Empoli 0 – 2 Juventus
Alvaro Morata was given his first start of the season at Empoli
After the recent midweek losses away to Olympiakos and Genoa, and our lead in Serie A cut to 0, only a win would suffice from the visit to Empoli. And with our rivals for the league title, Roma, falling to a 2-0 defeat in Napoli earlier in the afternoon, the stage was perfectly set to once again stride clear of the chasing pack.
With one eye on the upcoming must-win european tie against the Greeks, Allegri opted to rest Lichsteiner, Pogba, Tevez and Llorente. With Evra, Barzagli and Pepe still in the treatment room, he stuck with the 3-5-2 –
Buffon
Ogbonna Bonucci Chiellini
Pereyra Marchisio Pirlo Vidal Asamoah
Morata Giovinco
Vidal, Pirlo and Morata are all in need of games to continue to find their match sharpness after a fair time out injured, yet it seemed a strange decision to play Vidal on the left, when his very best for Juve has always been on the right of the midfield triumvirate. I sighed when I saw Pereyra positioned out wide, tasked with as much defensive as offensive duty, for his skill-set is almost solely attacking. He likes to battle high up the pitch, drive towards opponents, force mistakes and create space and chances for others in the final third. I can only assume that Romulo remains lacking fitness for this appeared a brilliant opportunity for the brazilian to deputise for the Swiss locomotive and begin to find his feet in the team.
As is to be expected whenever we find ourselves lined up against opposition struggling in the lower reaches of the table, Empoli set out their stall to defend in numbers, allow us no time on the ball and broke with pace whenever they found us over committed in attack. Our game plan and system is well known to everyone at home and abroad after the success during Conte’s reign and this season has seen a very obvious focus (from the teams we have faced) on counter-attacking, nipping at Pirlo’s heels constantly and ensuring strident width to thwart our endeavour on the flanks. Which leaves Bonucci to bring the ball out of defence and either attempt to pick out a long pass, seek out Pirlo or simply launch the ball, hopefully, into a melee of players in or around the box.
A strong-man indeed, but not a natural libero, Big Leo Bonucci
The first half saw the home side quicker to the ball, more eager to attack in numbers and comfortably dealing with everything we patiently attempted to construct. If I were to have chosen the team more likely to break the deadlock it would have been Empoli. Sarri is doing a solid job with the Serie A newcomers, encouraging the youngest squad in the league to play short, crisp often one-touch passing, fight hard for every ball and flow forward with pace and ambition. Maccarone is the focal point, the old head amongst young shoulders, and his ability to win and hold up the ball, as well as earn his side free kicks, was a central part of their tactics, which worked a treat against the defending champions.
It took an age before I even realized that Vidal was present. Marchisio saw very little of the ball. Pereyra appeared muddled in terms of where to position himself. The only positives I could take from the first 45 minutes were that we did not concede on the counter, Pirlo is regaining his finesse and Morata has both lightning pace and can scare defenders with his direct running and eagerness to shoot.
Unfortunately the negatives were more conspicuous. Whilst Pirlo’s stamina is increasing, his passing was profligate. Our young spaniard was invariably found with at least three defenders blocking his path to anything useful. Il principino and Vidal were listless. And our general movement and determination was slow and laboured.
It will come as no surprise to anyone who has witnessed our form this term to read the following…
With the only change coming in the form of Lichsteiner for the possibly injured Ogbonna (the big man took a brutal knock from Kaiser Giorgio!), we appeared to step up a gear in the second half. Suddenly Morata was finding space, and Giovinco was dragging defenders out of position to allow Asamoah to drive towards goal. The tempo of our passing increased. And it was not long before Pirlo emerged, albeit briefly, from the rustiness, to open the scoring with a typically intelligent free-kick which found its mark in the corner. It was a brilliant example of the bearded wonder’s genius. For he saw the space, saw the opening in the rather short wall and rather than aim for power and the top corner, stroked the ball into the goal, leaving the keeper scrambling.
The genius stikes again
I hope that the goal has added weight to his confidence for his general play was stifled and poor.
It was not until Tevez entered the fray that we began to appear dominant and superior. And it was his smart pass which allowed Morata to strike a delicious left footed effort past Bassi for his second goal of the season. Which brings his average to a goal every 97 minutes of league action.
There were other incidents of note. Namely Buffon’s smart point blank save from a powerful effort from inside the box. Giovinco flattered to deceive and had a couple of shots blocked. Asamoah brought a decent save out of the keeper, yet generally looked fearful or simply lacking ideas when faced with the defensive blockade.
Yet again, we did not play well. The game was won by two moments of individual mastery. We were second to many 50/50 balls, the one touch passing of Empoli was often a joy to behold. Our play was, until the appearance of Tevez, rather telegraphed and slothful. Yet my biggest concern is focused on Arturo Vidal.
Reasons to be cheerful
We collected the victory and three points against a determined, very well organized, inferior opponent, which places us three points clear at the top of the table.
Morata scored a sumptuous goal and his immense acceleration is a welcome addition to the ranks, for we have lacked such pace and directness in recent seasons. He offers a markedly different option to Llorente, and simply cannot be asked to play with his back to goal.
Daniele Rugani, the Italy U21 centreback we co-own with Empoli until next Summer when a decision must be made on his full registration, had a very solid game, never looked out of his depth and showed maturity well beyond what is expected of a 20 year old plying his trade in the top flight of italian football for the first time in his career. I have maintained a keen eye on the player since we had him on loan in our primavera. His progress has been smooth and constant and I have no doubt we will sign him outright when the co-ownership routine is forced to die on the vine.
Pirlo and Vidal, we hope, are regaining match fitness, if not sharpness.
Santo Buffon looks sharp.
Vindicate Vexations-
Vidal is a shadow of the player we have all grown to know and love as The Warrior. His passing, tenacity, potency and general play is horribly lethargic. Part of me ponders that he actually harboured hope of leaving during the Summer. Another part considers that he has given so much for our cause that the fire in his heart now burns with less flame.
Pereyra does not fit into the 3-5-2. He is no natural wingback. And to sign him after a season at Udinese, where his strengths were dribbling, crossing and creating in the final third, then ask him to be Lichsteiner, is a wretched move by Allegri. It is akin to purchasing a greyhound and asking him to join the pack on a fox hunt.
We find ourselves in a quandary with la formica atomica. For we paid a hefty to recover his services from Parma, and if we do not extend his contract soonish, after christmas he will be allowed to speak to other clubs regarding a move next Summer for free. Unless given regular football, he is as unlikely to find interest in signing a new contract as we are to see enough end product to make it worth offering him an extension. I understand, loosely, the amortization routine, in which the 11mEU we paid for the 3mEU Parma gave us for his 50% the year before, so let us call it 8mEU, will have depreciated, over these last three years. He has played a part in 52 games of our last two and a little seasons. Scored just 9 goals, which is a very poor return for a player capable elsewhere of far more success in front of goal. He has flair and pace, yet I feel that were we to offer him new terms, it would be to consolidate financially, sign him up then sell him on, for he is heading the way of Miccoli. As a fan of any juventino who pours their heart and soul into every appearance, it seems the in the best interests of the club and to offer an extension, yet what of Seba? He surely wants to play more. It will probably depend on his agent and interest elsewhere, but I cannot see Beppe allowing his contract to run down. Out in January or an extension siigned and sealed. Who knows eh? Perhaps he will replace Destro at our arch rivals Roma in the January mercato?
Our form is wretched. Empoli played more like a team possessed with eagerness for victory than ourselves, until Tevez apopeared and our individual talent raised the bar. Is this due to a lack of ability on the part of Allegri to imbue into his side the winning mentality which Conte demanded as a minimum? Is it due to the glorious triple scudetto winning campaign and comparably to Man City, the players have won enough…at Juve?
Denoument
We lack spirit, determination and have become reliant on individual brilliance to win games against even the minnows of our domestic competition. I fear that Allegri is too lacking in confidence to change the formation to make the most of new signings such as Coman, Pererya and Morata, hoping to simply replicate domestic success and improve upon last season’s failure in Europe.
juve box Mad Max needs to fan the flames of desire in his troops
If we are to progress, Allegri has to be strong enough to change the formation. Even if this season becomes one of transition and we lose the title, and still fail in Europe, the truth of the matter is that we are not playing good football, and something needs to change.
There is no need for three central defenders when we find ourselves more often than not during a game, with an extra man in defence and a lack of bodies up top. Complacency, lack of determination and an over reliance upon Tevez seem the key issues to address.
Admittedly, we did start the match without six players who walk into my own first XI – Barzagli, Evra, Tevez, Pogba, Llorente, Lichsteiner. To win 0-2 away with so many second string players involved from the start is no reason to whine.
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