Osimhen not ranked Napoli’s best confirming Mikel’s claim about his technical deficiencies
While praising his current form, Mikel was quick to point out a flaw in Osimhen’s game
Super Eagles red hot striker Victor Osimhen is generally assumed to the best player in Napoli and also fans favourite but a recent survey by technical experts ranked another player above him.
A survey of Napoli’s best five players in 2023 is unveiled below:
- CM André-Frank Zambo Anguissa
It is not easy to narrow the list down to five, and there were a number of candidates here. Mário Rui and Giovanni Di Lorenzo have been the best fullback pairing in European football this season, Piotr Zieliński is one of the best midfielders at getting forward, and there are a number of excellent forwards besides Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
But ultimately, André-Frank Zambo Anguissa has to get the nod for his all-around play. Anguissa remains underrated despite being a legitimate star in a third different league. He was great for Villarreal and Fulham, but he has found even more success – and a greater purpose – at Napoli.
Anguissa averages 1.7 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per match. He also averages at least one key pass, dribble completed, and foul drawn per game. He is the definition of an all-around star in midfield, using his body so well to shield defenders and turn possession into progression on the ball. Anguissa’s intensity, ball-winning, intelligence, and progressive play are fundamental to Napoli’s success.
- DM Stanislav Lobotka
The best midfielder on the team, though, is none other than Stanislav Lobotka. True football fans understand that Lobotka is one fo the best Napoli players, as they see how he keeps playing ticking. Everything runs through Lobotka, and as AC Milan showed us, the key to stopping the Partenopei may just be suffocating Lobotka as an outlet.
With 2.3 tackles per game, Lobotka is the main ball-winner for the Partenopei, and he is also the midfielder with the most passes per game. Lobotka completes 94.2 percent of his attempts, ranking him as one of the most accurate passers on the planet.
So good under pressure, Lobotka is adept at finding teammates in better positions. He recycles play, resets the attacking patterns, and helps the likes of Kvaratskhelia, Zieliński, and Anguissa get forward into space.
- CB Kim Min-Jae
Kim Min-Jae isn’t just one of the best Napoli players in 2023; he is also one of the absolute best center backs on the planet right now.
Though Kvaratskhelia has understandably generated the most headlines as the signing of the season in all of European football, Kim is probably the second-best. A bargain find by Napoli, Kim has been a warrior at the back for the club, showing great strength in the air and quality in the tackle.
The 26-year-old is averaging 1.6 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game despite only being dribbled past 0.1 times per match. So not only is he a wall for attackers in one-on-ones, but he is also actually actively winning the ball for his team. Offensively, Kim is a huge asset, scoring goals in the air and averaging more passes per game than anyone else on the team with a completion percentage a touch above 90,
- ST Victor Osimhen
Victor Osimhen is one of the elite strikers in European football, scoring 21 goals with 4 assists in 23 Serie A appearances. He means so much to Napoli, as his runs behind the defense can create chances out of nothing. Osimhen is one of the best in the world at driving at defenders, often taking on – and beating – two or three players to score a goal from a tough angle.
The 24-year-old’s ability to score from just about any situation in the box is a game-changer. Osimhen opens up the pitch for the other players, forming a brutally effective connection with left winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. A star for Lille before joining Napoli, Osimhen has now become the most highly-sought attacker on the transfer market, as only Erling Haaland can say he is more prolific in front of goal.
- LW Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is the story of the season. The 22-year-old Georgian playmaker has used both feet, subtle skills, and a joyous playing style to put Serie A on strings. There are so many players responsible for Napoli’s success, but nobody embodies the spirit of the club more than Kvara. His immediate impact on the 2022/23 season – his first in Calcio – had fans of the club already believing in the Scudetto. And Kvara is now on the precipice of delivering that elusive title to the city of Naples.
His numbers are stunning. Kvaratskhelia has 12 goals, 10 assists, 2.0 dribbles completed per game, and 1.8 key passes per match. Yet the numbers still somehow don’t do justice to both how brilliant Kvaratskhelia is and how important he is to Napoli. There are times when he truly seems unstoppable, and the only way to stop him is, as Inter showed, to foul him mercilessly. In a fair fight, he stands above the rest of Serie A.
The choice of Kvaratskhelia over Osimhen buttressed what former Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi said recently about Osimhen, that he is not technically astute though he believes the Napoli striker would be of great interest to Manchester United this summer
Speaking on Dubai Eye 103.8 Sport, Mikel spoke highly of Osimhen’s current form, suggesting he could be on his way to the Premier League this summer, with Man United reportedly interested in signing him.
However, Mikel was quick to point out a flaw in the striker’s game, stating that he is not as technically gifted as some other players.
Despite this, Mikel was still convinced that Osimhen is a player that every club would like to have, as he has a knack for scoring goals.
“Is he very good technically? Not as much, but he will give you goals for sure,” said Mikel Obi.
“When you look at Victor Osimhen, he is doing very well for Napoli, he is playing very well. He’s going to be on the market this summer, I think Man United are definitely going to be looking for him.”
