Juventus and Italy Need More from Angelo Ogbonna but Can He Deliver?

For a few long hours on Friday it seemed Claudio Marchisio was out for the season, medical staff from the Italian national team insisting that he had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Those fears were allayed upon his return to Turin however, Juventus ruling out any serious damage and expecting the 29-year-old to resume training within the next few days.

The whole matter was discussed at length in this previous column, but the issue was compounded by the fact that Paul Pogba and Andrea Pirlo have also been absent for some time, leaving the Bianconeri short of options in central midfield. However, thanks to the return of Andrea Barzagli, there are no such concerns in defence, with a plethora of quality players available to Massimiliano Allegri.

That has led to a fantastic defensive record, with the club having conceded just 14 goals in Serie A this term and keeping no fewer than 16 clean sheets thus far. Having done so while coping with injuries, suspensions and alternating between three- and four-man back lines is testament to the depth of the squad the club has carefully built.

Yet, as much as each player has delivered whenever called upon, there is an inescapable feeling that Angelo Ogbonna could offer more. Arriving in the summer of 2013, the former Torino captain had shown such promise that his switch commanded a fee of €13 million, a sum not to be scoffed at in the current financial climate on the peninsula.

He has coped with the pressure of moving from Juve’s cross-town rivals well, and has established himself as a valuable member of the squad, able to fill a variety of positions and fitting into both formations used by the team since Allegri’s arrival.

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The prolonged absence of both Martin Caceres and Barzagli has seen an increase in Ogbonna’s playing time, having already made 18 appearances in 2014-15 which is just four behind his tally from last year. According to statistics from WhoScored.com, Ogbonna has averaged 0.8 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and 3.1 clearances this term, numbers which compare favourably with those of his high-profile team-mates.

He has also improved his passing since pulling on the black-and-white stripes, the same source showing he completes 88.7 percent of his attempts and connects an average of 47.1 times per game. All those figures point to a competent defender and yet there have been some key mistakes, including some lapses in concentration that can appear inexplicable.

The recent Coppa Italia clash with Fiorentina provides perhaps the most glaring example of this, Ogbonna appearing to be completely unaware of the danger Mohamed Salah posed. Having already watched the on-loan Chelsea star net a stunning opening goal, to allow him the freedom to double his tally is almost unforgivable.

Now aged 26, Ogbonna must surely raise his game in the immediate future if he is to deliver on the potential which secured his move to the reigning Italian champions. Having been blessed with the perfect stature to play in defence and also having much more speed than many of his peers, his best offers Juventus a key alternative to the pedestrian pace of the current first-choice players.

Leonardo Bonucci endured similar struggles in his first year or so at Juve before becoming a cornerstone of the side, and such a leap is not beyond the Cassino native. He is hampered by the fact Chiellini has made the left-sided role in central defence his own, but Ogbonna also has the ability to play as a full-back.

Wth options there remarkably thin beyond Patrice Evra, a stint at left-back may be in store, but in order to remain with the Old Lady—and indeed to reclaim his place with the Azzurri—he must first overcome the mental hurdles that appear to be currently standing in his way. Angelo Ogbonna has plateaued at Juventus and must show he has the ability to keep climbing if he is to enjoy a bright future with the club.