Napoli return from the international break with a need for direction as much as points. A difficult opening, injuries and the missed chance against Inter in Milan — when Anguissa failed to convert a potential winner — have left Massimiliano Allegri searching for a clearer path up the Serie A table.
The decision
Allegri is expected to consider a move away from his initial 4-3-3, with a 3-5-2 emerging as the shape most capable of making use of the players currently available. It is not a system he treats as an article of faith, but it may offer Napoli greater balance while several important men remain unavailable.
The proposed back three would consist of Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani and Mathías Olivera. Stanislav Lobotka, Kevin De Bruyne and Billy Gilmour could form the central midfield, with Matteo Politano — or Favasuli — on one flank and Leonardo Spinazzola on the other. Rasmus Hojlund and Vergara are being considered as the attacking partnership.
It would be a temporary but significant framework as Napoli wait for the injured players to return, above all Scott McTominay. Anguissa’s situation also remains to be clarified following the Inter match.
There should soon be more attacking options for Allegri. David Neres, Alisson and Noa Lang are expected to be fully available, while Giovane remains another forward alternative. Even so, the likely plan is to establish a core side and then rotate around it as the calendar becomes more demanding.
October brings six fixtures, including two Champions League ties, and November will contain another six-match sequence. Allegri has indicated that a more complete version of his Napoli should be seen in November, once the squad is healthier and the players have had time to settle into the coach’s work.
The international break has not made that process easy. Ten Napoli players have been away with their national teams, leaving limited opportunity to rehearse any structural changes. Once the final internationals are completed, Allegri will have only four days to prepare for the league restart.
There is pressure around the club after Napoli collected seven points from their first five league matches. Supporters have also renewed their criticism of president Aurelio De Laurentiis following a transfer window considered insufficient. After the heavy investment of €300 million across the previous two major recruitment campaigns, the feeling is that an ageing squad was not adequately refreshed.
Yet Napoli are still regarded as capable of competing. The principal target is to regain a Champions League place through their league position, and a convincing response after the break would help restore confidence around the Maradona.
Sunday’s picture
The immediate test is at home to Frosinone, who sit sixth, three points ahead of Napoli, and arrive in high spirits after a commanding win over Cesc Fabregas’s Como.
October will quickly test Napoli’s capacity to recover momentum. The Maradona will host Frosinone, Bodø/Glimt and Roma, while trips to Villarreal, Venezia and Monza complete a demanding month. For Allegri, the issue is not merely choosing a formation for one afternoon: it is giving a restless season an identity before the schedule begins to close in.
