Juventus – Zebras galloping out of hell
By David, BettingExpert.com | Published
After two consecutive seventh places and the Serie B nightmare Juventus will be leaving it up to Conte’s ambition and desire to inject into the team the fighting spirit with which he used to lead the team on the field towards glorious success wearing the captain’s armband.
Manager: Conte
Tactics: 4-2-3-1
Players In: Pirlo, Vucinic, Vidal, Giaccherini, Lichsteiner, Eljero Elia, Estigarribia, Pazienza
Players Out:
Current Probable Formation: Buffon, Lichsteiner, Barzagli, Chiellini, Ziegler, Pirlo, Marchisio, Giaccherini, Vucinic, Matri, Pepe
This does look like the right choice after many failed attempts. The big names who had decided to hang on to this club were made to believe that once they gained promotion from Serie B everything would be back to normal. The Old Lady going back to bullying her way up the ladder as used to happen so often in the past. They soon found out reality was much harsher and some seriously gave it a thought about whether to abandon ship.
What was needed was someone who truly believed in the project and was as hungry for success as the players themselves. Conte was the right man. Not only because unlike Villas Boas he did not carry a price tag of €15 million but because he was well aware of what the name Juventus stood for.
With a new stadium unveiled and club targets settled with the management it was now a matter of bringing on the right players to actualize this team’s potential. First of all it had to kick start from Conte’s concept of playing the game. In two successful seasons in Serie B with Bari and Siena he had gone for an all out attacking line-up that came to be known as the 4-2-4. His current ideas revolve around that concept and that is why he has asked for a good number of wingers over the summer. Estigarribia, Elia and Giaccherini sgned up for this adventure. The question lingers however. Can Conte afford that kind of approach in a league which is not Serie B?
His was a privileged position in the minor league. Both clubs he had were way ahead of competitors, set up right from the start for an easy return to the top flight. Up there things are quite different with many provincial sides eager to exploit the gaps left by the big sides blinded by prospects of a favourable goalfest.
The players brought along look like great choices for constructing this attack-minded game. Conte, is not a newcomer though and he knows well enough that defensive duties will need to be imposed on his front men, especially the wingers. His vast choice in those roles is in fact due to plans for frequent rotation that should guarantee energy on the flanks. Estigarribia and Elia will need to take their time though as they come from leagues where defending is something for defenders and not duties of wide attacking players like themselves. Giaccherini and Pepe should therefore be familiar faces in Conte’s starting eleven while Krasic, despite a year in Serie A already, is yet to get the concept in his head having been more of a striker when playing in Russia rather than a true midfield winger.
The ability to count on the finesse of a midfield maestro like Pirlo will both benefit and hurt Juventus. When looking around for a brain on the pitch nobody will look further than the ex-Milan man. He will naturally be in charge building the attacking maneuver and the number of balls he will be touching will be immense. So what if one of the many defensive-minded managers comes to town harbouring the crazy idea that shutting down Pirlo will actually shut off the whole Conte factory? What if nature takes it course and once again causes Pirlo to suffer one of the frequent physical setbacks that had him sit out 26 of Milan’s Serie A games last year?
Vidal can be a good replacement for Pirlo but he is more attacking in his position, more suited to playing in behind a striker. He will be a good alternative to Vucinic when the ex-Roma striker is afflicted by one of those deaf moments where he cannot net it in any way. Matri should be grabbing most of the goals although his prolificacy is yet to survive the test of consistency.
What is sure is that, as Conte plays around with the payers upfront, the defence will suffer the most, trying to keep at bay teams which show no fear and decide to go for it against Juventus. The Bianconeri will not be giving much cover to their four-man backline. That is simply the natural order of things given the two wide and advanced men on the flanks and Marchisio, always glad to help out in regaining possession but too often eager to exploit his quality and stealthy runs into the opponents’ box.
In this kind of setup the four back players have to be very solid and act as one cohesive unit. Unfortunately, Bonucci has not lived up to the promises yet whilst Chiellini is not new to a few blunders. Shifting him to the left will not be a long term satisfying solution.
Predicted finishing position: 3rd
It has been a huge step forward for Juventus, which bled their account books to record debt figures in order to invest in this revival project of an Old Lady far from finished. Enthusiasm will return to town and the new stadium will assist to many satisfying victories that rekindle old memories. Conte’s fighting spirit, however, will not be able to make up for a number of tactical shortcomings – the heavy reliance on Pirlo for creativity, the many wingers who are yet to learn how to help the team in defence and a backline that will not be able to cope against teams that understand how attacking the Bianconeri will expose those organizational flaws which pave the way to goals.
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