Fabian Ruiz: How will the Spanish playmaker fit in at Napoli
However, the question arises as to how Fabian Ruiz will fit in at Napoli. This piece will attempt to take a closer look at the player heading to Naples and what he can bring to their side as they look to challenge for next season’s scudetto.
Tactics
For Betis this season, Fabian Ruiz played mainly as either a central or central-attacking midfielder in a 3 at the back formation. This changed between 3-4-2-1 to 3-5-2 and 3-5-1-1 throughout the season; with Ruiz able to play well in a variety of roles.
Napoli played with a 4-3-3 formation for much of the last season, with Jorginho, Marek Hamsik and Allan occupying the midfield. With Jorginho set for a move to Manchester City, Fabian Ruiz will slot immediately into his place in the squad.
Whilst Jorginho is defensively-minded and by all means a more traditional defensive-minded centre-mid, Fabian Ruiz is also a competent tackler. His work rate allows him to track back and cover defensively when needed; which makes him an apt replacement for Jorginho.
Play-style
What Fabian Ruiz can offer Napoli, that Jorginho perhaps couldn’t, is a goalscoring outlet in the left side of Napoli’s central-trio. Ruiz has shown a keen eye for a goal and at just 22, this will develop and grow with time.
Where Fabian Ruiz’s main strength lies is in his dribbling and technical ability. He is extremely smart on the ball and is often able to fashion chances for his team, whilst shooting when he sees fit. His technical ability will help him to settle easily in Serie A; able to make a quick impact on the Napoli team.
As mentioned before, Fabian Ruiz is not as defensively competent as Jorginho; yet does possess an aptitude for tackling, with an average of 2.4 tackles per game for Betis in the 17/18 season. With some training, Ruiz can easily improve his defensive mentality; helping him adjust to a more balanced central midfield play-style.
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