Napoli's Biggest Obstacles to Finishing in Serie A's Top 3

Napoli’s recent form has been impressive, with no defeats in eight. The Partenopei sit in third place, and they go into the international break in much better shape than they ever have been this season. They must not get complacent, however. There are still many obstacles between them and Champions League qualification.

Rafael Benitez’ side began the season with just two wins in five matches. Worse still, Athletic Bilbao won their Champions League play-off with the Italians, leaving Napoli relegated to the Europa League. Benitez was under huge pressure.

Since then, the Spanish coach has turned things around. Napoli’s defeat of Fiorentina on Sunday was their fifth win in seven games. They have also beaten high-flying Roma, and thrashed a decent Verona side 6-2.

Gonzalo Higuain’s return to form has been vital. The former Real Madrid man has notched six goals in his last four matches after a barren run of seven games without netting.

As his manager explained, Higuain needs to continue transferring his frustration into positive energy. Benitez compared his No. 9 to “a hungry lion in a cage [who] must go out and eat something.” He’s a player who relies on that competitive edge.

Higuain still has some way to go before catching Jose Callejon in the goalscoring charts, though. The winger has been sensational for Napoli. Ten goals at this early stage is a brilliant return. Callejon has also created numerous chances for his colleagues, averaging 2.1 key passes per game, according to Whoscored.com. This is evidence of his all-round impact.

Callejon was superb in the comprehensive 2-0 victory over Roma, Napoli's high point of the season. The Southerners played with great intensity and dynamism, blowing away Rudi Garcia’s charges. They must replicate that type of performance going forward.

Napoli have clearly turned the corner. “Now we have confidence in ourselves and know that we can play on a par with any opponent,” Benitez said last week, per Football-Italia. 

Despite these positives though, there is a long way to go. There are still numerous unresolved issues within the Napoli squad.

The Partenopei have struggled against some of the division's so-called lesser sides. Chievo won at Stadio San Paolo and Palermo escaped with a point. This is a familiar story for Napoli, who dropped 19 points in 2013-14 against teams who finished outside the top six.

Complacency is perhaps part of the problem. Napoli are expected to comfortably dispatch of opponents like Chievo. This can lead to players taking the result for granted.

The other explanation is tactical. Napoli occasionally do not have answers to teams who sit deep and frustrate. At times, they can lack patience and subtlety.

Work on the training ground will help to overcome this difficulty. Benitez should preach permanent focus and concentration. The Partenopei must also look at ways to vary their attacking when they struggle to make an early breakthrough.

A worrying lack of depth is another concern. Lorenzo Insigne’s untimely anterior cruciate ligament tear may keep him out for the entire season. The injury is a huge blow. His speed and direct dribbling will be missed.

Insigne is a confidence player and was getting back to his best. As Paolo Bandini notes, the news is “especially upsetting for the fact that he finally seemed to be showing off his best form in recent games.”

Dries Mertens will take his place in the starting line-up, but there is no natural replacement on the flanks should he or Callejon be ruled out. An injury to Higuain could also be decisive. Michu, his back-up, has been disappointing. Duvan Zapata, Napoli’s only other striker, is erratic and unproven.

Benitez should be looking to add reinforcements in January. There were no major arrivals in the summer–Kalidou Koulibaly and David Lopez were the only newcomers in the starting line-up against Fiorentina last time out. Another striker, winger and full-back would be welcome.

It would also make sense to rest important players in the Europa League. Napoli fans may dream of continental success, but third spot is more important to their long-term ambitions. Benitez should rotate his squad to keep key men fresh for domestic clashes.

There are issues defensively, too. Koulibaly has been excellent at centre-half, providing power and strength at the heart of the back line. Three clean sheets in a row in all competitions demonstrate a vast improvement.

However, Napoli are still prone to individual errors at the back. Their 12 goals conceded are double that of Roma and three times Juventus’ record. They have not fully eradicated lapses in concentration and can be prone to being hit on the counter in behind their attacking full-backs. Whoscored.com, meanwhile, lists “stopping opponents from creating chances” as one of Napoli’s weaknesses.

Benitez must ensure Napoli retain their recent solidity. The 54-year-old looks to have finally settled on David Lopez and Jorginho as his favoured double-pivot partnership in the 4-2-3-1, with both men starting in each of Napoli’s last two league games. Consistency of selection in this regard is important. Lopez and Jorginho can give Napoli a solid base to build from.

The Partenopei are in a much better place than earlier on this season. Rivals Milan, Inter and Fiorentina all have their own problems. Top three and Champions League qualification is in Napoli’s hands. Providing they address the issues mentioned above, they are good enough to achieve it.

Failure to do so could have huge repercussions for Benitez. He was appointed to transform Napoli into regular title challengers. Third place this year is the first step towards doing so.