too easy to mark, he doesn't have the right moves in the box"
18.04.2021 23:04 by Pierpaolo Matrone

Photo Article
Negative performance for Victor Osimhen , never really in the game against Inter. Alessandro Costacurta , former defender and talent of Sky Sport, also spoke about it in the post-match of the satellite broadcaster: "I've been watching Osimhen for a while and it seems to me that he is still immature in the area. He does not have the movement and the counter-movement to free himself in the area. I don't know if it's a matter of training, if he's not confident because he has been out for a long time. It seems almost easy to mark him because he doesn't get free.

And this here is an accurate report of Osimhen. He needs to adapt his game. You need smart runs and movement these days, hustle and brawl is not enough.

With all due respect to Costacurta, I’m not sure what game he was watching......you can’t make runs if there is no space to run into......

For anyone who thinks Osimhen is “all brawn, no brains” watch the Sampdoria game carefully......

He was watching the same game we all watched and is speaking the truth, like I and others have been saying.

This doesn't mean we are not big Osimehn fans. I am. But we want him to improve his game so he can be a truly elite player. Maybe you are satisfied with what he currently is, I am not.

I noticed this trend with Osimehn even in his Lille days. He just sticks to the centre backs and doesn't do anything dynamic besides try and muscle his way through them.

He can't just play off the shoulder of defenders all the time. He needs to come back into midfield, make diagonal runs, delay his runs. He is far too predictable and that is why he often struggles in Serie A, where defending is an art.

His game now, he will do well against the likes of Benin and Lesotho, he will also do well when we counter attack teams and are given space. Where Osimehm needs to improve is going up against stubborn defemces when we are in possession.

Unless you are satisfied with him just being a "good" striker and not a great one.

Sometimes you need to accept reality to move on, Osimehn ain't the finished product yet.

[tedder89]

Costacurta rejects Osimhen: "Unripe and too easy to mark, he doesn't have the right moves in the box"
18.04.2021 23:04 by Pierpaolo Matrone

Photo Article
Negative performance for Victor Osimhen , never really in the game against Inter. Alessandro Costacurta , former defender and talent of Sky Sport, also spoke about it in the post-match of the satellite broadcaster: "I've been watching Osimhen for a while and it seems to me that he is still immature in the area. He does not have the movement and the counter-movement to free himself in the area. I don't know if it's a matter of training, if he's not confident because he has been out for a long time. It seems almost easy to mark him because he doesn't get free.

And this here is an accurate report of Osimhen. He needs to adapt his game. You need smart runs and movement these days, hustle and brawl is not enough.

With all due respect to Costacurta, I’m not sure what game he was watching......you can’t make runs if there is no space to run into......

For anyone who thinks Osimhen is “all brawn, no brains” watch the Sampdoria game carefully......

He was watching the same game we all watched and is speaking the truth, like I and others have been saying.

This doesn't mean we are not big Osimehn fans. I am. But we want him to improve his game so he can be a truly elite player. Maybe you are satisfied with what he currently is, I am not.

I noticed this trend with Osimehn even in his Lille days. He just sticks to the centre backs and doesn't do anything dynamic besides try and muscle his way through them.

He can't just play off the shoulder of defenders all the time. He needs to come back into midfield, make diagonal runs, delay his runs. He is far too predictable and that is why he often struggles in Serie A, where defending is an art.

His game now, he will do well against the likes of Benin and Lesotho, he will also do well when we counter attack teams and are given space. Where Osimehm needs to improve is going up against stubborn defemces when we are in possession.

Unless you are satisfied with him just being a "good" striker and not a great one.

Sometimes you need to accept reality to move on, Osimehn ain't the finished product yet.

Nowhere ever have I said Vic is the finished product; my point is the challenges he faced in the Inter game were different from the previous game hence his need to tailor his movement accordingly.

The Samp game was a better guage of his movement and he was tireless because the space was there to run into; his team mates were not always co-operative but he made a lot of good runs, lateral, deep and coming short to receive the ball.

The Ruiz goal game from quick interchange of passes where he was involved and his goal was from sub Mertens who finally gave him the kind of ball he had been yearning for all game.

Again; is Vic the finished product? Definitely not, but to say that he is not currently showing the tools in his arsenal to be successful in Serie A is fallacy. I believe his team mates want his success as indicated by how they all swarmed around him when he scored; but the current tactics don't favor what he brings to the table.

I hope whoever replaces Gattuso has a different approach.....

[gochino]

Costacurta rejects Osimhen: "Unripe and too easy to mark, he doesn't have the right moves in the box"
18.04.2021 23:04 by Pierpaolo Matrone

Photo Article
Negative performance for Victor Osimhen , never really in the game against Inter. Alessandro Costacurta , former defender and talent of Sky Sport, also spoke about it in the post-match of the satellite broadcaster: "I've been watching Osimhen for a while and it seems to me that he is still immature in the area. He does not have the movement and the counter-movement to free himself in the area. I don't know if it's a matter of training, if he's not confident because he has been out for a long time. It seems almost easy to mark him because he doesn't get free.

And this here is an accurate report of Osimhen. He needs to adapt his game. You need smart runs and movement these days, hustle and brawl is not enough.

With all due respect to Costacurta, I’m not sure what game he was watching......you can’t make runs if there is no space to run into......

For anyone who thinks Osimhen is “all brawn, no brains” watch the Sampdoria game carefully......

Thanks for that! It is amazing how people analyse games here. How can you make runs if your team keeps passing the ball aimlessly just before the box 18??? Where is the space when the box 18 has become jam packed with opposing players due to Napoli's sluggish and aimless build up? You want him to run into the stands or what? The same Osimhen that has the most goals and assists in the last couple of games for Nigeria, which include games against top teams like Ukraine and Brazil, is suddenly not good enough and can't make runs? Was he not among the top scores in Belgium and France where he played previously? Face it, Gattuso's team doesn't play effective football, they used to play in the Champions league before his arrival...And that is why he would be sacked soon.

[maceo4]

Costacurta rejects Osimhen: "Unripe and too easy to mark, he doesn't have the right moves in the box"
18.04.2021 23:04 by Pierpaolo Matrone

Photo Article
Negative performance for Victor Osimhen , never really in the game against Inter. Alessandro Costacurta , former defender and talent of Sky Sport, also spoke about it in the post-match of the satellite broadcaster: "I've been watching Osimhen for a while and it seems to me that he is still immature in the area. He does not have the movement and the counter-movement to free himself in the area. I don't know if it's a matter of training, if he's not confident because he has been out for a long time. It seems almost easy to mark him because he doesn't get free.

And this here is an accurate report of Osimhen. He needs to adapt his game. You need smart runs and movement these days, hustle and brawl is not enough.

With all due respect to Costacurta, I’m not sure what game he was watching......you can’t make runs if there is no space to run into......

For anyone who thinks Osimhen is “all brawn, no brains” watch the Sampdoria game carefully......

Thanks for that! It is amazing how people analyse games here. How can you make runs if your team keeps passing the ball aimlessly just before the box 18??? Where is the space when the box 18 has become jam packed with opposing players due to Napoli's sluggish and aimless build up? You want him to run into the stands or what? The same Osimhen that has the most goals and assists in the last couple of games for Nigeria, which include games against top teams like Ukraine and Brazil, is suddenly not good enough and can't make runs? Was he not among the top scores in Belgium and France where he played previously? Face it, Gattuso's team doesn't play effective football, they used to play in the Champions league before his arrival...And that is why he would be sacked soon.

The way I read it, he was talking about 'runs in the area' as in his movement IN THE BOX. Smart movement in the box which will get defenders out of position and could get you free. The worst players to mark are those that constantly moving and taking up smart positions rather than mainly being static in the box. I think its a fair criticism and an area he needs to improve b/c he generally positions himself in the box in between defenders waiting for the ball, even when his teammates break into the box he doesn't do enough to create separation and free himself from the defenders and has been a little static since coming back from the long layoff. No need for us to be sensitive, I think a former world class defender might know a thing or two about this stuff...I also do agree that I don't like the way Napoli play, but these things are mutually exclusive. He can still have better movement in the box regardless of how the team is set up to play.

[gochino]

Costacurta rejects Osimhen: "Unripe and too easy to mark, he doesn't have the right moves in the box"
18.04.2021 23:04 by Pierpaolo Matrone

Photo Article
Negative performance for Victor Osimhen , never really in the game against Inter. Alessandro Costacurta , former defender and talent of Sky Sport, also spoke about it in the post-match of the satellite broadcaster: "I've been watching Osimhen for a while and it seems to me that he is still immature in the area. He does not have the movement and the counter-movement to free himself in the area. I don't know if it's a matter of training, if he's not confident because he has been out for a long time. It seems almost easy to mark him because he doesn't get free.

And this here is an accurate report of Osimhen. He needs to adapt his game. You need smart runs and movement these days, hustle and brawl is not enough.

With all due respect to Costacurta, I’m not sure what game he was watching......you can’t make runs if there is no space to run into......

For anyone who thinks Osimhen is “all brawn, no brains” watch the Sampdoria game carefully......

Thanks for that! It is amazing how people analyse games here. How can you make runs if your team keeps passing the ball aimlessly just before the box 18??? Where is the space when the box 18 has become jam packed with opposing players due to Napoli's sluggish and aimless build up? You want him to run into the stands or what? The same Osimhen that has the most goals and assists in the last couple of games for Nigeria, which include games against top teams like Ukraine and Brazil, is suddenly not good enough and can't make runs? Was he not among the top scores in Belgium and France where he played previously? Face it, Gattuso's team doesn't play effective football, they used to play in the Champions league before his arrival...And that is why he would be sacked soon.

The way I read it, he was talking about 'runs in the area' as in his movement IN THE BOX. Smart movement in the box which will get defenders out of position and could get you free. The worst players to mark are those that constantly moving and taking up smart positions rather than mainly being static in the box. I think its a fair criticism and an area he needs to improve b/c he generally positions himself in the box in between defenders waiting for the ball, even when his teammates break into the box he doesn't do enough to create separation and free himself from the defenders and has been a little static since coming back from the long layoff. No need for us to be sensitive, I think a former world class defender might know a thing or two about this stuff...I also do agree that I don't like the way Napoli play, but these things are mutually exclusive. He can still have better movement in the box regardless of how the team is set up to play.

Yeah thats what am saying too, to create space infront, the team need to bring the ball creatively and quickly out of the back ( like Liverpool Leicester and Mancity) this will draw out the opposing players and create space in front for the attackers to run into. If they delay with their slow build up, every striker would struggle. A striker is only as good as his Midfield and I feel he is doing his best considering the situation.

[Sunset]

I'm pretty surprised by some of the takes on his "positioning" when theres only so much a striker can do when faced with 3 CB's. Yet theres not a single mention of the ridiculous amount of shots his wingers and AM were taking from outside the box and I thought that was exclusive to NPFL players.

[gochino]

I'm pretty surprised by some of the takes on his "positioning" when theres only so much a striker can do when faced with 3 CB's. Yet theres not a single mention of the ridiculous amount of shots his wingers and AM were taking from outside the box and I thought that was exclusive to NPFL players.

Its really amazing that we have so many "Uncle Toms" here. If Musa should do that, they would refer to him as headless chicken!

[Ugbowo]

He's on the bench today.

We can continue to blame his midfielders and AMs.

[aruako1]

He's on the bench today.

We can continue to blame his midfielders and AMs.

Or maybe it is down to him settling into a new league.

[vancity eagle]

I'm pretty surprised by some of the takes on his "positioning" when theres only so much a striker can do when faced with 3 CB's. Yet theres not a single mention of the ridiculous amount of shots his wingers and AM were taking from outside the box and I thought that was exclusive to NPFL players.

These "takes" are not based only on the Inter game, but I will repeat again that I noticed this trend with Osimehn going back to his Lille days, so you cannot blame "selfish wingers" or "Napoli slow buildup"

Osimehn must improve his game. END OF STORY.

If you like stay in denial.

[vancity eagle]

He's on the bench today.

We can continue to blame his midfielders and AMs.

I am not surprised. In fact Id be shocked if he started today after last week's performance.

[vancity eagle]

He's on the bench today.

We can continue to blame his midfielders and AMs.

Or maybe it is down to him settling into a new league.

No, he just has to improve his game. He was doing the same thing at Lille. It's just more apparent now as he goes up against better defenders.

[bushboy]

He's on the bench today.

We can continue to blame his midfielders and AMs.

I don't think he was named in the squad. Not on the bench.

[tedder89]

He's on the bench today.

We can continue to blame his midfielders and AMs.

I don't think he was named in the squad. Not on the bench.

He's listed in all the line-ups I'm seeing as on the bench......

[bushboy]

He's on the bench today.

We can continue to blame his midfielders and AMs.

I don't think he was named in the squad. Not on the bench.

He's listed in all the line-ups I'm seeing as on the bench......

He's not listed in the lineup that I saw.

Anyway, Napoli were already 2-0 up after 12 minutes. Almost half time now.