Juventus were held to a goalless draw in the Derby D’Italia, despite spurning a number of good chances to take all three points.
Player Ratings
Defence
Bob Szczesny: Barely troubled, despite the early Inter pressing. Made one comfortable save but his defence did much of the hard work to make it a quiet night for him. Comfortable. 6.0/10
Giorgio Chiellini: Another strong display to go with an impressive run of form since his return from injury. Five clearances, two tackles, some brilliant positioning and timing – Neutralized the threat of Icardi to render the Inter forward almost obsolete . 6.5/10
Medhi Benatia: Made one vital interception and barely put a foot wrong, the only exception being his booking. Excellent in the air, defended well on the Inter set-pieces – Firmly back to his best. 6.5/10
Mattia De Sciglio: Another game in which we had to worry very little about the pressure on the right flank, primarily because the youngster is starting to hit his stride. A few wayward passes aside, he stuck to his tasks really well, completing 4/4 tackles and keeping Perisic firmly in his pocket all night. 6.5/10
Kwadwo Asamoah: Bizarre to think that Asamoah is now our first choice left-back and he’s actually back to the kind of form that he showed in those first seasons under Conte. A ball of energy down the flank, pushing up and supporting the attack as well as keeping Candreva restricted to the point that I wondered if he was actually playing. Bravo. 6.5/10
Midfield
Sami Khedira: While he put in a good shift and marked he Inter midfield well enough, he doesn’t look as though he has the legs for playing in midfield anymore. He was slow and laboured and couldn’t move us forward as needed. Average. 5.5/10
Blaise Matuidi: Can’t fault his energy or his dribbling or pace, but his work in the final third lacked in the first half. Improved as the game went on and was a little better in the second portion of the game. 6.0/10
Miralem Pjanic: Kept under constant pressure in the early portion of the game, but dropped deep to pick up the ball and dictate the play from the base of the midfield. Really excelled as the game progressed to the point where he was orchestrating the Juve attack for much of the final 45′ – Excellent. 6.5/10
Attack
Juan Cuadrado: In the early portion of the game, he provided a great outlet down the right to push back. Saw more of the ball as Inter started to sit back and provided some exceptional crosses, all which were wasted. 6.5/10
Mario Mandzukic: In the right place at the right time all night long, but he failed to capitalise on chance after chance. Hit the woodwork then blazed an effort wide. Kept pressing and while his workrate can’t be faulted, his lack of finishing made it feel like two valuable points dropped. 6.0/10
Gonzalo Higuain: Did a good job of pressing the Inter defence and trying to hold up play on the few occasions that he got the ball, but in all honesty, it’s hard to judge him too harshly when he barely got any service in the first half. 6.0/10
Substitutes
Paulo Dybala: Unsure why he was dropped but he came on late in the game and tried to shift the balance when Juve started to dominate. N/A
Rodrigo Bentancur: A late cameo appearance to replace Pjanic. N/A
Didn’t see the game as I finished work just as the game started. Read that Mandzukic should have scored at least a goal(those reports were also confirmed here), that the defence was solid and didn’t give much space for inter to attack. I’m just wondering if you guys know why Dybala didn’t start, why Allegri sometimes takes him out and what is up with the Alex Sandro saga?
we need Dybala in top form against Bologna…………..
Sandro is gone in summer. Same with Dybala.
Hopefully we get Can.
But think of the one header of mandzu and all would be good,now we lost two points……………..
With all due respect, I always wonder why you don’t explore the rating scale a little more, Mr. Administrator. How can the lowest rating be a 5.5 and the highest 6.5 in a game where some of our players really excelled?
I would at least give Asamoah, Matuidi and Cuadrado 7.5 each.
My observation was that Matuidi is now directing the defensive effort on the left side, pointing, shouting, running all over. His growing presence and Benatia’s renaissance have played lead roles in restoring stability and confidence in the post-Bonucci era. I’d have rated both of them a bit higher, but that’s not very important. We played well, though lacking in precision when it counted, creating enough quality chances to have emerged with at minimum a 2-0 result on any other night. Mandzukic could have scored 2 or 3 with slightly quicker/more precise reactions, Gonzalo attacked an open goal from point plank range with a shot that must be in orbit around Mars as I type this. We bossed the game and, regardless of the score line, did not give Inter much encouragement for the reverse feature. I kept thinking Costa would come in on the left for Mandzukic, and I doubt I was alone in that hope. I have no idea what’s up with Dybala but assume that Allegri is doing what he did with Higuain, allowing him to chill and read the flow of the game, enter at an auspicious moment, and make a difference to boost his confidence. Like many others I assume, I though that would occur at perhaps the 65 or 70-minute mark, at the latest.
I will repeat my statement for last game, which is a growing frustration with the unfulfilled potential of our attack.
It is the isolation of poor Higuin, I feel like we are playing him as Benzema in R.Madrid. Asking him to work hard, drop down, defend, chase relentlessly, without giving him what he really needs, which is service in the last third around the box.
I completely agree. Have been saying the same thing since we signed him. There was a reason he could bag all those goals in Napoli. Our style of play, what we ask of him. It doesn’t suite his style of play. In the end of the season I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets more assists than goals.