The signs of colliding with an iceberg were there in the first few games, and the season quickly took a turn for the worse. The VAR issue against Salernitana masked the fact that Juventus were vastly outclassed for a good hour by a humble opponent at home. And the same thing happened a few days later against Benfica, who finished off the job despite another early goal from the Bianconeri.
There are ways and ways to lose, and that was the most damning. It’s a shame because the fans at the Stadium came into the campaign ready to support the team, and it didn’t take long for them to be resoundingly disappointed. With so many problems, the team could use a strong home field advantage, but that will not be the case.
Naturally, since the squad has been built on his advice, everyone asks for Massimiliano Allegri’s head. Apart from the fact that he should never have been brought back, if anything, because of the dissonance it created between him being a veteran and successful manager and the club looking to cut costs and become younger, it would be surprising if management tightened the early trigger. . From the sheer economic cost of the decision to the well-known patience of Andrea Agnelli, from the alibi of injuries, which have indeed been devastating, to many newcomers who have not yet fully settled in, the reasons to think that it will not happen . they soon outnumber those from the opposite direction.
The most interesting part is whether players will root for the boss following the rumors or bury him with a disappointing display, which happens sometimes. Losing the locker room would be one of the few things that could speed up the process. Some of the manager’s recent comments suggest that he doesn’t have the pulse of the situation and that he is grasping at straws. The president has never changed coaches during the season, even when it was pretty clear he would have helped. But this is no ordinary year, and the long World Cup break represents an ideal window to make way for someone else. Whether the successor is a high-profile pick, caretaker manager or another gamble like Andrea Pirlo, that’s a topic for another time.
Very few things have worked in the last two games, plus one of the few that did, Arkadiusz Milik, is suspended for this one, along with Juan Cuadrado, who has been struggling lately. Ángel Di María will be in better shape, and that is an improvement, as he was one of the few who showed courage and entrepreneurial spirit in the final minutes of Benfica’s game.
With its tangle of problems, Juventus have even managed to bring down Dusan Vlahovic, who looked like Teflon before joining, and whose departure left an offensive wasteland at Fiorentina. It is clear that he has areas to work on, and that is normal considering his age. He isn’t as technically polished as Milik when he interacts with teammates or works with his back to goal. But the scheme is also failing him, as the plan seems to simply have him as far along as possible, hoping the ball will eventually get to him instead of making a concerted effort to free him, keep him busy, and feed him, which either side in the world he would with such a weapon at his disposal. The long balls are beginning to return with Leonardo Bonucci recovering and Leandro Paredes pulling more of his weight. The Serbian was an animal in space with the Viola, and that would be the most primary way to get him touches and opportunities.
He does not return from illness apart from Wojciech Szczesny, but Mattia Perin will stay in goal. The team is as thin as ever due to suspensions. The only doubts are between Fabio Miretti and Nicolò Fagioli in midfield, whether any of the starting centre-backs will get a break, and the scheme, as it could be a 3-5-2 with the same men.
likely alignment
4-3-3: Perin; Danilo, Bonucci, Bremer, De Sciglio; McKennie, Paredes, Miretti; Di Maria, Vlahovic, Kostic.
Absences:
Milik, Cuadrado (suspensions), Locatelli (thigh injury), Rabiot (calf injury), Pogba (torn meniscus), Chiesa (torn ACL), Kaio Jorge (torn patellar tendon), Aké (fractured malleolus).
Monza have completely overhauled their kit in the summer, and understandably so, and that led to some pretty big expectations. However, amid injuries, dubious transfer market choices and other troubles, his start has been pretty dire and Giovanni Stroppa paid the price for all of them. It’s a bit unfair, but it’s the easiest move in football. It’s a bit strange that they chose Primavera manager Raffaele Palladino when they have the wherewithal to attract more established names. But there is still plenty of time for it to happen in the future if you get it wrong.
Despite picking up just one point so far, a lucky draw in Lecce, they haven’t been disorganized. On the contrary, he has played quite good football and has tried to control the ball as much as possible. However, unlike other minnows who have mastered this style, they have been badly hurt by this style’s defensive weaknesses and have not reaped any of its benefits at the other end.
After chasing lofty goals all summer, they landed on Andrea Petagna as their main acquisition up front, who has never been a prolific goalscorer in his career, but more of a dirty work guy. He was paired with Gianluca Caprari, who was great at Verona last season but has been unable to replicate those performances. His previous team played with a much better pace but, more importantly, he didn’t leave the two strikers on an island as often. The only attacker to have bagged one has been Dany Mota Carvalho, who is a hybrid between number 9 and second striker and will benefit from not providing an elite option. He’s not a goal poacher either, but he does have some sensational moves.
They were slow to reach their usual midfield, as Matteo Pessina and Stefano Sensi had both had physically difficult summers, and Nicolò Rovella arrived late. The final product is very technical but lacks a bit of physicality. They need to have a high center of gravity for it to work at its best, as all three can dish out assists and shoot from distance, and the former Atalanta man is a masterful cutter. Instead, they are in trouble if they constantly have to chase down opponents and focus on defending throughout the game.
They lost Andrea Ranocchia, who was supposed to be their best player at the back, almost immediately. Still, they reacted and put together a believable three-man lineup, as Marlon, Pablo Mari, and Armando Izzo possess the right mix of traits, but all three are a bit prone to mistakes. His main flaw has been his overall imbalance, with opponents often outnumbering and overwhelming his defenders on quick counterattacks. That’s what Palladino will have to address first, as well as bring a bit of enthusiasm, which had indeed been lost.
The flank game has been one of the few bright spots. Samuele Birindelli has been a ball of energy despite being a Serie A rookie, and Carlos Augusto has impeccable technique for the role. He can also be used in the back lines, but it has quickly become a challenge for him to hold off top tier strikers. The two full-backs attack at will, and both are capable of crossing and finishing. This part of his vision has a great chance of coming to fruition because Petagna takes up a lot of space and is fantastic at throwing the ball to his teammates.
The team had no emotional response to the rumor about Stroppa’s firing. After all, his XI is almost entirely new and he’s not attached to the coach. Hence the choice to bring in the new coach without waiting for the break. Also, while it’s a challenging matchup, at least on paper, it’s a soft start because they won’t have to deal with the burden of anticipation, so the upside of a positive outcome is huge.
His roster is designed for a three-man defense, and it looks like Palladino won’t get too fancy. He is a disciple of Gian Piero Gasperini and is reportedly adjusting the scheme to 3-4-2-1 or 3-4-3. They can carry out the first option without changing their XI, as Pessina has experience as a tactical number 10, and has been really excellent in that role, and Caprari appeared there in Verona. Petagna is broke, so they’ll go with Mota or Christian Gytkjaer if they prefer a physical source. He has a reputation for scoring great goals. Even so, he can also go with three pure forwards, which would be quite a declaration of intent for a young coach making his debut.
likely alignment
3-4-2-1: Di Gregorio; Marlon, Mari, Izzo; Birindelli, Sensi, Rovella, Augusto; Pessina, Caprari; Speck.
Absences:
Petagna, D’Alessandro (thigh injuries), Ranocchia (ankle fracture).
