Can we play Giovinco for 90 minutes at least once this season? Can we please do that? What is the point in bringing on a useless player who isn't very good going forward or going backwards when Sebastian deserves to play and needs that playing time to become more developed as a player? These times when we are up 3-1 or 4-1 are the moments for the player to show us his true skills and develop some mean confidence while the pressure is off. We have seen what Giovinco can do, people were proven wrong by not playing him all throughout the season, but apparently it's still proper player management to never allow a blossoming starlet 90 minutes on the pitch. Whatever floats your boat.
Great performance by the players today putting in an efficient display. In the first half all play went through Giovinco and in the second we had some decent and lucky opportunities to score, thankfully capitalizing on most of them. The Roma squad today did what they could while having to deal with so many absences, but they're obviously no match for our players. The defense was shaky at times but overall the two centerbacks did a great job, especially Chiellini on two match-saving occasions. The central midfield, at least in my opinion, did well and at least completed passes instead of giving the ball away cheaply. Giovinco is the go-to playmaker in the team and the greatest threat to the opposition, especially when Hasan or Marchionni is out there providing next to nothing. Moreover, the team chemistry even looks better when Giovinco is playing, so this really speaks for how much the kid means to the team.
And lastly, a controversial note. The past three matches have arguably been our best string of matches during this season, and potentially some of our better games considering the competition and what was at stake. We did well against Chelsea at home and now away to Roma. If you notice who we had in midfield during these matches, perhaps you'd be stunned. Tiago was a mainstay in the team while Sissoko, the player who isn't exactly able to provide consistent passes, was absent. Instead, we fielded players who can manage to complete passes that have a little more creativity than others. Tiago, Marchisio and Poulsen are all players who can pass the ball well. A couple people have claimed Sissoko is not European calibre because he doesn't have the distribution skill, and right now their opinions have a little more weight behind them - we have done well without a destroyer in these past few matches. Is this coincidence or is there something behind the trend?
Buffon - Did well for what he had to do. 6.5
Grygera - Has to do better. 5.5
Mellberg - Pretty solid, nice goal. 7
Chiellini - Starting to return to form. 7
Molinaro - Don't have to tell you what I think as you already know. 5.5
Salihamidzic - Useless player for Juventus. It's sad because I know he was good at Bayern. 5
Tiago - Sure, he missed out on winning the ball and can't really tackle like Sissoko, but at least he can complete passes and organize. So there's a trade off here. 6
Poulsen - Did well defensively and also distributed the ball well. 7
Giovinco - The playmaker who should have always played. 7.5
Iaquinta - Off and on player. Consistency is the issue. He doesn't have it. But well done today. 8
Del Piero - Couldn't get involved and didn't look himself. 6
Nedved - What a cracker! First touch, too. Love you man. 7
Marchionni - Hey yo, at least you got some playing time at a great club. Party is over. NA
Keeping pressure on Inter is the key and I'm glad we have achieved that this weekend.