[Serie A, 20th round] Fiorentina 2-1 JUVENTUS [15th January, 2017] (15 Viewers)

[zizinho]

Not far off it.

Juve's squad still looks to me to be built for 3-5-2 more than anything else.

But if it is 3-5-2 then I think Khedira is the player who needs to miss out to get Pjanic in.

Khedira is undoubtedly a better player than the other options, but all the other option for midfield (that I can think of) are more suited to playing with Marchisio and Pjanic.

Yes thats true. However in a 4312, which Allegri seems to be trying to implement lately, both Khedira and Pjanic can play, together with that extra mid right? The few times we played like that it looked as it can work quite well but if it will work against better oposition is yet to be seen. Cuadrado and Pjaca can provide width from the bench of needed. Also this would work better in CL games than Serie A i guess

 

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[Red]

The midfielders can all play and that shape may give Juve more defensive solidity.

But it's very easy to imagine this Juve struggling to break teams down due to a lack of width in 4-3-1-2.

 

[zizinho]

Its hard fitting all of the best players in one formation because some of them are a missfit. 352 is the best we can do but with a struggling midfield, 4312 gives you a better working midfield but with lack of width, 433/451 benches one or two of Pjanic, Dybala, Higuain, 4231 same...

Id still go with 4312 for the CL. If we need extra width we can always either start or sub in Cuadrado and Pjaca.

 

[JCK]

Its hard fitting all of the best players in one formation because some of them are a missfit. 352 is the best we can do but with a struggling midfield, 4312 gives you a better working midfield but with lack of width, 433/451 benches one or two of Pjanic, Dybala, Higuain, 4231 same...

Id still go with 4312 for the CL. If we need extra width we can always either start or sub in Cuadrado and Pjaca.

This is why I think many of our players were brought just for the sake of it not out of what is needed for our system or systems to function. Just random purchases to fill in the squad.

 

[Marc]

I'm not sure about the best team just now.

I don't like 4-3-1-2 as a general rule.

But broadly speaking Juve are missing a midfielder with energy and drive to give the balance that is needed with Marchisio and Khedira. Juve need to play Sturaro to give the energy to over the space, but that obviously comes at the cost of technique.

And if you don't have the energy or drive in midfield, you need the forwards to do more. Obviously Higuain and Dybala are good players, but they aren't the players to stretch a game and work a defence in the way that would help Juve's midfield just now. Mandzukic would try, but he isn't quick enough to really do it.

So those factors push me to feeling more has to come from Juve in wide areas. But only Alex Sandro can consistently give a lot from fullback.

So I don't think there is a good option for Juve without a new signing.

Best i could come up with just now would be an awkward lop-sided sort of shape:

Buffon

Lichtsteiner-Bonucci-???????-Sandro

Cuadrado-??????-Marchisio-Pjanic

Dybala

Higuain​

Pjanic can drift towards trequartista as Alex Sandro pushes up that flank.

Great post. Can I suggest this?

Dybala - Higuain

Pjaca - Pjanić - Marchisio - Cuadrado

Alex Sandro - Bonucci - Rugani - Dani Alves

Buffon​

- - - Updated - - -

Say what you want about Pjanić but he's our most productive midfielder. 22 apps, 7 goals and 9 assists in 1st half of the season. Even Pogba would apppreciate those stats.

 

[Red]

Great post. Can I suggest this?

Dybala - Higuain

Pjaca - Pjanić - Marchisio - Cuadrado

Alex Sandro - Bonucci - Rugani - Dani Alves

Buffon​

- - - Updated - - -

Say what you want about Pjanić but he's our most productive midfielder. 22 apps, 7 goals and 9 assists in 1st half of the season. Even Pogba would apppreciate those stats.

I consider a Pjanic-Marchisio midfield a bit too lightweight.

And while there is no doubt in my mind Pjanic needs to play (and probably hasn't been as poor as some would have you believe), I think he'd be considerably less of a presence in the final third given how much defending he'd have to do in that team.

Pjaca looks interesting, but doesn't look like a 4-4-2 wide play to me. 4-3-3 winger or drifting free off a main forward.

I wouldn't have a problem with Juve trying something like:

Buffon

Lichtsteiner-???????-Bonucci-Sandro

??????-Marchisio-Pjanic

-------Dybala----------Pjaca

Higuain​

That system would require Marchisio and the ?????? to really play as defensive midfielders to provide balance.

With three forwards in front, the midfield doesn't have to get about the pitch so much. It can just hold the shape and build the play up. And building the play is easier when you have three mobile players playing ahead of you.

 

[Marc]

I consider a Pjanic-Marchisio midfield a bit too lightweight.

And while there is no doubt in my mind Pjanic needs to play (and probably hasn't been as poor as some would have you believe), I think he'd be considerably less of a presence in the final third given how much defending he'd have to do in that team.

Pjaca looks interesting, but doesn't look like a 4-4-2 wide play to me. 4-3-3 winger or drifting free off a main forward.

I wouldn't have a problem with Juve trying something like:

Buffon

Lichtsteiner-???????-Bonucci-Sandro

??????-Marchisio-Pjanic

-------Dybala----------Pjaca

Higuain​

That system would require Marchisio and the ?????? to really play as defensive midfielders to provide balance.

With three forwards in front, the midfield doesn't have to get about the pitch so much. It can just hold the shape and build the play up.

Thanks for the reply. Appreciate your opinion a lot.

What do you think about this then?

Higuain

Pjaca - Dybala

Pjanić - Marchisio - Rincon

Alex Sandro - Bonucci - Rugani - Lichtsteiner

Buffon​

As you see, basically I only fulfilled your blanks.

 

[Red]

I need to see more of Rincon in that sort of role to see if he'd make it work.

In theory it could work, but it depends on exactly how Pjanic, Rincon, Pjaca and Dybala interpret those roles as to whether the whole thing actually fits together and works.

I always think everything is much easier in football if you have a genuine winger on the pitch, who it is easy to get the ball to, can stretch the game and can beat an opponent one-on-one.

So I think Juve need to be playing Cuadrado or Pjaca at the moment to make life easier for the rest of the team.

 

[Dostoevsky]

I'm not sure about the best team just now.

I don't like 4-3-1-2 as a general rule.

But broadly speaking Juve are missing a midfielder with energy and drive to give the balance that is needed with Marchisio and Khedira. Juve need to play Sturaro to give the energy to over the space, but that obviously comes at the cost of technique.

And if you don't have the energy or drive in midfield, you need the forwards to do more. Obviously Higuain and Dybala are good players, but they aren't the players to stretch a game and work a defence in the way that would help Juve's midfield just now. Mandzukic would try, but he isn't quick enough to really do it.

So those factors push me to feeling more has to come from Juve in wide areas. But only Alex Sandro can consistently give a lot from fullback.

So I don't think there is a good option for Juve without a new signing.

Best i could come up with just now would be an awkward lop-sided sort of shape:

Buffon

Lichtsteiner-Bonucci-???????-Sandro

Cuadrado-??????-Marchisio-Pjanic

Dybala

Higuain​

Pjanic can drift towards trequartista as Alex Sandro pushes up that flank.

How do you define energy? I see that as 'we need a more effective player in the middle' cause they all run 10-11km each with no difference.

 

[Marc]

I need to see more of Rincon in that sort of role to see if he'd make it work.

In theory it could work, but it depends on exactly how Pjanic, Rincon, Pjaca and Dybala interpret those roles as to whether the whole thing actually fits together and works.

I always think everything is much easier in football if you have a genuine winger on the pitch, who it is easy to get the ball to, can stretch the game and can beat an opponent one-on-one.

So I think Juve need to be playing Cuadrado or Pjaca at the moment to make life easier for the rest of the team.

Well, Allegri did say Pjaca is our best reinforcement [considering he was injured for 3 months], so he will be slowly introduced into the starting 11.

 

[IliveForJuve]

Rincón as DM and Marchisio back to CM

If Claudio ups his game, we know he is capable of taking the ball forward.

 

[Red]

How do you define energy? I see that as 'we need a more effective player in the middle' cause they all run 10-11km each with no difference.

Juve need someone with mobility, intensity and aggression.

There isn't the possibility to sign a player like Vidal or Nainggolan just now, I don't think, but that is what's lacking.

Sturaro (or Asamoah) is the right sort of player, but Juve need something better than that when talking about a starting midfielder.

 

[s4tch]

pre-injury asamoah was a constantly running, agressive, dribbling and shooting beast, and i honestly thought that conte was wasting him as a wingback. too bad that asa is long gone, he'd be a starter for this year's juventus.

 

[Dostoevsky]

Juve need someone with mobility, intensity and aggression.

There isn't the possibility to sign a player like Vidal or Nainggolan just now, I don't think, but that is what's lacking.

Sturaro (or Asamoah) is the right sort of player, but Juve need something better than that when talking about a starting midfielder.

IMO Sturaro is a player that should be starting for Torino/Udinese (or some other mid-table team... but even bar Fiorentina). Not only I don't think he's good enough to be a starter but I believe he's not a good sub either.

 

[Marc]

Nainggolan

I'm glad you recognize his quality. He'd be a perfect fit for our midfield.

http://www.juventuz.com/threads/42863-Serie-A-17th-round-JUVENTUS-1-0-Roma-17th-December-2016?p=5427450&viewfull=1#post5427450

 

[Marc]

I always think everything is much easier in football if you have a genuine winger on the pitch, who it is easy to get the ball to, can stretch the game and can beat an opponent one-on-one.

I prefer having attacking midfielders [sort of like Nedved in his prime] rather than wingers on the pitch. But I do get your point. I always play a 4-3-3 formation with 2 wingers on the pitch in PES or FIFA and I kick ass.

 

[RAMI-N]

3-5-2 for this game [TJ]

 

[il brutto]

3-5-2 for this game [TJ]

What is the lineup they are predicting?

Buffon
Barzagli Bonucci Chiellini
Marchisio
Lichtsteiner Khedira Pjanic Asamoah
Dybala Higuain

??​

 

[PhRoZeN]

Yeah, So for this game we lined up with 3-5-2.

 

[zizinho]

when will this game be played?