Juventus’ step backwards: only possession, never aggression
(Massimiliano Nerozzi, sent to Bruges) Having finished a match of minimum wage – between a first half of the indolent group and a second half with at least some aspirations of Paradise – Juve finds itself with two consolations: the warmth of the changing rooms, after the cold of the evening, and the draw which guarantees the playoffs, celebrated by the club with a tweetand leaves crumbs of hope (very inept, around 6 percent) of going directly to the round of 16. Moral: on the level of the game, and of belief, a step back compared to the night against Milan.
As in a poorly made film, Madama lacked a script: that is, the satellite openings of Locatelli – however one of the most positive, in terms of position and opposition – and the through balls of Douglas Luiz, someone who has vision but not always precision. And a Koop da missing in (non) action. Worse than the boredom of the first half, only the cold (perceived temperature, minus 3). So much so that to decipher the first 45 minutes, and that Juve, you don’t even need fact-checking: one shot from outside and zero chances. In short, a team without pressing, personality and, above all, pressing. Another attitude, compared to the challenge with the Devil. In front of a Bruges that was much less beautiful and attractive than the city, the Bianconeri offered nothing more than a scholastic ball possession exercise, with the usual seizure decree (60 percent). The same thing resurfaced difficulty attacking closed teams, with an enemy defense never moved by slow and predictable circulation, often along vertical paths.
While the few changes of play towards the weak side were anesthetized by wingers who were never in a one-on-one position. A consideration well summed up by Thiago Motta’s animated gesticulation with Weah, while the team re-emerged from the locker room for the second half: as if to say, “come on, let’s get a move on”. Not to mention the imprecision in some supports and in certain receptions, which are much more than details. After all, as the great José Altafini repeated, «Control is the most important thing in the game of football».
Thiago presented himself with a 4-3-3 with a very variable structure, on the model already seen on Saturday evening: Locatelli often dropped between the two centre-backs, marking the opposing centre-forward (as already happened with Abraham), and then restarting the action: keeping Kalulu and Gatti aggressive in marking; and get up Cambiaso and Savona. The latter two, without great results. He resumed immediately with a shudder: Di Gregorio, after a dribblemisses a support on the way out, and Jutglà sends the dish wide. Three minutes later, Nico throws a goal away, missing the deflection on a great ball from Mbangula. More mistakes, more emotions. Thiago changes traction on the outside: outside Weah (one of the worst) e Thunder (one of the best, meh). A few bubbles come out, on Nico’s crosses, but never a glass of champagne.
In the background, the market’s catering is boiling, with Cristiano Giuntoli busy among the defenders’ shelves: negotiations open with Chelsea for the loan of Renato Veiga21 years old, left central (and full back). The departure board has been cancelled: «With all honesty – the technical director explained yesterday – we don’t want to make an outgoing market. This is our will and it remains so.” Today should be the day of First Class: it will be needed, perhaps already on Saturday, in Naples.
Related News :