Juventus’ previous two disastrous campaigns seem light-years ago. The Turin club have had to start from scratch yet again. Three wins in five games in Serie A for Antonio Conteai??i??s men now means that the side is sitting pretty on the top of the Serie A table. While it may a bit premature to make any sort of predictions for the seasons, we can certainly draw a few conclusions from what weai??i??ve seen so far.
Andrea Pirlo Isnai??i??t Finished
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- The architect of Juve’s midfield.
When Marotta signed Pirlo in the summer mercato, many had their reservations about the club singing a 32 year-old and a supposedly ai???finishedai??i?? player for a new and exciting project. Critics claimed Pirlo was past his best and didnai??i??t have the motivation he once had and neither did he have much to give to Juventus. Fast forward a few months and Pirlo has certainly shut his critics up. The orchestrator, the maestro, the heartbeat of the Juventus midfield, Andrea Pirlo is by no means finished as a player.
Buffon called his signing the deal of the century given that Pirlo arrived for free. While this is a bit outrageous, Buffonai??i??s intentions clearly come through. A new adventure, a new challenge may just be the stimulus Pirlo needs to reclaim his rightful throne as the best midfielder in Serie A. The early signs do little to suggest otherwise as Pirlo has been nothing short of magical in the early weeks of Calcio.
That graceful elegance on the ball, the ability to pick out players with inch perfect precision and that characteristic ability of his to control the tempo of the game is what Juve fans have been treated to this season. Pirlo is without a doubt the best deal of the season so far in Italy and credit to Marotta for his purchase. Juve fans could be apprehensive about Pirloai??i??s fitness issues having featured a paltry 17 times for Milan last season but the lack of European fixtures might just work to Juveai??i??s advantage.
Juventus and Squad Depth
For the first time in recent memory, Juventus can finally boast of a good amount of depth in the side. Antonio Conte has the luxury that previous managers would have desired. The manager can now look to his squad for options in times of need during the match or whenever he feels the squad needs rotation. With the emergence of Simone Pepe and Andrea Barzagli this season, players such as Eljero Elia and Leonardo Bonucci have found it hard to gain substantial game-time and a starting role. Players arenai??i??t guaranteed starting roles anymore and have to fight for their spot now more than ever knowing full well they may risk losing it.
As many as nine purchases were made in the summer with the clear aim of adding depth to this Juventus side. The only real worries Juve might sweat over are the lack of quality back-ups to the fullback positions. Marco Motta and Fabio Grosso donai??i??t exactly scream of dependable alternatives and one would shudder at the very thought of witnessing both of them on the field at the same time.
Stephan Lichtsteiner ai??i?? A Real Right Back
Since his arrival from Lazio, Stephan Lichtsteiner has been arguably his sideai??i??s second best player this season. His seamless transition in to the Juventus side has won him many plaudits and Lichtsteiner has truly established himself as one of the best right backs if not the best right back in the peninsula.
Lung-bursting forays into opposition territory coupled with solid defensive work and exceptional work ethic is what the Swiss fullback is all about. He also has the distinct honor of scoring Juveai??i??s first goal at Juventus’ fabulous new Stadium.
No longer will Juve fans have to put up with the turmoil of enduring Jonathan Zebina or Zdenek Grygera at right back. In Lichtsteiner, Juve have a mixture of Serie A experience and quality which makes you wonder why the club didnai??i??t go for him prior to this season and instead take risks with Marco Motta and Zdenek Grygera. For now though, the long standing right-back issue has been resolved and fans should be more than pleased with their latest right back who represents a much-needed solution.
The Juventus Stadium ai??i?? A Potential Fortress
With a capacity of 41,000 fans, the Juventus stadium has proven to be a nightmare for opposition teams so far. On the other hand, the new stadium has been nothing short of remarkable for the Bianconeri. The atmosphere has been simply intimidating and has been Juveai??i??s 12th man this season. From the decimation of Parma in the first game to a commanding display against Milan, the stadium has played its part to perfection.
Itai??i??s quite clear the atmosphere is overwhelming for opposition players; the distance between the fans and the players is unlike anything in Italy. Juve can go on to make their new home a fortress and early signs indicate its well on its way to becoming just that. From a strictly financial point of view, the stadium will give the club a significant boost in revenue. Compared to last yearai??i??s ai??i??1.2m the club earned in revenue from their first three games, Juve have earned an incredible ai??i??4.2m this season in the same period.
Antonio Conte – Juveai??i??s Mr. X
.Ai??
- A captain on and off the pitch.
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Never in recent memory has a Juve manager had the kind of backing that Antonio Conte has had since his arrival and the former midfielder hasnai??i??t disappointed. His values have been successfully transmitted to the team which is quite evident with the actual ai???performanceai??i?? of his side. Youai??i??ve read about it, youai??i??ve heard about and, if youai??i??ve watched Juve this season, youai??i??ve witnessed it. The Juventus spirit is well and truly back and never was it more on showcase than the game against Milan. Conte although not the most experienced of tacticians out there, was certainly expected to instill ai???thatai??i?? Juventus spirit that has eluded this team in years.
Relentless, ruthless pressing, sheer determination and endless running had become synonymous with great Juve teams of the past. It is the essence of Juve. It is that Juve ai???grintaai??i?? that makes this team so unique and so successful in its illustrious history and Antonio Conte has successfully managed to translate these very ideas to his team. The most impressive part is that the Turin club have shown grit even against the smaller teams in the league and not just against the bigger teams; a welcome change from last season where only against the bigger teams it was on display. This never-say-die attitude will go a long way in determining Juveai??i??s success this season and it certainly is a style of play the players seem to enjoy. This team has drawn many comparisons to Marcello Lippi’s team of the mid 90s.
Another point worth noting is the tactical flexibility of the team. We’ve seen a 4-2-4 and a 4-2-3-1/4-1-4-1 formation employed by Antonio Conte. The flexibility has been there and Conte has used his wide range of options available to him to good effect and to select the best formation. Against Milan, the 4-2-3-1/4-1-4-1 dominated the Rossoneri who were hapless and shell-shocked. Juve completely out ran the non-existent Milan midfield who weren’t offered time and space on the ball. It is this flexibility that has been seen before, most famously by Sir Alex Ferguson, whose sides are known for their capability to adapt to various formations. Against the smaller teams, Conte might opt for the 4-2-4 formation with a more adventurous approach to the game and two natural strikers. Against the bigger sides and the tough away trips, the 4-2-3-1/4-1-4-1 comes into the picture with a view of stifling the opposition midfield.
Now, while these are all the positive signs for Juventus so far, much work is needed on the team. January reinforcementsAi??remain vital. Whether they’re good enough to challenge for the title, only time will tell, but Ai??they’ve certainly shown clear intent. Juventus are back on the right track and the victory against Milan was a statement that the rest of Serie A received loud and clear.
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