A Progress Report on Juventus Heading into October International Break
With club football pausing once again for the international break, it presents the ideal opportunity to assess the progress of individual sides and take stock of where they sit as September gives way to October.
After four years of unprecedented success, Juventus’ 2015/16 campaign began with the Supercoppa Italiana, pitting their vastly altered squad against Coppa Italia runners-up Lazio at Shanghai Stadium back in August.
Goals from Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala saw them lift the trophy after a comfortable 2-0 victory, and it appeared a bright new era was already underway for the Turin giants despite the exits of some truly great players.
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From there, however, Juventus have endured one of the toughest starts in their history, labouring over the first few weeks of the Serie A season after injuries to a number of key men. That put coach Massimiliano Allegri in a difficult position as they hosted Udinese, eventually losing 0-1 following a disappointing performance.
The reigning champions would then visit AS Roma and be completely overwhelmed, losing 2-1 and seeing Patrice Evra sent off. Despite once again struggling, the Bianconeri almost equalised late in the game, with only a fine save from Wojciech Szczesny denying them a share of the points.
Another dire display saw them draw 1-1 with Chievo, before visiting the Etihad Stadium to begin their Champions League campaign. With just one point from their opening three Serie A games, the tie appeared to be a daunting prospect, with Manchester City boasting a 100 percent Premier League record and yet to concede a goal.
Yet having reached the final last year, European football’s elite competition brought the best from Juventus, rallying after falling behind to emerge with a 2-1 victory. Goals from Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata handed La Madama her first victory in England since 1996, and the timing of the game was almost perfect.
The two men on the scoresheet have both been among those hampered by injuries but were available that day, and their impact was obvious as Allegri tactically outclassed his opposite number Manuel Pellegrini.
A 2-0 win away to Genoa came next as Paul Pogba netted twice to hand the side their first league win of the new campaign, but their joy would be short lived.
Newly promoted minnows Frosinone made their first trip to Juventus Stadium and grabbed an unlikely equaliser in injury time, a moment of inattention from Andrea Barzagli proving fatal.
Three days later, Juventus would face Napoli, and, arguably, delivered their worst performance in a number of years. Thoroughly outplayed by the Partenopei, many of the side simply failed to perform as Hernanes and Pogba, in particular, turned in hugely disappointing displays in the 2-1 loss.
There were some mitigating circumstances, with Mandzukic, Sami Khedira, Claudio Marchisio and Stephan Lichtsteiner all sidelined, while Morata was only fit enough to take a place on the bench.
Yet despite seeing his team collect just five points from their first six league games, Allegri was in no mood to concede the campaign was already lost and insisted Juve could force their way back into the title race.
“I can picture a Juve that will go back to fighting for the top of the table,” the coach told Sky Italia after the game (h/t Football Italia).
Once again the Champions League would provide respite, with Sevilla visiting Turin on Matchday Two, and again the timing of the fixture proved perfect for Juventus.
Khedira made his first appearance of the campaign and Morata returned to the starting XI after a brief absence, and their impact was clear throughout the clash with last season’s Europa League winners.
The Spanish striker would net in a fifth-consecutive European tie, matching Alessandro Del Piero’s record, while his former Real Madrid team-mate controlled the midfield with consummate ease. Simone Zaza grabbed a second goal, and Juventus carried that form over into domestic action with a 3-1 triumph against Bologna.
Morata, Dybala and Khedira all scored in a second good performance, meaning the team could head into the international break in good spirits, although the coach was disappointed to see them fall behind after just five minutes.
We conceded a goal with the defence in place, which shouldn’t happen,” Allegri told Sky Sport Italia (h/t Football Italia). “Having said that, we created a great deal and the thing we need to improve is our stability. We mustn’t keep giving off the sensation we’re struggling, as it’s important to play with a sense of authority.”
It is that which has undoubtedly been missing, with Juve’s previously resolute defence looking surprisingly vulnerable over their opening 10 fixtures of 2015/16. Keeping just three clean sheets, it has been strange to see players like Barzagli and Gigi Buffon making uncharacteristic errors.
The latter’s effort to deny Bologna midfielder Anthony Mounier was particularly poor, and there is little doubt that issues at right-back have hurt the side.
Lichtsteiner needed minor surgery to correct an irregular heartbeat, with the surgeon telling the club’s official website that the Swiss star would need one month to recover.
While awaiting his return, Juventus were disappointed to see Martin Caceres involved in a drink-driving incident. The Uruguayan defender crashed his car into a bus stop in Turin, per Italian news agency ANSA, and was subsequently suspended by the club, per their own official website.
Barzagli has done well in the last two games, but the return of both men cannot help but improve the defence. Perhaps the bigger issue lies further forward, with the injury problems in midfield seeing the back line offered very little protection, at least until Khedira was inserted into the starting XI.
Before last weekend’s meeting with Bologna, Allegri told a press conference he expected Marchisio and Stefano Sturaro to return after the break, which again will be a huge boost to the team.
That game—as well as the Sevilla clash just a few days earlier—showed how good this team can be, and Dybala believes that with a little luck, Juventus can quickly return to battle for the title.
“We picked up three important points. We believe in the Scudetto race, certainly,” the Argentinian striker told reporters (h/t Football Italia). “In previous games we've been unlucky, that's all.”
Indeed, his performances have given genuine hope of that, netting four times already with Morata weighing in with three more.
Their first match back is against the early leaders Inter, and three points there would see already-rising confidence raised further still as they seek to climb the table.
Securing the Supercoppa and a commanding position at the top of Champions League Group D are major accomplishments, but sitting in 12th place in Serie A must quickly change once the squad returns to full fitness.
Juventus have seemingly shrugged off their poor start over the past week, and look finely poised to make a leap in quality once domestic action restarts after the break.
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