Juventus boasts a storied history replete with a multitude of exceptional, world-class players—a roster too extensive to fully acknowledge, each of them having illuminated the field with their brilliance and consistent performances. However, within this legacy, there are instances where players, though hailed by a faction of the Juve faithful, have fallen short of the lofty expectations set before them.
Among these figures, Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba immediately come to mind—undeniably world-class talents who were entrusted with monumental tasks. Ronaldo was specifically entrusted with securing the elusive Champions League trophy for the club, an objective he regrettably could not fulfil. Meanwhile, Pogba’s return to Juventus has, by many accounts, been marred by disappointment.
Curiously, any articles or discussions that cast even a faint shadow of critique upon these players and their “supporters” often trigger passionate responses from their ardent defenders. This pattern appears to be manifesting again with the emergence of Dusan Vlahovic.
To be transparent, I’ve not been a proponent of the Serbian forward. From my perspective, he has come up short and failed to meet the lofty expectations that were set for him. Vlahovic’s record of 21 goals in all competitions since his arrival hardly qualifies as prolific, and he has shown a lack of involvement in terms of assists and chance creation. His presence often fades into obscurity during matches, a deficiency unacceptable for a club of Juventus’ stature.
Some may argue that Max Allegri’s tactical choices or the lacklustre performances of his teammates have hindered Vlahovic’s success. However, a truly world-class striker is expected to deliver consistently regardless of the circumstances. A compelling example is Harry Kane, who, despite Tottenham’s struggles, managed to tally over 30 goals last season. This exemplifies the essence of a world-class striker—they surmount adversity and deliver when it matters most.
In my estimation, Vlahovic is a good player, but Juventus requires more than that. Regrettably, I am apprehensive that he might not be the player the club truly needs. Expressing this viewpoint is likely to trigger backlash and accusations of bias or incompetence, a phenomenon that underscores blind allegiance to certain players.
This unwavering devotion, no matter the player’s form or contributions, can be likened to a cult-like following—a dogged commitment to unwavering support, even in the face of underperformance and legitimate criticism. However, my allegiance lies with what I believe is in the best interest of Juventus, and in my humble judgment, Vlahovic does not align with those interests.
That said, I would love nothing more than to be completely wrong and would be more than happy if Vlahovic proves me wrong and delivers for the club, I just do not see that happening.
Me personally hope that he will do good/better this season and we could sell him with good-to-great price afterward then look for another best striker with good value.
If he do great, i would say keep him.
… oh yeah and not Lukaku.
Whenever you buy a 21 year old forward you buy him knowing that he need to develope further. That is the case with Vlahovic also. Clearly he has some extraordinary abilities scoring 38 goals in 56 games during his last 1 1/2 season at Fiorentina. Unfortunately he have likely regressed since joing Juve. That is the players fault and it`s the coaching teams fault. Allegri have not been able to make this kid play with his back against the goal during his 18 months or so at the club. That is a failure on his part, and it`s also a failure on Vlahovic part. A world class forward needs to be able to play with his back against the goal and Vlahovic is clearly not there yet. However, I still think it would have been madness swapping him for Lukaku.
We could only give a realistic opinion about this if we signed a new coach, and he had offensive plays or tactics, not only “back pass”.
So from the comments given, it is not proven that Vlahovic has developed a cult. I personaly don’t know where that idea came from.
I think so too. But I think people see that we primarily need a coach much better than Allegri. Every offensive player just suffers.
And I responded yesterday only to Martin’s komment:
“In my estimation, Vlahovic is a good player, but Juventus requires more than that.”