Grading Massimiliano Allegri on Juventus' 2014/15 Serie A Season

There is little doubt that the 2014-15 season has been hugely positive one for Juventus, the club winning a fourth consecutive Serie A title with ease. Having also lifted the Coppa Italia for the first time since 1995, and with the Champions League final still to play, the Bianconeri have already enjoyed great success.

Whatever the result against Barcelona on June 6, there is little doubt that the Old Lady and her supporters will look back fondly on this campaign for years to come. Yet it did not begin in such happy circumstances, with the appointment of Massimiliano Allegri initially met with widespread derision among fans and neutral observers alike.

"He joined the club amidst a great deal of scepticism but he's succeeded in keeping this team moving forward,” director general Beppe Marotta said of the coach back in March, per the club’s official website. Appointed the day after Antonio Conte quit the role, Allegri had very little time to prepare and arrived with his reputation at an all-time low following his dismissal by Milan just six months earlier.

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Wisely starting the season by changing very little of the team he inherited, he retained both the formation and line-up favoured by his predecessor. Sticking with the 3-5-2 framework that had been central to the success of the Bianconeri over the previous three seasons proved an intelligent decision, as they recorded seven wins and one draw in their opening eight fixtures.

Wins against newly promoted Empoli and Palermo followed, but sandwiched between them was a disappointing loss to Genoa. That compounded defeats to Atletico Madrid and Olympiakos in the Champions League, and prompted Allegri to make changes and finally make the team his own.

Switching to a back four brought immediate results, not only restoring focus to a side in danger of becoming stale, but also making them much more threatening in attack. That was evident in their 3-2 win over the same Greek opponents, before a 7-0 demolition of Parma reinforced the point.

From there, Juventus have played with remarkable consistency, conceding just 24 goals this term as the champions kept a remarkable 18 clean sheets in the league alone. Also leading all teams thanks to a tally of 72 goals, there is little doubting the impact the coach has made, leading them to the title by a margin of 16 points.

It is difficult to judge Allegri solely on the Serie A campaign alone, as he has often rested players ahead of key Champions League fixtures, his skilled rotation of the side allowing them to compete on three fronts for the first time in recent memory.

That has allowed Juventus to benefit from sustained excellence from players such as Patrice Evra and Carlos Tevez, while also nursing Arturo Vidal back to full health following his summer knee surgery.

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Evra is one of many new signings to be successfully integrated by the Livorno-born tactician, who has also proven his ability to develop young players throughout the season. The quality of Alvaro Morata was evident in his fleeting appearances at former club Real Madrid, but an increase in playing time has seen the Spaniard make a huge leap forward in 2015.

Allegri deserves immense credit for that, and he is also at least partially responsible for the rapid progress of Roberto Pereyra. Now good enough to be a member of Argentina’s Copa America squad, the utility player signed from Udinese has blossomed under the coach’s guidance in Turin.

His running on the ball has been a neat addition to the Bianconeri attack, while his defensive diligence has been vital in the biggest matches. Stefano Sturaro has also shone, the 22-year-old making an impact following his January move from Genoa, Allegri calling upon him more and more as the season reached its climax.

Tactically astute, with a firm grasp of what lays ahead for his team and how each of his players was performing at all times, there is little doubt Max Allegri has been a major factor in Juve’s success this season.

Allegri’s Grade for Serie A 2014-15: A