Juventus v Napoli
Serie A Week 11 – Saturday, 29th October – 19:45 GMT – Juventus Stadium
Juventus
I’m still trying to get to grips with this seasons Juve – We shift between some truly beautiful moments of attacking and dynamic football to playing with all the pace and intensity of a 3rd division side fighting for mid-table mediocrity. That might be a harsh assessment, but some of the performances in recent matches really highlight how average we have been at times.
The game against Udinese was an ugly win with few moments of individual effort; The loss to Milan was 90 mins of us trotting around the pitch, chasing shadows; I refuse to say anything of the loss to Inter…Where to next?
The midweek victory over Sampdoria showed some positives – Cuadrado playing wider than usual, getting some good deliveries into the box; The return of Claudio Marchisio who showed in 70-odd minutes exactly what we have been missing all season long; We have an almost fully fit squad again with one or two exceptions; The team played well as a unit for most of the game…..but beyond that, I still found it a workmanlike performance, greatly aided by a Sampdoria side that are just outside the relegation zone. There were some great moments, some well taken chances but none of the flair that i expected when we signed players like Gonzalo Higuain and Miralem Pjanic in the summer. Am I expecting too much, too soon?
The frustration comes from knowing that we can do so much better as a team. All the component parts are there for us to playing a more attacking, exciting style of football and yet we look like a side that’s yet to show it’s very best, week in, week out. Perhaps i’m being unduly pessimistic, but I really hope with a fully fit squad, we can start showing what we’re truly capable of in the league and beyond. That’t not a criticism of the formation – the 3-5-2 works to our strengths; Rather it’s the idea that, on occasion, we’re driving a Ferrari like a Fiat…..trying to get into 5th gear with the handbrake on…..you get the idea.
Attention turns to the visit of Napoli, a game that is naturally being billed as a Scudetto clash despite both managers insisting that it’s too early in the season to be defining to either sides title ambitions. With Juve 2 points clear at the top and having home advantage you’d hope that they have enough to edge a game like this, especially as they’ve yet to beat us at us at the Juve stadium. Napoli endured a tough spell of 3 losses in a row and only just seem to be recovering, despite some worrying moments in both their recent victories over Crotone and Empoli.
Allegri has said Marchisio will need to be assessed, just as a precaution – Totally understandable when you consider he’s been out of action since April. If he fails to make the starting XI, we could see Lemina or Hernanes in his place, but the rest of the starting XI is pretty evident. Buffon in goal, Andrea Barzagli, Leo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini in the back line. With Alves playing midweek, Allegri suggested Lichtsteiner might start on the right while Khedira and Pjanic sit in midfield. I’ll venture that Marchisio starts but Patrice Evra took a knock to the calf and is a doubt to make the squad with Alex Sandro taking his place. Paulo Dybala and Marko Pjaca are still a way from returning to the team meaning Mario Mandzukic and Gonzalo Higuain will be the starting strikers for the foreseeable future.
Probable lineup:
3-5-2: Buffon; Barzgli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Khedira, Marchisio, Pjanic, Sandro; Mandzukic, Higuain.
Injuries:
Pjaca (fibula), Mandragora (foot), Evra (calf), Dybala (thigh)
Suspensions:
None.
Napoli
I wouldn’t even venture to write a preview of Napoli. Our resident Serie A expert Enrico Passarella normally does a far better job with the previews and we hope to have him back in December.
Probable lineup:
4-3-3: Reina; Hysaj, Koulibaly, Maksimovic, Ghoulam; Allan, Jorginho, Hamsik; Callejon, Mertens, Insigne
Injuries:
Milik (knee), Albiol (muscle)
Suspensions:
Gabbiadini.
You are probably right. We are probably gonna get back to the 3-5-2 formation. I don’t like it, but it’s what the current squad is most comfortable with and with a big clash like this you shouldn’t be gambling. Still, a part of me hope that Allegri is gonna go with a 4-3-3 formation.
Is Enrico sick? Always liked his previews a lot. If so, get well soon mate!
3:4
Sorry folks but we aint gonna get a nice eve.
I continue to read odd suggestions of a recent change of formation that never was! We haven’t changed from the 3-5-2, at least not in recent weeks. There was one match this season which seemed a little more like 4-4-2, other than which mid week and all other times the system has been the same as for many moons. Just slightly adjusted with Sami higher up, Pjanic doing less hustle and Dybala dropping and roaming deeper and wider. As Mina Rzouki wrote after the Samp game…Allegri flirted and teased with talk of a change, but when the final whistle started, it was clear that nothing had changed. Same 3-5-2 and its variants…
Biggest factor in this game will be whether Marchisio starts and how open Napoli will leave their rearguard as they seek to score themselves. They are clearly not coming for a draw, which should help our own cause as we have a stronger defence and keeper.
I suspect we will struggle and lose if Lemina starts. With Hernanes we have a chance, with Marchisio we are favourites. That position is so incredibly important for our system. the one player whom so much of our ply flows through, and when it functions poorly, as always with Lemina, and still far from brilliantly with Hernanes, our sole attacking impetus comes from the flanks, that bothersome left then right then left then right game, probing, pedestrian paced and predictable. Still, we are starting to look a little more useful from set pieces, but the Samp rearguard was atrocious, so hard to judge on the midweek game.
I hope that Chiellini plays, as some sources suggest otherwise, which makes no sense whatsoever. If we ever needed grinta it was against our most despised rivals of recent years. Lichsteiner, Sturaro, Chiellini…I would be playing them all. We need to be fierce, hungry and focused. This is the biggest test of our season to date and as a squad we are nowhere near as prepared as Napoli…Other than the MilkMan, they have had a settled squad since the Summer from what I have seen. We have barely played the same first XI twice on the trot, let alone for a series of games and remain very much with one foot in pre-season, as in trying to get the players match sharp and fit.
A loss tonight would confirm that the scudetto is far more than a one horse race, for we would have lost to two weaker rivals and one serious challenger for the title. A win though…confidence could flourish leading perfectly onto the all important tie with Europe. It is a huge five days for the club…
You may be right on the matter that we have only played in a 3-5-3 formation so far this season. But I really thought that we played a 4-3-3 in the last game.
I just hope that we field a strong midfield that will play their heart out. If we lose the midfield battle I am worried that Pita Bread will be left isolated up front and wont be getting much to work with.
Chiellini is very important for a clash like this. King Kong brings so much more than just experience to the table.
Insigne is afraid of Bonucci xD
Chiellini injured…. again.
Juve are playing really bad.. again. Always these long passes and they can’t even string 3-4 passes together. I hope they change their approach in the 2nd half because this looks awful right now
Bonucci!!!!!!!!
And now lets get it
Claudio in. I’ve been dying to see him play again.
Marchisios first play<3
Buy Verratti then play principino and khedira infront of him 0_0
That was nice 😀
Gonzalooooooo
That chipped pass doe
Welp, Higuain is now officially more hated than Hitler.
Hitler never went to the rivals.
Of course not, that’s much worse than trying to exterminate an entire race..
Seems like it is in Napoli.
Sadly if he pulled an Adebayor, I’d expect him killed…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liV3LwrLOZU
fj!