Napoli’s rebuilding work has reached an awkward point: the defence has looked vulnerable, the attack has lacked a steady figure, and Rasmus Hojlund is carrying the responsibility of being the side’s main centre-forward without turning effort into goals. The Danish striker remains trusted by Massimiliano Allegri, but his eight-match scoring drought is becoming a wider concern for the club.
The decision
Hojlund has scored twice in Serie A, with both goals arriving early in the campaign against Como and Inter in the second and third rounds. Since then, the forward line has not found the same certainty. Lorenzo Lucca has fallen out of the immediate picture, while injuries have forced changes in the wide areas, leaving Hojlund as Napoli’s most consistent attacking reference.
Against Roma at the Maradona on Saturday night, he worked without reward. The 191cm forward dropped back, protected possession, pressed and made repeated runs, while also coming close with a header that he could not direct properly. His underlying numbers were among his better returns of the season, registering 0.41 expected goals and 0.46 expected assists, but the final scoreline again offered no goal.
His broader Serie A record underlines the issue. Across 550 minutes, Hojlund has produced 1.43 xG and 0.87 xA. His chance-creation return places him 42nd among Serie A players, behind Napoli team-mates Kevin De Bruyne, Mathias Olivera and Noa Lang. His average xG of 0.33 per match puts him much further down the league rankings, in 90th place.
| Hojlund’s Serie A figures | Total |
|---|---|
| Minutes played | 550 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Expected goals | 1.43 |
| Expected assists | 0.87 |
| xG per match | 0.33 |
| Average distance covered | 9.4 km |
| Average sprints | 16.4 |
The work rate is not in doubt. His movement map shows him operating across the attacking third and returning to support the side behind the ball. Yet several defensive measures remain at zero, including interceptions, tackles and blocked shots. He has also not scored a header, a penalty or a free-kick in the league.
Allegri has asked for calm rather than a reaction to every missed chance. Before the Roma match, the coach pointed to the load placed on his striker: “Hojlund has played every match since the start of the season for Napoli and for Denmark, apart from the first half in Venice. I am pleased with his work; he needs to stay calm.”
That workload has become part of the discussion. Hojlund played close to 4,000 minutes last season, and long periods without scoring have featured in his recent career. After his debut goal against Fiorentina, he needed two Serie A rounds and a Champions League appearance before striking twice against Sporting Lisbon and scoring against Genoa. Another seven-game dry spell followed, before goals against Juventus, Milan in the Supercoppa and a further brace against Cremonese. His latest prolonged barren run last season stretched from March to May.
His Denmark spell, where he scored three times and forced an own goal in four appearances, briefly changed the mood around him. Antonio Conte, who presented him as a player with the potential to become a major success, had already placed considerable faith in his qualities. Napoli’s investment reflects that belief: Hojlund cost €50 million and earns around €5 million per season, making him one of the most expensive signings of the Aurelio De Laurentiis era.
For now, Napoli are asking him to do much more than finish moves. De Bruyne, Scott McTominay and Frank Anguissa have provided leadership and output in other areas, but the forward department still needs its central striker to make his influence decisive. Allegri’s patience is clear; the next part of the season will show whether Hojlund can convert hard running and encouraging metrics into the goals Napoli require.
Sunday’s picture
The defeat to Roma added to the sense that Napoli’s internal reorganisation remains incomplete. There is no shortage of effort from Hojlund, nor a lack of confidence from his coach, but the gap between his involvement and his output is now central to Napoli’s championship story. A centre-forward can contribute beyond goals, but in a side searching for balance at both ends of the pitch, goals remain the clearest way to change the direction of a season.
