Why Angelo Ogbonna Is the Juventus Player with Most to Prove in Pre-Season

In a year which saw Juventus come within one win of a historic treble, many of the Bianconeri squad enjoyed the finest seasons of their respective careers. From Carlos Tevez once again leading the side with 29 goals to Paul Pogba’s continued growth, Massimiliano Allegri clearly benefited from having an in-form group of players from which to select his side.

Very few were disappointing, and it is even more difficult to find a Juve player with anything left to prove. Yet despite collecting a second consecutive Serie A winners medal—with Coppa Italia glory to boot—Angelo Ogbonna is clearly the one man with most to lose as the club prepares for the 2015/16 campaign.

Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

Following his €13 million move from cross-town rivals Torino in the summer of 2013, the defender appeared to be set to flourish with Italian football’s grand Old Lady. Standing 6'3" tall and physically imposing, the 27-year-old has all the tools needed to thrive at his position and even appeared to fit Juve’s tactical approach perfectly.

Having started his career at left-back, Ogbonna offered a viable alternative to Giorgio Chiellini on that side of Antonio Conte’s preferred three-man defence, and he seemed a fine choice to deputise for the same player once Allegri switched to a more orthodox back four.

Statistically, too, he appears to be an excellent defender, with figures from WhoScored.com showing he averaged an impressive 1.2 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 3.3 clearances per game last term. On the ball, the same source appears to highlight a smart distributor, making 47.8 passes per outing and connecting with 89.4 percent of those attempts.

Squawka.com

Booked just four times in 2014/15, even looking more closely at his contribution it is difficult to find fault in his game, as the above graphic—courtesy of Squawka.com—seems to show a highly effective defender thriving at one of Europe’s most high-profile clubs.

Yet anyone spending time watching Juventus over the last two years can see beyond those numbers, with Ogbonna providing a perfect example of a player for whom statistics fail to present the whole story.

Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

Indeed, he is a deeply flawed defender, with perhaps one attribute needing major work if he is to continue to play a role for the Bianconeri in the coming years. No longer a talented prospect with potential, he should now be entering the prime of his career, but sadly Ogbonna continues to make mistakes commonly associated with much younger players.

The first leg of Juve’s Coppa Italia semi-final against Fiorentina was perhaps the ideal match to highlight his talent, drafted into a heavily rotated side as Allegri opted to rest a number of key players.

Rather than grasp his chance, however, Ogbonna showed the mental fragility which threatens to hold him back, switching off at key moments as the Viola ran out 2-1 winners at Juventus Stadium. Those away goals could have proven deadly to the Old Lady’s hopes of lifting the trophy for the first time in 20 years, and there was little doubt as to who was at fault.

"

Worth noting Ogbonna's heroic effort on Salah's second goal. https://t.co/fj4qvnUt6c (via @Just_ciano)

— fiuuuunale (@agiamba) March 5, 2015"

As can be seen in the video of Mohamed Salah’s match-winning strike, Ogbonna just strolls behind the on-loan Chelsea star, allowing him to score and making no effort whatsoever to challenge his run or shot.

It is impossible to understand what he was thinking at that moment, and it is even more difficult to imagine any of the club’s other defenders being so passive in that situation. The likes of Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli and most certainly Chiellini would all have certainly thrown themselves into a challenge and tried to stop Salah at all costs.

With Daniele Rugani arriving this summer and Martin Caceres set to return from injury, playing time will already be at a premium in central defence. It is the kind of lapse that happens all too often for Angelo Ogbonna, and it leaves him as undoubtedly the Juventus player with most to prove in the coming months.