On the back of an immensely disappointing season, some have imagined that only a complete revamp could shoot Juventus back to the top of Italian football. Others suggested a simpler and far more common solution: Ditching Massimiliano Allegri and appointing a more progressive manager.
Yet, the Turin-based giants did neither. Max remains at the helm, and aside from a couple of new arrivals, the core remains the same.
But sometimes, less can be more.
Since the start of pre-season, the Bianconeri have been displaying encouraging signs, sparking cautious optimism amongst the club’s supporters.
On Sunday, the confirmation has finally arrived in the first official fixture of the season. The Old Lady only needed 45 minutes or so to dismantle their hosts Udinese in their first Serie A match of the season.
Juventus smothered the Zebrette from the get-go with high pressing, intense approach and a superior level of football. The hapless hosts had no answer for their fellow black-and-whites. Juve were almost unrecognizable.
With a healthy lead in hand, the visitors inevitably retreaded in the second half, displaying a more familiar style of play. It wouldn’t be good old Max otherwise. The Livorno native managed to display his various facets in what truly was a game of two halves.
But forget about the expectedly uninspiring second half and let us enjoy the exploits of the first period.
Contrary to last season’s hollow displays, it felt that the team has finally found a rhythm and a concrete game plan, even though the coach in the dugout and the vast majority of the players on the pitch were the same.
Yet, Allergi has seemingly forged an unlikely three-man alliance that could make all the difference this season. His partners in crime are none other than Federico Chiesa and Andrea Cambiaso.
So there you have it: An under-fire manager, a star player returning from an ACL injury, and an almost-forgotten loanee.
On paper, this trio hardly aspires confidence. Nevertheless, Cambiaso’s return could be the key that finally unlocks a productive collaboration between Allegri and Chiesa.
The 23-year-old is no ordinary wingback. In fact he’s as unorthodox as they come in the original sense of the word. However, he admitted that his role model is none other than Cancelo, the former Juventus star who became the blueprint of what a modern wingback should be under the guidance of Pep Guardiola at Man City.
Reminiscent of his Portuguese idol, Cambiaso doesn’t exclusively commit to direct runs on the byline, but also enjoys cutting through the middle and making diagonal runs.
Therefore, he is the best foil to complement Chiesa who’s currently trying to recreate himself as a second striker to accommodate himself in Allegri’s 3-5-2 formation.
But while he tries to adjust to his new position, the Euro 2020 hero, remains a winger at heart. Hence, he will always have a knack for drifting wide and asking for the ball on the flanks before attempting to storm his way into the box with his sheer ferocity and sublime dribbling skills.
In this regard, Cambiaso’s almost awkward movement towards the center should create space for Chiesa on the left lane. We saw how the two players combined in what was their first official match side-by-side. So one can only envision a genuinely devastating partnership once this partnership truly flourishes.
Admittedly, it remains too early to draw conclusions at this stage of the season, and we can only await further confirmation in the coming weeks.
But if Allegri were to succeed in his mission this season and put the last two campaigns’ woes behind, his two allies on the left flank would likely have a substantial role to play.
