{"id":2363,"date":"2024-09-16T09:56:11","date_gmt":"2024-09-16T09:56:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betwealthsuretips.com\/blog\/conte-hails-atypical-lukaku-and-wants-napoli-to-get-hands-dirty-after-4-0-triumph\/"},"modified":"2024-09-16T09:56:29","modified_gmt":"2024-09-16T09:56:29","slug":"conte-hails-atypical-lukaku-and-wants-napoli-to-get-hands-dirty-after-4-0-triumph","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/betwealthsuretips.com\/blog\/conte-hails-atypical-lukaku-and-wants-napoli-to-get-hands-dirty-after-4-0-triumph\/","title":{"rendered":"Conte hails 'atypical' Lukaku and wants Napoli to 'get hands dirty' after 4-0 triumph"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Antonio Conte explains why \u2018atypical\u2019 Romelu Lukaku is so perfect for his football and how he is teaching Napoli to \u2018get their hands dirty\u2019 after a 4-0 victory in Cagliari.<\/p>\n
They emerged from the Unipol Domus with a massive 4-0 result thanks to Giovanni Di Lorenzo\u2019s deflected effort, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Lukaku and Alessandro Buongiorno.<\/p>\n
\u201cCagliari is a very difficult place to play, the pitch was very dry, it was extremely windy and so you had to calculate the flight of the ball,\u201d Conte told Sky Sport Italia.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe started well, the interruption for the fireworks and objects thrown stalled our momentum, then we saw in the second half what we should\u2019ve done better. We need to keep improving on the duels all over the field, keeping focused and concentrated, because that is what you require in Serie A.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was Lukaku\u2019s first start and another encouraging sign is that the Belgian and Georgian assisted each other\u2019s goals.<\/p>\n
Conte and Lukaku a match made in heaven<\/h2>\n
The former Chelsea striker has always played at his best with Conte, so why is he so perfectly suited to this vision of the sport?<\/p>\n
\u201cI have always said that I wanted Romelu at Inter, had also requested him at Chelsea before he went to Manchester United, because he is an atypical striker. He is extremely tall and physically strong, but also very good at sprinting forward. His condition is still nowhere near optimal, but he becomes fundamental for us. He\u2019s putting in the effort and I never doubted that.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope that Kvara realises we expect many more goals from him as well as assists. Although this game wasn\u2019t entirely suited to his characteristics, I saw a lot of effort from him and Matteo Politano.\u201d<\/p>\n
The fears from that opening defeat to Verona seem to be a distant memory, as the Partenopei have won three Serie A games in a row for the first time since February 2023. How has Conte managed to transform this squad from that embarrassing display?<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a team in my view that over the years didn\u2019t like to get its hands dirty. After what happened last season, the switch was more about mentality than organisation and tactics. We did better in the pressing today and that led to one of the goals, so it is improving, but it is not easy to build that kind of mentality.<\/p>\n
\u201cI denounced certain things after that first game and knew that the players were good lads, they understood and are working on their determination, grit and ferocity, which we saw in the way we fought and suffered today to keep a clean sheet. There is certainly improvement.\u201d<\/p>\n
Napoli are just getting started, because Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour made their debuts in the final 20 minutes, while David Neres has provided an assist in each of his three substitute appearances.<\/p>\n
After three rounds in Serie A, already nobody had a 100 per cent record, so the race to the top is extremely tight right now.<\/p>\n
However, Conte is eager to shrug off any suggestion they are going for the Scudetto in his debut season at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do feel that at the moment all teams are settling down still, as the transfer window closed late and we are all trying to find our shape,\u201d concluded the coach.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve worked hard over the last two and a half months, we\u2019ve got to put on the blinkers and keep pushing forward without looking at anyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Di Lorenzo gives Napoli the lead and runs straight over to manager Antonio Conte to celebrate \ud83d\udc99<\/p>\n