Rudi Garcia sees a ‘lack of determination’ from Napoli in their 2-2 draw with Genoa, admitting he ‘expected’ a better reaction to their Lazio defeat, but also reveals a change of plan for Natan.
It has been a shaky start to the season for Garcia, who was drafted in to replace Scudetto-winner Luciano Spalletti.
After an opening two wins, they were beaten 2-1 at home by Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio and tonight had to fight back from 2-0 down to scrape a point with newly-promoted Genoa at Marassi.
They were two substitutes who found the net, Giacomo Raspadori with a ferocious strike and the Matteo Politano volley on a Piotr Zielinski floated pass.
It is the third time in four Serie A games under Garcia that Napoli conceded the opening goal.
“We know that we did not play well, especially in the first half, as we didn’t create much. We also conceded two goals from corner situations and that too reflects a lack of determination,” Garcia told Sky Sport Italia.
“There was a foul on Frank Zambo and also handball on the Matias Olivera cross, but the draw was not down to those incidents. We were simply not determined enough.
“For almost an hour, we did not play well, but at least we had a reaction and the light came from the bench, but it remains two lost points rather than one gained.
“We saw today PSG lost, Bayern Munich struggled too, so it is tough after a break for international duty and before a Champions League game.”
Some of Garcia’s substitutions were surprising and he seemed to adapt to a 4-4-1-1 formation with Raspadori behind Victor Osimhen.
“I always said we should have more options available to us, so using Raspadori behind Osimhen is one of them. Raspadori participated in all four games this season, he started two of them and was unlucky not to score more goals, as one was disallowed by a matter of millimetres.
“Raspadori can play as a centre-forward, as a trequartista the way he did tonight, out wide in a trident or in any midfield role too. He is versatile and that is always valuable for a coach.”
Napoli need to get themselves back in shape quickly, because on Wednesday they play in the Champions League group phase opener away to SC Braga.
“The Champions League cannot be an objective, but it can be an ambition. In Serie A, we were coming off a home defeat and I expected my team to be more of a protagonist tonight. I hope we learn from this that we must play at 100 per cent from the first minute to the last, not just show character when reacting to a situation.
“I hope we do not need three goals to win every game, so we must also become more solid in defence.”
Natan was rumoured to be starting in defence, but Amir Rrahmani returned from international duty with an injury.
“That was the original plan, but we could not risk Rrahmani and therefore I couldn’t change two of the back four. Leo Ostigard did well and is more accustomed to playing in that system. Natan will get his chance in future, it is just postponed.”
Napoli are now man-marking on set plays rather than zonal marking, so is that affecting the two goals conceded from set plays?
“Not this time, because we made the mistake on the cross. My two men doing zonal marking were not in a good position and then we lacked the other marker because he was fouled. On the second goal, we were a little passive and that showed the general lack of determination throughout. We only woke up when we were 2-0 down and with the substitutes.
“Speaking of which, I liked the impact of Cajuste in midfield, we needed that.”
Victor Osimhen would be crazy to renew that contract