Serie A's Top 5 sides' performances analysed
Twelve games in, it is safe to say that this season’s instalment of the Serie A has been a thrilling one with blowouts, goals, and excitement (aided by the introduction of Video Assistant Referee technology).
La Vecchia Signora or the Old Lady as Juventus are known are not having it all their way this season and there is a hunger in the Italian peninsula for a team other than the Black & White to win the Scudetto.
The biggest spending team of the summer transfer window, AC Milan, have failed to justify the big spending with its expensively assembled squad (£175.05m) struggling to find coherence in performances.
They have lost all the big games they have played this season (0-2 losses to Juventus & AS Roma at home) & (3-2 to Internazionale in the Milan Derby).
The promoted teams have been abysmal as well with Benevento yet to even draw a match after 12 games and with a goal difference of -26.
#1 SSC Napoli
The Partonepei have been the standout team of the season so far though they seem to have slowed down recently with draws against Inter Milan and Chievo Verona allowing the chasing pack to gain ground.
Maurizio Sarri’s side has been one of the most exciting teams in Europe and by some distance, the most entertaining team in Serie A.
The frontline of diminutive stars Dries Mertens and Lorenzo Insigne combining with Spanish winger Jose Callejon has been destroying defences in the league with 32 goals scored in the twelve matches played.
In midfield, Jorginho has continued to grow in stature and is undoubtedly one of the best central midfielders in the world at the moment. The young trio of Piotr Zielinski, Marco Rog, and Ahmadou Diawara have continued to mature and their performances are already more accomplished than last season’s.
While the continued absence of striker Arkadiusz Milik through injury has not been felt too keenly, coach Sarri will be a happier man when the Polish striker returns to action as his presence and abilities offer a different attacking option for the team.
The team’s staying powerful given the light-in-numbers nature of the team has been questioned and it seems that progression in this season’s UEFA Champions League will be sacrificed as many Neapolitans believe that the team is good enough to go the distance and secure the team’s first Scudetto title in 28 years.