While Juventus eventually bounced back after the break, mainly thanks to comebacks from injuries, the game’s unnecessarily harrowing final minutes against Maccabi Haifa put to rest the idea that the team had turned the corner in a somewhat definitive. When most of the major contributors are present, the team can take on anyone. On the other hand, the opposite is also true because, if the mentality is not right, they can be overcome by any opponent with more intensity and tenacity. In that sense, they can’t flip the switch on or off too soon because they don’t have a lot of certainty to fall back on, and the coach needs to avoid moves that suggest the games are sealed.
The first two games of the new season chapter weren’t very challenging, with the Milan clash set to be more revealing and potentially a key turning point. Although the Rossoneri are exhausted, they are still reigning champions, and a win would do wonders for their self-esteem. Considering that poor attitude and psychological fragility have been two of the biggest flaws so far, taking home all three points could easily build positive momentum that lasts a few weeks. The first element shouldn’t be a problem considering the magnitude of the games, and the Bianconeri have generally been competitive, or at least not entirely bad, in the decisive games, even in their worst stretches. Instead, the second remains to be seen, as the atmosphere will heat up and the incline will obviously be arduous, despite some favorable factors.
With Ángel Di María ending his suspension on Saturday, the main tactical conundrum is postponed to the next game. Massimiliano Allegri seems to be fine with just changing the scheme every time, depending on who is available and at 100 per cent, and that is risky. Formations can grow and thrive the most only through continuity, as players become more comfortable with and learn about each other’s tendencies in their respective positions. That can’t happen if they don’t have a fixed role. On the other hand, it is not easy to find a solution that includes all the main attackers together. It exists, but it’s doubtful the Bianconeri can afford to play a lighter midfield and a host of attacking players on the pitch together without giving up too much.
While that is a topic for another day, one of the main takeaways from the last two successful meetings is that the Old Lady should definitely try to play with pace and space as much as possible. There will be opponents who just park the bus, but that won’t be the norm. Opportunities to counter-attack should be seized instead of constantly relying on slow pace and convoluted actions that often end up with an inaccurate center from the flanks. It’s just a minor tweak with no downsides. Given the quality of the strikers and their natural propensity for that part of the game, it’s not even necessary to attack en masse and affect the overall balance. Raising the volume and uncorking more deep passes or long balls would suffice.
The best possible lineups would probably be a 3-5-2 if Arkadiusz Milik is fully ready to play and a 4-3-3 if he isn’t. So, naturally, the latest reports indicate that the choice will be a 4-4-2, with Leandro Paredes or Manuel Locatelli initially on the bench and Juan Cuadrado or Weston McKennie, who is in a groove, manning the right flank.
likely alignment
4-4-2: Szczesny; Danilo, Bremer, Bonucci, Alex Sandro; Square, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; It belongs, Vlahovic.
Absences:
Di Maria (suspension), Pogba (torn meniscus), Chiesa (torn ACL), De Sciglio (thigh strain), Kaio Jorge (torn patellar tendon), Aké (fractured malleolus).
Taking on Milan will never be a piece of cake, but there are worse times to do it as they are currently plagued by injuries. While they were able to survive that in Serie A, racking up a brave pair of wins, they reached the breaking point against Chelsea, having not been so submissive in years. They also lost once in Serie A, against Napoli, but that had more to do with the quality of the opponents than their own problems.
Things will improve a bit for them as Theo Hernandez will return from a hamstring strain, although Fode Ballo-Touré has been the backup reinforcement in the lineup that has done better. Still, there is obviously a gulf between the two, and the left flank, already their main source of attack thanks to Rafael Leao’s sheer dominance, will be even more potent under the French. But the problems lie elsewhere, as Mike Maignan and Davide Calabria are out with muscle problems, and Alexis Saelemaekers with a knee problem. Ciprian Tatarusanu has been good and has avoided mistakes so far, he always seems to be on the verge of making one.
Instead, the right flank has been a major headache. Sergino Dest has been terrible in his early appearances and might not be good enough defensively to play at right-back by Serie A standards. They have the option of moving Pierre Kalulu there, but with Simon Kjaer also injured, they would have to use Matteo Gabbia in the center instead of another starting-caliber central defender. Perhaps he is less treacherous because the loan from Barcelona has been a drag, while the young Italian is not very good but generally does not cause trouble. Having Saelemaekers would also have helped them defensively, given their work rate, while Junior Messias isn’t as proficient in that area, and Rade Krunic is adapting in a hurry and doesn’t know the details of the position well.
They are paying the price for a summer window that has been busy but has yet to pay immediate dividends. It starts at the top because Charles De Ketelaere quickly faded after a good start. His fights have been a bit exaggerated, but that’s normal, given the price and the hype. Despite the lack of raw numbers, he’s been heavily involved in his offense, and his playmaking abilities are evident. On the other hand, they probably expected him to have more of an impact on the box, considering his production at Club Brugge. But the attention to detail and physicality of Serie A defenders have often gobbled him up. His tendency has been to shy away from crowded places and be content to prepare his teammates rather than fight in the trenches. But he’ll probably make it once he gets some nerve and muscle back.
Other newcomers like Malick Thiaw and Aster Vranckx haven’t been entities, shortening rotations in their respective roles, plus Divock Origi has spent more time in the sick bay than on the pitch. They need him because Olivier Giroud can’t go the distance in every game, and they’ve already put a lot more mileage on him than they probably imagined. The mistake was giving such an unreliable player such an unreliable player from an injury point of view.
Despite all the difficulties they have been through, they are right in the middle of the title race and fully positioned to advance in the Champions League. What has clearly been the best team in Serie A so far has been able to get past them, and that fight was a close one. Leao had already become a star in the last two months of last season, and everything clicked for him once he started looking for more of his teammates. His assist count has been through the roof, and that keeps defenders on their toes because they’re constantly guessing what he’s going to do, whereas before, he used to mainly go for his patent curling shot. There is no way to stop it, at best you can try to contain it, and it is advisable to charge that side of the field. Instead of sending him a lot of help, the best idea might be to block the other Milan players who are nearby when he has the ball, hoping he gets stubborn and tries to do things on his own. Given the way he dances between multiple opponents, it becomes too easy for him to find the open man.
While the attack has been humming along, thanks to the Portuguese star’s dishes and Olivier Giroud’s strength, their defense hadn’t been at stellar levels even before some of their key members began to slip. Fikayo Tomori has been imperfect, which is strange given his progression last season, and Kalulu has actually been the one running the department. Combine that with a backup goalkeeper and at least one other reserve in the XI, they struggle when challenged. The stance should be more aggressive than the cautious standard Juventus use in big games.
It doesn’t look like Messias is coming back from a minor calf problem, so Stefano Pioli will have to fight once again to find a solution for the right flank, where they won’t have their two main options. He has deployed Rade Krunic as a tactical weapon in the past two games, and the results have been mixed, to be kind. The alternatives could be adapt or Dest, which would be better than running him back, or Ante Rebic, although the lineup would be more offensive. A switch to 3-5-2, with Krunic, Brahim Diaz or Tommaso Pobega completing the midfield, is not a far-fetched proposition. The Spaniard could also unseat De Ketelaere in his standard scheme.
likely alignment
4-2-3-1: Tatarusanu; Kalulu, Cage, Tomori, Hernandez; Bennacer, Tonali; Krunic, Diaz, Leao; Giroud.
Absences:
Ibrahimovic (ACL tear), Florenzi (thigh tendon rupture), Maignan, Kjaer, Calabria (thigh strains), Saelemaekers (knee sprain), Messias (calf strain).
