Two wins just after the break had fueled hopes of a turnaround, but they quickly showed their true colours: easy picks at home against weak opponents. With Juventus unable to play a good away game to save their lives, even Maccabi Haifa became an irresistible force a week later. Instead, the clash in Milan marked the difference between a team with a clear identity that allows for absences and storms and one that is still looking for one that does not have much character to begin with.
The lack of any sort of fight in Israel, with the situation in the Champions League group growing dire, seemed to suggest the players had turned on the coach. Andrea Agnelli does not think so and once again defended him, this time publicly. We will see if the withdrawal will bring some kind of cohesion and sense of belonging because there are not many more paths that management can take. They probably still think that Massimiliano Allegri can achieve the same series of results that he had a few years ago, but that was a much better and different team that had bought his style and methods. That doesn’t seem to be the case this season, and the confusion is noticeable.
The boss should start concentrating on making the coaching change and who to bring in, instead of continuing to consider whether to pull the trigger. They’ve already missed a window in the previous international break, but there’s a rare full week without a game after the Derby, so the timing wouldn’t be bad. But it doesn’t look like they’re there yet; otherwise, the rumors about possible replacements would be much more substantial. The boss will probably make it as far as the World Cup, and we’ll see how screwed up the campaign is at that point. The Scudetto and qualification for the Champions League round of 16 are already pipe dreams, and finishing in the top four will also seem like a mirage if things continue as they are.
Obviously, the players share the blame when they finally take the field, and the last two performances couldn’t have been more disappointing. Although there would be much to discuss on that front, any tactical issue is moot if the attitude and spirit are so flat and submissive. The absence of leadership and references on the pitch is manifest. That’s the first step in trying to restart, but disinterest and mediocre effort don’t bode well.
With Angel Di Maria again missing, a two-man attack is a given and Moise Kean will reportedly get the nod over Arkadiusz Milik or Duvan Vlahovic depending on how he is in better form. Leandro Paredes is likely to be benched and while he hasn’t been very good, the buildup against him is unfair. The scheme will depend on whether Leonardo Bonucci will make it to his third game in a week, or whether Alex Sandro will be in the XI instead of him.
likely alignment
3-5-2: Szczesny; Danilo, Bonucci, Bremer; Square, McKennie, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Vlahović, Kean.
Absences:
Pogba (meniscus tear), Chiesa (ACL tear), Di Maria, De Sciglio (thigh strains), Kaio Jorge (patellar tendon tear), Aké (malleolus fracture).
Torino got off to an almost emotional start after a challenging summer, where they said goodbye to their two best players, Andrea Belotti and Gleison Bremer, as well as a few other mainstays from last season’s squad, but then things quickly started to go wrong. They won three of the first five games, against Monza, Cremonese and Lecce, while also sharing the spoils with Lazio and losing to Atalanta. Later, they came devastated against Inter, Sassuolo and Napoli, although always giving the fight, and tied with Empoli.
It’s hard to have consistency from year to year when you delete the roster at the end of each season, forcing the coach to go back to the drawing board. The replacements have been fine, but probably could have done more, considering how much they charged. Perr Schuurs has a ton of potential and he’s huge, but they’re still fully integrating him, and he’s been alternating with Alessandro Buongiorno, who has been a constant and gritty. But the now Juventus defender was a beast, and it will take a while for the two prospects to reach those peaks even in the most optimistic scenario.
Nikola Vlasic has been their best buy and has quickly become the beacon of their offense. As a number 10, he has a full set of skills, as he is very agile, can help his teammates and finish alone. That has been his best feature, as he has burned opposing goalkeepers in a variety of ways and not just with technical attempts or from distance.
In their standard 3-4-2-1, they have a few options to go with him behind the striker. Nemanja Radonjic is potentially the most effective, but while he has had displays where he seemed unstoppable and outplayed opponents with the ball close to their feet, he has been a bit inconsistent. Also, Ivan Juric prefers to have a right-hander and a left-hander there, and Vlasic is untouchable. So Aleksey Miranchuk, who was injured early, and Demba Seck have had their chances. The one on loan from Atalanta is peculiar because he often disappears in games or acts with very little energy, but is often in an excellent position to score or provide an assist.
They chose not to replace Belotti and used their salary savings to buy Pietro Pellegri, who has plenty of tools but has yet to put them all together and is often held back by poor health. For this reason, they rely a lot on Antonio Sanabria, who is very talented, gets along very well with his teammate and has the occasional clutch, but he is not a goal hunter. He might be better suited to play as a second striker. Finding the goal consistently has been a big problem, although they tend to create many chances in each game. The coach stated that his two main options for the job are likely to be sidelined by minor muscular problems. They will have to go with a new look, although they do not lose much, apart from some physicality. Among the other attackers, Seck is the most similar to a number 9, but it seems that it will be a trio of trequartisti alternating as a false nine.
They reeled in Sasa Lukic, who had asked to leave at the end of the summer, and remains the centerpiece of their midfield. He is one of the most complete contributors in Serie A in his role. Samuele Ricci was getting fit after a calf strain, and they move the ball a lot quicker and more accurately when he’s in the XI rather than Karol Linetty, who’s fine but more of a rush guy, but he’ll probably be out. with a disease. They have yet to fully usher in Emirhan Ilkhan, who looked promising in his cameos, and lack a powerhouse like Tommaso Pobega in the role, which the crew chief never fails to point out. They are not as muscular as in the past and can be outdone by sides that emphasize that look.
Wilfried Singo has been unusually disappointing so far, and Mergim Vojvoda, who is a great assistant, has already been injured twice. However, his lateral game, which has always been his strong point, has survived because Valentino Lázaro has been surprisingly good and Ola Aina is always dynamic, although not as polished as her teammates. While the two starters would be head-and-shoulder teammates if they were in top form, that hasn’t been the case thus far, and they can rely on a legitimate four-man rotation. That’s also helpful for keeping the pace and energy up during matches.
The staff has changed because your MO hasn’t. He has some shortcomings in the last third, but he plays with a lot of intensity and determination, which can be a nightmare for Juventus. Napoli knew how to turn his aggressiveness against them. They exploited their full field marking with long successful solo runs after individual errors. Given their offensive problems, it’s hard for them to get out of the holes. Their defense is strong but not as tight as in the past, with Vanja Milinkovic-Savic staying up and down between the posts.
likely alignment
3-4-2-1: Milinkovic-Savic; Djidji, Schuurs, Rodriguez; Aina, Linetty, Lukic, Voivode; Miranchuk, Radonjic; Vlasic.
