Player ratings Juventus V Livorno...
Buffon-
10/10...Flawless. After a year of injuries Santo Buffon has returned to reclaim his throne as King of The Keepers. He is currently our most in form player, and if he can stay fit, he could prove the difference between us and Inter. I would say his re-emergence, in terms of consistently high standards, is the biggest positive to take from the new season so far...
Chiellini-
8/10. Solid throughout, rarely worried, played with a smile, got forward on several occasions, showed decent pace and his usual no nonsense approach to thwarting attacks through the middle of the park.
Legro-
7.5/10-
No major errors. Won most aerial battles, and looked far more assured next to his pal Giorgio than how he performed alongside Fabio during the week. Still, less useful than Cannavaro...But a sterdy, commendable showing.
Grosso-
6.5/10
Caught out a few times positionally, but showed decent distribution and he CAN tackle. he is also quite quick for a 31 year old...A vast improvement on the left flank.
Grygera-
6/10
At first, as I missed the formations, and the stream I was watching was grainy, I assumed it was Sali, back from the dead, because his positional play was appalling...I was thinking...'well, what can we expect from a utility player who excels nowhere but is competent everywhere...'...but alas, i soon discovered it was the Czech goblin. He did OK...Though his tendency to drift out of position is enough to convince me that we need to give Zebina a chance there, as soon as he is fit, as the frenchman knows where to be.
Poulsen-
7/10
The best perfomance I have seen from the Dane. Hardly a major force, but he won many loose balls, did his work tidily and showed a good level of energy and interest for the entire match.
Marchisio-
8/10
Clearly tired...but he got up and down the pitch to useful effect, harried the opponents as much as tried to create, and scored a delightful goal. A sound performance from the fast maturing youngster.
Camo-
7/10.
I dont remember ever seeing the argie rat misplace so many passes, not by a yard or two but by 10 or twenty yards. True enough he supplied the cross for the first goal, and a lovely ball through for the second, but he gave away possession FAR MORE times than he found one of his team-mates. One of the few who tried to dribble his way past opponents, which is encouraging, but I found him largely disappointing because its not enjoyable to see one of our best ballplayers conceding possession so consistently. I expect more of him...
Giovinco-
6/10
Another unconvincing showing from la formica atomica. Which I hate to admit, because I so want him to do well, and prove that there is substance in the hype surrounding him. Its true what Ciro said after the game, he isn't great when he receives the ball with his back to goal. That is more Diego's forte...I don't understand why he hasn't been tried in attack, with Trezeguet for example. The old big target man/nippy midget routine...But I suppose someone has to go in the Diego hole, and we needed someone who can pass from midfield, without Melo and Tiago, so Camo had to go central, and Giovinco in the hole. He looks wicked when driving forward, his passing is generally quality, and his shooting...well, he didn't create many chances to shoot. Either his confidence is low, or he is simply not a trequartista.
Iaquinta-
6.5/10
I haven't ever before seen a Juve striker whose touch was as confident and efficient as a newly birthed bear. For all his huffing and puffing, Vincenzo lacks technique, which more often than not, kills our attacking moves. He is only useful in the box, on the end of crosses or balls through which put him one on one with the keeper. On top of this, he doesn't seem great at finding space, other than in the air...Indeed, he scored. But he was poor last night, and for once, I was missing Amauri.
Trez-
6.5/10
Great to see him back in the thick of the action. And he is clearly up for it, as was confirmed by his tracking back to help defend. On another day, when his match sharpness is once again razor like, he could have scored a hatrick or more. Because he has clearly not lost his main talent of ghosting into goal scoring positions. Despite his lack of pace, he can still smell the openings...and if he continues to play, he will likely infuriate for a few more games, but then be BACK IN THE GOALS...He wants to be here. And I am glad he has stayed with us.
SUBS-
De Ceglie...N/a
Marrone---7/10...showed great enthusiasm, tried to make things happen, a beligerent little tyke.
Amauri...N/a
Conclusion.
We didn't overpower our opponents as much as most of us would have hoped, nonemoreso than me, as I stayed up until 645am to watch this match. And had it not been for Buffon, we would have lost or at best drawn. But we won...Four on the trot is all we could have asked for. The manner of these victories however, may be cause for concern, but we were missing Cannavaro, Zebina, Melo, Diego, Del Piero, Tiago...and some of those who did start, mainly Iaquinta, Camo and Marchiso...all seem somewhat jaded by tiredness. So overall, I am content with 2-0.
We will need at least Melo and Diego back for the Genoa game, and hopefully Del Piero and Zebina will also get some minutes, as I am not keen on Giovinco behind the strikers. Though, with Melo back, and perhaps also Tiago, we could play Marchiso, Melo, Tiago, and push Camo into the hole...
I don't think we learned anything that we didn't already know from last night's game. We didn't play particularly well, could have lost, but ultimately our quality showed through, at both ends of the pitch.