Bruno Alves - CB - Zenit St Petersburg (65 Viewers)
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With Conte the midfield and forwards are pushing and working high up the pitch with and without ball. Our defenders will then have to be athletic and good at reading the games (positioning) for the spaces that opens up on our side of the pitch. Barza is slow but barely has to move since he has the mind of a jedi. Chiellini is quick enough. I'm still unclear of bon's strengths although he has convinced me that he has a strong will and has potential. Nevertheless with our team so high up the pitch there are a lot of room to exploit for the opponent even if we play with three CB's. Hence the defenders will preferably be more like Chiellini but since we won't sign any of that kind of calibre we'll have to settle with the types like Bruno. Although Bruno has improved over the years and is a really decent defender he is very slow. His positioning has improved but I would rather play Caceres before Bruno if I were Conte. Caceres is athletic and better in games were we enjoy possession. Caceres is average as a CB as he is too aggressive, not really good at either reading the game or to position himself but he makes up for it with his pace and agility. He recycles the ball faster and more often than someone slower who will be put in more destructive ways to kill the ball instead of recycling it. He will make misstakes that will cost us goals but he will win the ball back faster and in a possessional game more often than Bruno. Thus he will generate more goals forward.
In other words I would actually rather see Marotta capture a lesser good defender that is quicker and more adapted to our style rather than signing a very decent Bruno Alves.
Edit: I LOVE Quagmire but 13 mln for him is a lot. I would take it. So far he hasn't really found a place in Conte's system.
In other words I would actually rather see Marotta capture a lesser good defender that is quicker and more adapted to our style rather than signing a very decent Bruno Alves.
Edit: I LOVE Quagmire but 13 mln for him is a lot. I would take it. So far he hasn't really found a place in Conte's system.
Tak! Good post except starting Caceres over Bruno Alves if we got him (or simply prefering him), Bruno is a no-nonsense last ditch tackling type ala Terry, and yes he is slow, but not to the point his weakness makes him inferior choice to an absolutely brainless CB like Caceres. Bruno Alves is competent part of a so far IMO prolly best defence in euros in Portugal. Player who really knows his task, even if yes not best fit for high pressurring type of D line.
trying to coin a new expression. 
I think Osman put it pretty well. Let's say the opponents hits a ball forward and it's a 50/50 chance John Terry gets it or the opponent forward. Terry will then "destroy" the situation and make sure the opponent does not get the ball by for example hitting the ball to row z. What I want is to try and win the ball back completely, Barzagli is really good at this and rarely causes free kicks or kills the ball. He is usually able to "outsmart" his opponent in some way or read the game in advance and win the ball without having to use destructive means. Instead we're able to retain possession, hence, recycle the ball.
You might be right and Caceres is as stated a very average CB and Bruno Alves is a lot better. But we need a new CB and if I had to chose I would prefer to scout for someone more similar to but better than Caceres and a little less like Bruno. I won't get mad or disappointed if Bruno arrives though.
I think Osman put it pretty well. Let's say the opponents hits a ball forward and it's a 50/50 chance John Terry gets it or the opponent forward. Terry will then "destroy" the situation and make sure the opponent does not get the ball by for example hitting the ball to row z. What I want is to try and win the ball back completely, Barzagli is really good at this and rarely causes free kicks or kills the ball. He is usually able to "outsmart" his opponent in some way or read the game in advance and win the ball without having to use destructive means. Instead we're able to retain possession, hence, recycle the ball. You might be right and Caceres is as stated a very average CB and Bruno Alves is a lot better. But we need a new CB and if I had to chose I would prefer to scout for someone more similar to but better than Caceres and a little less like Bruno. I won't get mad or disappointed if Bruno arrives though.
According to my knowledge Conte started his Juve time playing 4-2-4. But since he discovered the magical MVP midfield he of course had to change the tactics so that we could field all three including the phenomenal Pirlo (who would never work as one of the two in such a outnumbered midfield). Then we changed formation to 4-3-3. Soon Conte realized our LB problem and since none of Estigarribia or De Ceglie was confident with this role he used our star CB Chiellini as LB. That opened a slot for next-in-line-CB Bonucci. The lack of a good LB proved costly in the first term as Bonucci wasn't anywhere solid enough as CB at that time. Then Conte changed to 3-5-2 - solving the problem by fielding more defenders for a solid back three and wingbacks to track back as well. New problem; Lichsteiner wasn't comfortable as RWB. Caceres was bought and he restarted his Juve-career with a stunning goal against AC Milan.
Now. The big question is the tactics for the coming season. The midfield has proven one of the absolute best in the world and taking out any of the three would be a crucial mistake. The question is now; should Conte sign a solid LB, play Chiellini and Barzagli as CBs and continue with solid Lichsteiner on the RB? In that case Bonucci would be the first in line for a CB sub and with the arrival of Isla - who can play RWB and maybe even RB - Caceres could move back to his "preferred position" as CB and fill the second CB sub.
So how many CBs do we need as i'm sort of assuming Conte will go back to his 4-3-3 and reinforce with a new LB. We have Chiellini, Barzagli, Bonucci and Caceres for CB in the 4-3-3. Why would we sign Bruno Alves?
Now. The big question is the tactics for the coming season. The midfield has proven one of the absolute best in the world and taking out any of the three would be a crucial mistake. The question is now; should Conte sign a solid LB, play Chiellini and Barzagli as CBs and continue with solid Lichsteiner on the RB? In that case Bonucci would be the first in line for a CB sub and with the arrival of Isla - who can play RWB and maybe even RB - Caceres could move back to his "preferred position" as CB and fill the second CB sub.
So how many CBs do we need as i'm sort of assuming Conte will go back to his 4-3-3 and reinforce with a new LB. We have Chiellini, Barzagli, Bonucci and Caceres for CB in the 4-3-3. Why would we sign Bruno Alves?
read the fkn post 