Should Mirko Vucinic be sold?

and at times a wonderful footballer, but of all our forwards he is the one I would prefer to sell. Given his high amount of selections, clearly he works hard in training and Conte values his technique, in particular his talent for linking the play from midfield to…well mainly forward running midfield and wingbacks. However, he has seemed for a while now our weakest finisher, and when he is not on his game, which is at least 50% of the time he plays, he is a player the rest of the team has to carry. Many will say, and rightly so, that Giovinco could be spoken off in a similar vein, but he is younger and offers greater pace which is very important in Conte’s system; if a game needed an injection of energy in the final third I would rather see Giovinco appear than Vucinic, especially now we have vastly improved our finishing potency with Tevez and Llorente in the final third.

Using one of our two strikers as basically a trequartista was required when we were struggling for clinical finishing, leading to a formation much closer to 3-5-1-1 than 3-5-2. Llorente is certainly in the Matri mould, but more polished, stronger in the air, muscular on the ball and possessing that all important knack of ghosting into goal scoring opportunities before a defender has realized, which we have lacked in the final third since Trezeguet left the fold. As for Tevez…he is truly a world class player and at a good age in terms of maturity and condition. The Argentine’s ability to create and finish has improved our goal threat immeasurably. He is a player who can win games single-handed. He can also dribble. Far more purposefully and trickily than anyone we have had since DP departed for the country where I normally dwell.

In one fell swoop Beppe and Paratici have delivered both a potential new Trezeguet and establish fantasista cum powerhouse striker. How many of you have regularly watched Tevez I am unsure, but regardless of his off field traumas at City, his work rate on the field is second to none. Whenever he is fit, Vucinic won’t play. Its really that simple for me. Which means he will be vying with giovinco for the second striker role whenever tevez is unavailable…or playing golf!

Would his sale create a potentially dangerous or even noteworthy deficit in our creativity in the final third??? I don’t think so. Such is my confidence in the huge improvements to our creativity brought about by Tevez firstly, but also Llorente in terms of his movement, ability to hold the ball up and clinical finishing skills.

I remain a big fan of both Matri and Quagliarella. Both offer more in the final third than Vucinic, in terms of putting the ball in the net. Also…with the steady development of Pogba, our game is becoming far more multi-faceted. For from a system which massively relied upon Pirlo, sending through balls, wide balls, dictating the play, and our midfielders and wingbacks making forward runs…we now have maturing Pogba, still improving Vidal, old genius Pirlo, quality on the flanks and two strikers who need only a half chance to put a game to bed…

I haven’t yet condemned Giovinco and I see this season as a defining one for his career in general, not just at Juve. With the need for our strikers to forage deep and help link up the play lessened with the arrival of better strikers his chances to play are more limited but his freedom to do what he does best which is attack, is increased when he gets the chance to play. As Matri has shown in training recently, he is stepping up a gear, rising to the challenge of another, more polished prima punta in the ranks. Can Giovinco do the same and force himself more into Conte’s plans this term???? With his position taken by Tevez, I doubt it. So his aim must be to improve his finishing and grab with both arms every opening he is given. I also believe he has a better work ethic on the field than Mirko.

As others have mentioned, it wouldn’t be surprising to find not just one but two strikers leave the club. Quagliarella is wanted…Mirko is wanted…Matri is wanted. I highly doubt that Boakye would arrive. If we weren’t prepared to take a chance on Immobile after his stunning season with Pescara, why would change course and give Richmond a place in the squad, especially when his chances of games will be hugely higher at another club.

I suspect that the most likely outcome in terms of our striker sales will be that one of, if not both Matri and Quagliarella will be sold. And our major signing will be Zuniga or Kolarov. Matri has solid value and is proven in Serie A whereas Quagliarella may well have caused irreparable damage to his relationship with Conte with his spat with Alessio late last year. Its a shame…because I admire Fabio’s talents and feel that since that incident he has not been given anywhere near the chances to find consistency and form that have been afforded Mirko.