Maurizio Sarri said the key to getting the best out of Gonzalo Higuain is “tell him to his face what he’s doing well and wrong.”
The Napoli Coach spoke to Sky Sport Italia after a 2-1 victory over Juventus, in which Higuain scored one and created another for Lorenzo Insigne.
“I have a very clear and direct rapport with Higuain, so I tell him to his face what he’s doing well and what he’s doing wrong,” Sarri told Sky Sport Italia.
Maurizio Sarri said the key to getting the best out of Gonzalo Higuain is “tell him to his face what he’s doing well and wrong.”
The Napoli Coach spoke to Sky Sport Italia after a 2-1 victory over Juventus, in which Higuain scored one and created another for Lorenzo Insigne.
“I have a very clear and direct rapport with Higuain, so I tell him to his face what he’s doing well and what he’s doing wrong,” Sarri told Sky Sport Italia.
“He needs to be aware that he is one of the best centre-forwards in the world and must therefore play like it. He needs to make his mark in the locker room and really go for the goal more.
“I help motivate him, as I realise how great he is and urge him to do more, because I know that he can.”
Sarri had been criticised in the opening few rounds for disappointing results, including defeat to Sassuolo and 2-2 draws with Empoli and Sampdoria.
“Until the other day people talked about us as a team in crisis, yet over the last four games we’ve got 10 points, scored 12 goals and conceded one. That doesn’t seem bad for a team in trouble.
“How far we can go, I don’t know. We are coming off a season where Napoli finished fifth. I believe we can comfortably be in the top seven, although at this stage I couldn’t say in what position.”
The turnaround seems to have occurred when Sarri scrapped the 4-3-1-2 in favour of a 4-3-3.
“When we tried 4-3-3 the first few times, it was a real struggle. Once the lads got in sync with the right movements and perhaps above all have reached their physical fitness, they can push all over the field and press opponents.
“Higuain did hard work, but he did it very well for long periods.”
The defence had been disastrous, but Napoli have conceded only one goal in their last three competitive outings.
“Koulibaly is physically like a monster, he’s so strong! He has decent technique, can make some mistakes, but he’s a player with great potential. He leaned on Simone Zaza a few times and ran some risks.
“Usually I feel calmer the closer I get to a game. I was much more tense yesterday than today. I was able to focus. Of course, San Paolo with 50,000 people against Juventus is going to be an emotional occasion.”