Conte hails ‘atypical’ Lukaku and needs Napoli to ‘get palms soiled’

Antonio Conte explains why ‘atypical’ Romelu Lukaku is so good for his soccer and the way he’s instructing Napoli to ‘get their palms soiled’ after a 4-0 victory in Cagliari.

They emerged from the Unipol Domus with a massive 4-0 result because of Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s deflected effort, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Lukaku and Alessandro Buongiorno.

“Cagliari is a really troublesome place to play, the pitch was very dry, it was extraordinarily windy and so that you needed to calculate the flight of the ball,” Conte told Sky Sport Italia.

“We began effectively, the interruption for the fireworks and objects thrown stalled our momentum, then we noticed within the second half what we must always’ve completed higher. We have to preserve bettering on the duels everywhere in the discipline, retaining targeted and concentrated, as a result of that’s what you require in Serie A.”

It was Lukaku’s first begin and one other encouraging signal is that the Belgian and Georgian assisted one another’s objectives.

Conte and Lukaku a match made in heaven

The previous Chelsea striker has all the time performed at his finest with Conte, so why is he so completely suited to this imaginative and prescient of the game?

“I’ve all the time stated that I needed Romelu at Inter, had additionally requested him at Chelsea earlier than he went to Manchester United, as a result of he’s an atypical striker. He’s extraordinarily tall and bodily sturdy, but additionally excellent at sprinting ahead. His situation continues to be nowhere close to optimum, however he turns into elementary for us. He’s placing within the effort and I by no means doubted that.

“I hope that Kvara realises we anticipate many extra objectives from him in addition to assists. Though this sport wasn’t totally suited to his traits, I noticed plenty of effort from him and Matteo Politano.”

The fears from that opening defeat to Verona appear to be a distant reminiscence, because the Partenopei have gained three Serie A video games in a row for the primary time since February 2023. How has Conte managed to rework this squad from that embarrassing show?

“It is a staff in my opinion that through the years didn’t wish to get its palms soiled. After what occurred final season, the swap was extra about mentality than organisation and ways. We did higher within the urgent at present and that led to one of many objectives, so it’s bettering, however it’s not straightforward to construct that sort of mentality.

“I denounced sure issues after that first sport and knew that the gamers have been good lads, they understood and are engaged on their dedication, grit and ferocity, which we noticed in the best way we fought and suffered at present to maintain a clear sheet. There may be actually enchancment.”

Napoli are simply getting began, as a result of Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour made their debuts within the closing 20 minutes, whereas David Neres has supplied an help in every of his three substitute appearances.

After three rounds in Serie A, already no one had a 100 per cent report, so the race to the highest is extraordinarily tight proper now.

Nonetheless, Conte is keen to shrug off any suggestion they’re going for the Scudetto in his debut season on the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

“I do really feel that for the time being all groups are settling down nonetheless, because the switch window closed late and we’re all looking for our form,” concluded the coach.

“We’ve labored laborious during the last two and a half months, we’ve obtained to placed on the blinkers and preserve pushing ahead with out anybody else.”