It feels like a long time since Antonio Conte said his Napoli side had “melted like snow in the sunshine” after a 3-0 defeat against Verona in the opening match of their Serie A campaign.
Now Conte’s side are shining in the Neapolitan sun, sitting three points ahead of Inter at the top of the table with four games remaining.
Their excellent form vindicates a pragmatic approach from Conte, who has adapted the team to suit the strengths of the players who came in late last summer.
On deadline day, Napoli acquired Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour from the Premier League, one day after Romelu Lukaku joined the side to reunite with Conte and eight days after the signing of David Neres from Benfica was completed.
The positions Neres, Lukaku and Gilmour would occupy weren’t a matter of discussion, but to get the best out of McTominay, Conte had to alter the midfielder’s role.
“When I got into the first team (at Manchester United), I was quite misprofiled in where I was playing,” McTominay told The Athletic last month. “It wasn’t the fault of any coaches.
“My strengths have always been getting into the box, scoring goals, being a problem in there, but I was being used as a No 6 (holding midfielder) or as a centre-back and that has never really been my game. In the last few seasons, I began to get into the box a bit more, to score more goals, and then last year was my best one.”
McTominay is operating in his preferred role with Napoli (Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
Conte wanted to adapt to the characteristics of the players “to find the best fit for the team” after starting the season in one shape before changing to another. “At the beginning, we went for the 3-4-2-1 because that was the most suitable shape for the team,” Napoli’s head coach told DAZN in January.
“Then, with the arrivals of McTominay, Romelu Lukaku and David Neres, the situation changed, especially with Scott.
“Before reaching the 4-3-3, we also played a 4-2-2-2 for several games, with Scott playing up front with Romelu and the wingers moving infield.”
Conte believes that a 4-3-3, with wide wingers and McTominay as the most advanced of the midfield trio (below), brings the best out of his squad.
However, there was a month of adaptation in February when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s departure to Paris Saint-Germain and Neres’ injury forced Conte to adjust his approach once again.
During that period, the attacking shape was skewed, with Giacomo Raspadori partnering Lukaku up front, while McTominay pushed forward from midfield and left-back Leonardo Spinazzola occupied the wing.
In all iterations of Napoli’s attack this season, McTominay’s role has remained constant — he is the most advanced midfielder and his main task is to be a threat inside the penalty area, using late runs from midfield to attack crosses.
The technical qualities of Gilmour, Stanislav Lobotka and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa have meant that McTominay isn’t burdened with dropping deeper to build the attacks and progress the ball up the pitch. His role plays to his strengths and doesn’t put him in uncomfortable situations.
McTominay’s impact is clear — a tally of 11 league goals for Napoli this season illustrates that playing him in a more advanced position suits his profile.
In Napoli’s 2-0 victory against Torino on April 27, McTominay’s first goal came from a free kick played short. Here, McTominay is by the edge of the penalty area as Giovanni Di Lorenzo finds Anguissa’s run into the box.
As Anguissa is reaching the ball, McTominay attacks the space to be in a cutback position…
… but when Amir Rrahmani moves towards that zone, the Scotland midfielder immediately adjusts his run. Rrahmani’s movement forces Torino’s defender to move up and McTominay changes his direction to attack the vacant space.
Meanwhile, Anguissa plays the ball into that space…
… and McTominay scores despite his shot deflecting off Torino’s Saul Coco.
In another example, from the 1-0 victory against Monza last month, McTominay is inside the penalty as Napoli are attacking down the left wing.
Initially, McTominay is positioned in front of Monza’s central centre-back, Luca Caldirola, with Lukaku and Matteo Politano occupying the left centre-back and wing-back.
As Spinazzola passes the ball to Raspadori, McTominay adjusts his position to attack Caldirola from his blind side…
… knowing that Lukaku and Politano are pinning the left centre-back and wing-back. This minor adjustment gives McTominay an advantage over Caldirola, especially with the left side of the defence unable to cover for the centre-back.
Raspadori then crosses the ball into the space behind Caldirola…
… and McTominay attacks the cross to score the winner.
McTominay’s influence on Napoli’s attack goes beyond his goals because his movement inside the penalty area attracts the opponents and creates space for his team-mates.
In the reverse fixture against Monza, McTominay doesn’t touch the ball in Politano’s goal, but his movement is vital. Here, the right-winger tries to combine with Lukaku only to see Alessandro Bianco intercept…
… but the ball falls into the path of Politano’s run.
Inside the penalty area, McTominay is marked by Monza’s right centre-back, Armando Izzo…
… and he attacks the space to offer Politano a cutback option. Because of McTominay’s movement, Monza’s central centre-back, Pablo Mari (No 22), hesitates and puts his body weight on his left leg…
… which allows Politano more time on the ball and a better shooting angle.
Napoli’s right-winger seizes the opportunity and puts the ball between the goalkeeper’s legs to score the opener.
Politano was the beneficiary of McTominay’s gravitational pull in another victory, this time away to Atalanta in January.
In this example, Alex Meret’s long ball is headed down by Lukaku, with McTominay in position to receive the ball.
McTominay then plays it wide to Neres and dashes forward, with Marten de Roon keeping an eye on the Scotland midfielder.
As Neres carries the ball forward, Lukaku holds his position to offer a link-up option and McTominay moves towards the penalty area. Meanwhile, Politano makes a diagonal run into the space behind Isak Hien, who is pinned by Lukaku.
Politano’s dash puts him in the perfect position when Neres dribbles towards the left wing. However, that freedom isn’t achievable without Lukaku’s positioning and McTominay’s movement.
Napoli’s centre-forward occupied Hien by the edge of the penalty area and forced him to be out of position. As for McTominay, the midfielder’s movement towards the far post prevents Giorgio Scalvini from following Politano and keeps De Roon in a more central position.
Neres then finds the free Politano…
… and the right-winger smashes the ball into the roof of the net.
Using Lukaku as a springboard to hold the play and find midfield runners is another move which complements McTominay’s ability to attack the space.
In this attack, from the 3-0 victory against Empoli in April, Rrahmani plays a long ball towards Lukaku…
… who controls it and attracts Empoli’s central centre-back, Luca Marianucci, and midfielder Alberto Grassi. As Lukaku tries to find a passing option, McTominay dashes into the vacant space in midfield…
… to receive the ball from his centre-forward. Simultaneously, Politano’s forward run occupies Empoli’s left centre-back, while the right centre-back is marking Neres.
The positioning of Napoli’s wingers means Empoli’s wide centre-backs can’t commit to the ball. Combined with the central centre-back being in no man’s land, McTominay can freely dribble forward…
… before striking the ball into the bottom corner.
McTominay’s rise at Napoli is a testament to his true abilities and Conte’s adaptation to the profiles he has in his squad.
“What I want to give for the people here is the championship,” McTominay told Serie A’s official channel last month. “That’s the most important thing I need in my career as well.
“I think about it all the time. I want to be the guy who takes us there.”
(Top photo: Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)