How Spalletti used Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia to transform Napoli from chaser to leader

Italian manager Luciano Spalletti has transformed Napoli from a team on the cusp to a dominant force, electrifying his players to end a three-decade-long wait, Apollo Heyes writes.

The Partenopei will be deserved winners of the Serie A title this season, having looked unstoppable for long periods and employing some of the most attractive, attacking football on offer across the continent.

Whilst it may be hard to imagine now, Napoli did not come into this season as a team tipped for glory, with some commentators even suggesting that Spalletti’s side may end up finishing outside the top four spots.

The departure of numerous stalwarts – from Lorenzo Insigne to Kalidou Koulibaly – was upsetting for fans and left many concerned about the immediate future of the team, unsure how well new arrivals like Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Kim Min-Jae would slot into the squad.

Incredibly, these new signings only added more layers to Spalletti’s system in the Campania capital and Napoli quickly took pole position in the Serie A title race, something they haven’t let slip across the entire campaign.

Compared to the 2021-22 season, then, what do the underlying numbers say about Napoli’s transformation from chasers to leaders?

Two players who have made the most visible contributions to Napoli’s Scudetto success this season are Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen, who’ve emerged as one of the most dangerous attacking partnerships in European football.

Their exploits this campaign, alongside those from their Partenopei teammates, have seen the team produce a npxG+xAG (non-penalty expected goals plus expected assisted goals) of 2.90 per 90 minutes, the second highest in the Italian topflight behind Inter.

For the 2021-22 season, Napoli’s npxG+xAG per 90 minutes was only 2.20, the ninth best in Serie A. This clearly shows how much more dangerous and creative Spalletti’s side have become in the space of a year, able to put themselves in better positions and create better chances on a consistent basis.

There is also an extra bite to Napoli’s attack – this season, they’ve averaged 5.39 shots on target per 90 minutes, more than any of their counterparts, and the year prior their average shots on target per 90 minutes was only 4.89, suggesting that the team are being smarter in the final third and making their forward ventures count more.

This more efficient decision making in the final third is also reflected by their average shot distance – 16.9 yards this season to 18.2 last campaign, a symptom of their increased attacking intelligence and more threatening movements.

Another important ingredient to Napoli’s success is their hard-working and inventive midfield, with players like Stanislav Lobotka, Piotr Zielinski and André-Frank Zambo Anguissa all playing a prominent part in their rise to the top.

This season, Napoli have averaged 747.4 touches of the ball per 90 minutes, over 100 more than second place Monza. In comparison, the 2021-22 season saw Spalletti’s side touch the ball 700.1 times per 90 minutes, the second most behind Lazio. This highlights their increased domination of possession, quick plays and confidence on the ball.

In tandem with this is their better circulation of the ball, completing an average of 550.7 passes per 90 minutes this campaign compared to 515.1 last term. This rise is reflective of the Partenopei’s ability to control matches more, being more patient and focused in build-up before finally pulling the trigger.

This more deliberate production has allowed Napoli to get into better positions and produce more chances, producing 29.10 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes this season, a noticeable increase to the 26.87 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes generated last campaign.

The final element of Napoli’s intoxicating cocktail is their impressive and resilient defence, something that players like Kim Min-Jae, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Amir Rrahmani have shined in this season.

However, the backline is helped by Spalletti’s clever deployment of a rest defence, allowing the team to quickly neutralise attacks and win back possession far away from their defensive third.

The Partenopei have only allowed an average of 2.71 shots on their goal this campaign, the lowest in Serie A, a significant reduction compared to the 3.58 shots on target they faced last year, symbolic of their ability to remain firm at the back.

Napoli’s developed ability to win the ball further up the pitch is also reflected in the stats; Spalletti’s side have averaged 2.81 tackles in their attacking third this season, far more than the 2.03 they averaged last term, signposting how they immediately pounce after losing the ball, rather than allowing their opponents to kickstart their own build-up play.

Despite their on-pitch hunger, however, the Partenopei have done well to remain disciplined, committing an average of 10.0 fouls per 90 minutes in the 2022-23 season, 2.1 less than the campaign prior, suggesting that the team are making less mistakes and being in vulnerable positions less often.