Juventus: Why Alvaro Morata Needs to Start Ahead of Fernando Llorente

Juventus' attack has been stagnant for the better part of a month now. Chances are being wasted time and time again—mostly early in sequences before the ball can even be brought to bear on the goal.

In this space last week, the argument was made that Massimiliano Allegri should concede some possession and implement a more counterattacking style. Juve has dominated possession in almost every game they've played this season, but they haven't been able to do much with it. On the counter, however, Juve is lethal. The Bianconeri aren't often given credit for their ability to threaten on the break because you don't see it much. This season, though, they have looked far more dangerous when they're running than when cycling passes around the edge of the box looking to penetrate a parked bus.

Juve's opener last weekend against Palermo was an example of just such a goal.  Roberto Pereyra gained possession near midfield and sent Carlos Tevez through towards the goal. The Argentinian striker drew three defenders to him before laying off for a streaking Arturo Vidal, who cooly slotted home past Stefano Sorrentino.

Juve will quickly fall behind Roma in the race for the title if they continue to dominate possession only to repeatedly bang their heads into a wall. What they need is to change their style and counterattack more—and to do that, they will need to bench Fernando Llorente.

Last year Llorente started slowly at Juve thanks to the rust that built up after Athletic Bilbao benched him over a contract dispute.  This year, he has no such explanation to fall back on.

Denis Doyle/Getty Images

Llorente has only scored once this season. He hasn't been able to hold the ball up or keep possession in the box as he has in the past.  His level of play this season has simply been poor.

More crucially, Llorente isn't mobile. If Allegri recognizes the need to let his team run, he's going to need to partner Tevez with someone who can run with him and play with the ball at his feet.

That man is Alvaro Morata.

The 22-year-old Spaniard is an intriguing mix of Llorente-style target man and forwards like David Villa, Pedro and Fernando Torres in his prime. He can lie in wait in the box for service and bop the ball home, either with his head or on the turn. He can also move quickly with the ball at his feet and dribble around the men trying to bar his path.

At the U21 European Championships last summer, Morata's skill set was on full display. He scored a late winner in Spain's opener against Russia by making a skillful run into the path of a free kick and flicking an artful header into the net. In the next game against Germany he scored another late winner by simply driving past his defender and sending a shot past the keeper on an acute angle. Against the Dutch he again scored on the run after latching on to a pass by Pablo Sarabia in the six-yard box.

In the semifinal against Norway it was again a long solo run that gave him a goal. A through ball originating from just inside his own half found him just beyond the halfway line. He simply turned, kicked in the afterburners, and beat every defender to the byline. He fired from an angle and then corralled the rebound off the keeper for his fourth goal of the tournament—good enough for the tournament's Golden Boot.

Morata's ability to score on the run—both with the ball and without it—is something that Max Allegri needs to exploit. Juve's attack badly needs an injection of pace—which is something Llorente, for all his other talents, is not blessed with. At the moment, the only forward Juve has who can run at a defender and win is Tevez.

In Morata, Allegri has a player who can do that without sacrificing a target man in the box. Llorente is a good soldier and is working hard, but the results aren't coming, and his deficiencies—particularly his lack of mobility—are examples of Juve's problem as a whole.

It's been two months, and Morata has repeatedly outshone Llorente on the field despite his limited minutes. His skill set is more suited to what Juventus should be doing offensively. It's time for Morata to take a full place in the starting XI—the sooner the better.