Why 4-3-3 May Be a Solution to Juventus' Current Problems
There is no getting away from it, Juventus flopped badly this week. Losing 3-0 away to Genoa, the Bianconeri were outplayed, out-thought and outfought at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, their opponents simply the better side over the 90-minute nightmare.
The problems highlighted by that defeat were analysed in detail in this previous post, and coach Massimiliano Allegri must look to rectify many of them before taking on an in-form Atalanta side later this week.
Just a few days before this match, Allegri was—thanks to a seemingly endless list of injuries—somewhat forced into using a 4-3-3 formation against Sevilla—a shape that could be a perfect fit for this squad.
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Before the Genoa match, he told a press conference he intended to either retain that setup as shown in the graphic above or pair a healthy Gonzalo Higuain in attack with Mario Mandzukic.
Yet Allegri did neither, instead opting for a starting XI that immediately raised questions and only added to the air of confusion around the team. It began as a 3-5-2 but one with Stephan Lichtsteiner in central defence in order to accommodate Dani Alves at wing-back, while Juan Cuadrado lined up next to Mandzukic as a striker.
That meant promising Daniele Rugani dropped to the bench, with the 22-year-old seemingly paying the price for his recent indifferent form. Yet if the former Empoli man is struggling, then the same is undoubtedly true of Lichtsteiner and Alves, as neither one is performing to his previous high standards this term.
Falling behind to three quick goals prompted some reshuffling for the Bianconeri, with the changes further hampered by an injury to lead defender Leonardo Bonucci. That saw Rugani sent on to replace him, joining Medhi Benatia in a four-man defence that inexplicably saw Alves and Alex Sandro act as full-backs, while Lichtsteiner played in midfield.
Negating the Brazilian duo's incredible attacking qualities makes almost no sense, while placing Cuadrado in a role wide on the left did the same to him. At his best on the right, the Colombia international made very little impact on the opposite flank, with Allegri's ill-fitting 4-5-1 framework shown in the graphic below.
It unsurprisingly failed to help the Bianconeri fight their way back into the game and brought to mind the shelved system Allegri had deployed in Spain. Now there should be no illusions that the 3-1 victory at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium was a good performance, but the tactical approach was one Juve should certainly continue to explore.
In that game, the team was without Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini, Paulo Dybala, Marko Pjaca and Higuain, prompting a lineup the coach would arguably not have selected otherwise.
Fielding Sandro and Cuadrado either side of Mandzukic gave the Old Lady the attacking width she so often lacks, but it was clear the squad needs more time before it is fully comfortable using such a formation regularly.
Yet that only held true in an attacking sense, as Juventus looked much more resilient than at any other time in recent weeks. That was obviously helped by the first-half dismissal of former Palermo man Franco Vazquez, but even with those aforementioned absentees, the defence held up well.
That was due to a clear tactical instruction from Allegri, who asked Sandro and Cuadrado to drop deep whenever possession was lost, altering the side into something close to a 4-5-1 framework from which they could counter-attack.
With that duo of pacey wingers looking to take advantage, the graphic below shows how Juve defended in numbers as well as the spaces they hoped to exploit after Sevilla ventured forward.
As always seems to be the case this season, seeing such a fine result and some positive changes by Allegri leads to one inevitable question: What would that system look like if the coach had a full squad to choose from?
Obviously the addition of Benatia, Chiellini or (most crucially) Barzagli would reinforce the back line, replacing the promise of the player Rugani one day could be with an established top-class defender.
The same is also true in attack, where the predatory instincts and incisiveness of Higuain places him on a level Mandzukic simply has not got the talent to reach even on his very best days.
Yet perhaps the biggest difference to be made would be the insertion of Marko Pjaca, a player still to showcase his true ability with the Bianconeri, but one the club expects a great deal from in the years to come.
Asked during an interview with Tuttosport to name a player who will be a major protagonist for Juventus in 2017, Allegri's answer left no room for doubt. "It will be Pjaca," he said (h/t Football Italia). His response added to the already heightened expectation surrounding the exciting 21-year-old.
He arrived back in July, with Juve's official website revealing they paid Dinamo Zagreb a fee of €23 million as Pjaca signed a five-year contract. His agent was certainly not in the mood to downplay the winger's potential, drawing some lofty parallels when Tuttosport asked what fans should expect from his client.
"Comparisons are always difficult, but Marko I see it as a mix of Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo," Marko Naletilic said (h/t beInSports). "Pjaca is slower than Cristiano Ronaldo, but is more unpredictable. Marko is an artist and also recalls the genius of [Dejan] Savicevic."
Juventus sadly had very little time to see that for themselves, with the player picking up a leg injury during the October international break. Seven brief substitute appearances saw him manage a total of just 76 minutes on the pitch, but even during those fleeting cameos, Pjaca managed to catch the eye.
According to WhoScored.com, he took three shots at goal, managed three successful take-ons and created one clear scoring chance for a team-mate. Pjaca also worked hard defensively, winning one tackle and making seven interceptions as he looked to create a good impression.
The video above highlights some of his 17-minute outing against Empoli, a display that only adds to the feeling he could be an ideal addition on the left of that 4-3-3 shape. With Pjaca there, Sandro could return to defence in place of Patrice Evra and suddenly Juventus have a fine alternative to their trusted 3-5-2 formation.
It would allow them to rest and rotate Dybala without losing the cutting edge this team so desperately needs and yet still maintain their strong defensive identity. It may have been borne out of necessity, but that formation will clearly work for Juventus when they are at full strength and should not be abandoned too hastily.
Allegri has work to do in many areas, but he was been struggling for such a solution in recent weeks, repeatedly changing system and personnel without much success. Now the coach has an answer, and it is one he truly cannot ignore if Juve are to continue their current march to glory.
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