No Axel Witsel, No Problem for Juventus Midfield (Yet!)

With the transfer window now firmly closed, few clubs can claim to have enjoyed as impressive a summer as Juventus. While the reigning Italian champions were forced to part ways with Paul Pogba and Alvaro Morata, they also brought in a huge influx of talent to strengthen an already powerful squad.

Acquiring last season's leading scorer in Serie A should boost their attacking prowess; Gonzalo Higuain—signed for a club-record fee of €90 million from Napoli—will hope to continue the form that saw him plunder 36 goals in 35 league appearances in 2015/16.

At the other end of the pitch, Dani Alves and Medhi Benatia reinforce a defence that has spent five years repelling opposition front lines with aplomb. The defenders also have vital experience in the UEFA Champions League, with that competition clearly becoming an increasingly significant yardstick by which to measure Juventus' quality.

Speaking at the draw for the group stage, director general Beppe Marotta admitted he was building a team to chase glory in that competition, telling Sky Italia (h/t Juve’s official website):

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We are ready to set off on what will be a testing and perhaps even ultimately successful European journey. Our target as ever will be to go as deep as possible into the competition and improve on our showing from last season.

We’ve made additions to the squad with exactly that in mind. While the majority of our signings have been foreign players we have made sure to keep the Italian spine of the team intact; a key to victory both at home and in the Champions League.

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It is perhaps that desire to improve their progress in Europe that saw the Bianconeri official spend deadline day looking to secure an extra midfielder. According to various reports—including this one from Gianluca Di Marzio's website—a deal for Axel Witsel was agreed only for his current club to withdraw at the last moment.

Zenit St Petersburg could not find a replacement, much to the dismay of the Belgium international, who told his side of the story to Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport (h/t Football Italia):

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It's disappointing that Zenit made that decision, especially as turning down €25m can be damaging. I, however, can only thank Juventus, as they showed such class with me and did everything they could to sign me.

My destiny was with the Bianconeri, that’s how I felt. Now I mustn’t think about it anymore. I must remain concentrated, as I am a professional.

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With Witsel also noting that his contract expires next summer, it is conceivable the Bianconeri could resurrect their interest either then or even during the January transfer window.

According to statistics from WhoScored.com, Witsel averaged 2.9 tackles, two interceptions and 1.6 clearances in seven Champions League appearances last season, cementing his reputation as a solid performer on the biggest stage.

He also repeatedly showed that he possesses great technique and a superb ability to read the game. Consistently making the right pass at the right moment, Witsel is a player who knows his limitations and plays within them, rarely opting to attempt the outrageous when a simple option is available.

Karl Matchett via Wyscout

As can be seen in the graphic above, he thrives in driving forward from midfield just as Pogba had done before his departure. Juve's desire to sign him as a replacement highlights an issue in that area of their squad, but even without him, coach Massimiliano Allegri will not be short of options over the coming months.

In their opening two matches of the campaign, the former AC Milan boss has deployed the 3-5-2 formation that has become synonymous with this team, fielding a midfield trio of Sami Khedira, Mario Lemina and Kwadwo Asamoah.

He has done so largely out of necessity, missing Claudio Marchisio, Stefano Sturaro and Miralem Pjanic through injury. The latter has been on the bench in both games, but a slight knock has prevented him taking the field for his own club debut after a move from rivals AS Roma.

lineup11.footplr.com

Even when everyone returns to full health, that same system will likely continue to be used regularly, and the graphic above shows a midfield and attack that may become mainstays of Allegri's first-choice XI.

The framework provides Juve with impressive defensive solidity, as their superb collection of clean sheets last term proved, statistics from Fox Soccer showing Gigi Buffon led Serie A with 21 shutouts in his 35 appearances.

That tally was six more than any other player, and as the Opta tweet below highlights, the 38-year-old set a new league record for minutes without conceding a goal. Yet if the Bianconeri are to improve their showing in the Champions League, Allegri may need to move away from that 3-5-2 setup.

A discussion of that opinion can be found in this previous post, and the failure to sign Witsel should not hinder such a shift once Juventus have a full complement of central midfielders to select from.

The flexibility of Pjanic could well be vital to any alternative formation. Able to fill in for Marchisio as a deep-lying playmaker, as one of the men flanking the Italy international or even further forward in the 4-3-1-2 shown below:

lineup11.footplr.com

That approach was used to good effect in the 2014/15 season when Allegri fielded Arturo Vidal or Roberto Pereyra behind the strikers, with the team marching to the Champions League final as a result.

Adding Pjanic’s range of passing, creativity and dead-ball prowess will be a major boost to that approach, with OptaPaolo noting on Twitter that he was the only midfielder in Serie A to reach double figures in both goals and assists last term.

The coach often withdrew a midfielder and reverted to the defensive 3-5-2 by bringing Andrea Barzagli off the bench, a tactical move he should begin to revisit as the current campaign progresses.

However, Juventus—for the first time in many years—have a pair of wingers who complement each other, meaning the 4-3-3 shown below is another option. The prospect of summer signing Marko Pjaca and Chelsea loanee Juan Cuadrado working in tandem is a mouthwatering one for Old Lady supporters.

lineup11.footplr.com

It could be of particular help in the early rounds of European action, where smaller sides like FC Copenhagen and Nordsjaelland have frustrated the Bianconeri. An abundance of pace and trickery out wide will help stretch packed defences, creating both space and scoring opportunities for Higuain or Mario Mandzukic.

But while a group including Marchisio, Khedira, Pjanic, Sturaro, Pjaca and Cuadrado provides the team with options and tactical variety, the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations may hit Juventus hard in January.

Both Mario Lemina (Gabon) and Asamoah (Ghana) are likely to be called up for the tournament, shrinking the pool of central midfielders considerably. If the club hope to maintain their challenge for silverware on multiple fronts, either Witsel or another new arrival will be essential when the transfer window reopens.

For now, Allegri has plenty of weapons at his disposal, but Juventus must not grow complacent no matter how good their results are in the meantime.