[Coppa Italia] Napoli 3-2 JUVENTUS [5th April, 2017] (4 Viewers)
- Thread starter Marc
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It's just the fact that people keeps alluding to this good form that we're all of a sudden going to hit when playing them. Why not play to that ability now if that's the case? It's just worrisome. I'm not saying that we're going to get relegated and the sky is falling like some around here would imply, but it's just not very reassuring to see.
But our defense has been fantastic in CL this season. Our defenders haven't had these constant brainfarts there. They haven't played with this lazy, arrogant attitude that is clearly visible in Serie A and Coppa. We've conceded just 2 goals in 8 matches, and only allowed a few good chances on net total.
It remains to be seen who we do in the CL against a team with an attack like Barca's but it's not unreasonable to suggest we'll perform better there because we understand the difference in quality. You could see it in both the COppa Italia ties against Napoli. We dominated them when we needed to, and then played lazy as fuck and almost allowed them back into it.
It remains to be seen who we do in the CL against a team with an attack like Barca's but it's not unreasonable to suggest we'll perform better there because we understand the difference in quality. You could see it in both the COppa Italia ties against Napoli. We dominated them when we needed to, and then played lazy as fuck and almost allowed them back into it.
Chimp boy alludes to it here: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...bale-real-madrid-premier-league-a7615366.html
Bayern are simply much better than the rest of their league, and the Spanish teams for the most part. Let's face it, we ourselves haven't actually had that many injuries this season, but previously there was clearly something wrong with conditioning.
ACL injuries are nothing to do with fitness, although it does happen more with higher tempo games because of the nature of twisting and turning at speed. In England there were something like 9 last season alone.
Bayern are simply much better than the rest of their league, and the Spanish teams for the most part. Let's face it, we ourselves haven't actually had that many injuries this season, but previously there was clearly something wrong with conditioning.
ACL injuries are nothing to do with fitness, although it does happen more with higher tempo games because of the nature of twisting and turning at speed. In England there were something like 9 last season alone.
Well yes, which is why I mentioned our lack of injuries. But we are still not miles ahead of the other teams. We're consistent and know how to win over a season. In the big head to heads we haven't really stepped up this year.
Notice how we are increasingly putting less into our league performances in terms of tempo as we try to juggle the competitions?
Notice how we are increasingly putting less into our league performances in terms of tempo as we try to juggle the competitions?
We have tons of depth for rotation across our entire defensive line. 5 very good CBs (Bonucci, Chiello, Barza, Rugani, Benatia), and 4 very good fullbacks (Sandro, Licht, Alves, Asa). We have good midfield depth now that we play a midfield 2 (Pjanic, Khedira, Marchisio, Rincon, Lemina, Stu)...
Those are the positions that expend more energy while shutting up shop.
However, our attacking line has no depth at all. We literally have 4 attackers, while our primary formation right now requires 4 attackers. Pressing the other team, and pinning them back like Napoli, Roma, and others would require much more energy expended from our attackers... whereas shutting up shop as soon as we get a lead, allows Higgy and Dybala to really do nothing, aside from half-hearted defensive effort (which is exactly what we see from those 2).
I am sure there are other contributing factors, but I think this is a part of it, especially since when we started with this formation in January and the first 2/3 of February we were attacking far more and taking the game to other teams even in the league. It's only really vanished through the month of March, where we are going into a defensive shell and energy conservation mode as soon as we get a lead, and I'd assume that has something to do with a lack of depth in attack.
Those are the positions that expend more energy while shutting up shop.
However, our attacking line has no depth at all. We literally have 4 attackers, while our primary formation right now requires 4 attackers. Pressing the other team, and pinning them back like Napoli, Roma, and others would require much more energy expended from our attackers... whereas shutting up shop as soon as we get a lead, allows Higgy and Dybala to really do nothing, aside from half-hearted defensive effort (which is exactly what we see from those 2).
I am sure there are other contributing factors, but I think this is a part of it, especially since when we started with this formation in January and the first 2/3 of February we were attacking far more and taking the game to other teams even in the league. It's only really vanished through the month of March, where we are going into a defensive shell and energy conservation mode as soon as we get a lead, and I'd assume that has something to do with a lack of depth in attack.
