Juventus v Inter Milan
Serie A Week 23 – Sunday, 5th February – 19:45 GMT – Juventus Stadium
Juventus
Another game with the new scheme, another excellent performance for Juventus, this time against Sassuolo. Once again, the Bianconeri had a great start, quickly managed to get to a two-nil lead and never looked back. I think a post-game quote by Massimiliano Allegri was very telling: “We were too conservative so we decided change things up.” We were certainly the aggressors in the past few matches and unless something big happens, this formation will live on. Certainly the Sunday game will be the biggest test for the new tactic, but the last three tilts were not freebies either and we will be at home. The blueprint will be the same and hopefully it will be successful once again.
Gonzalo Higuain has benefited greatly from being the main finisher upfront and his ability to be at the right place at the right time is almost unmatched. The coach has managed to re-create a situation similar to last year’s Napoli, but without the sense of deference that was palpable with the Azzurri, who were force-feeding El Pipita to increase his scoring record. Here it is more organic: Paulo Dybala, Juan Cuadrado and Miralem Pjanic have room to do their things, but more often than not the end result is a clear-cut chance for Higuain.
There are a couple of small doubts, but all indications point to the confirmation of the same XI we have seen lately, then there will probably be some rotation in the Crotone game. Claudio Marchisio is fit and ready to go, but it should be Sami Khedira starting. Andrea Barzagli is challenging Stephan Lichtsteiner at right-back, but the Swiss train is on track to play from the get-go. Dani Alves is inching closer full availability and we could see him on the pitch sooner rather than later. Barzagli is also dealing with some flu so he might not even be in the squad list.
Stephan Lichsteiner has signed a one-year extension earlier this week, meaning that he no longer has an expiring contract. Reportedly, Juventus had a unilateral option, but it looks like it was a mutual agreement. In all likelihood, the RB position will be untouched this summer and then will be re-assessed when Pol Lirola returns for 2018/2019. To nobody’s surprise, Lichsteiner was inserted in the UCL list, replacing Hernanes: a mandatory measure to stick to the four-man defence. The stint of the Brazilian midfielder at Juventus seems close to ending: Genoa tried hard for him but was rebuffed by the player, Sao Paolo and a Chinese team are after him and the transfer market is still open over there.
As many expected, the deadline day was uneventful and the management decided to stay put, keeping Rolando Mandragora and Federico Mattiello, and opting not to make a push for Leandro Paredes. That move would have triggered a domino including Mario Lemina to Crystal Palace and Daniele Baselli to Roma, but there was probably too little time to set it up completely. Paredes has struggled to fit in with Giallorossi and also got badly hurt: he played very well at Empoli when he was moved to the deep-lying position. That role is not included in the current scheme and Juventus have a similar player arriving in the summer, Rodrigo Bentacur, so that is probably why they were gun shy. Anyway, the whispers are telling about the future of Lemina: A few offers for him were rejected last summer, but that might not be the case going forward.
Probable lineup:
4-2-3-1: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Sandro; Khedira, Pjanic; Cuadrado, Dybala, Mandzukic; Higuain.
Injuries:
Lemina (back), Mandragora (foot).
Suspensions:
None.
Inter Milan
Inter are in very good form. Before stumbling at home in Coppa Italia against Lazio, they had won seven games in a row in Serie A and nine in all competitions. They have unlikely climbed back into the Champions League race after looking moribund for two good months. They have certainly taken advantage of a favourable stretch of the schedule: they have faced Genoa, Sassuolo, Lazio, Udinese, Chievo Verona, Palermo and Pescara. Not many toughies there, but it is undeniable that this is a much different team compared to the train wreck of the final days of the Frank De Boer tenure.
What is weird is that, besides some short detours to 3-4-2-1, Stefano Pioli has turned things around using mostly the same tactic of the Dutch coach, 4-2-3-1. The main difference has been the return on the pitch of Marcelo Brozovic, who was basically frozen out also because of a contractual standoff that has been solved with an extension. Then Roberto Gagliardini was added in January for a hefty price tag, but he has delivered.
No injuries or suspensions for Nerazzuri, but there are three doubts in their XI for Sunday night. The coach has said that he sees Gary Medel more as a centre-back than a central midfielder and the below average performances of Jeison Murillo make him a candidate to be supplanted. Cristian Ansaldi has not been very good this year after a stellar season at Genoa but he has started most of the games and is the favourite to do so also against Juventus, but Yuto Nagatomo and Davide Santon are not far behind.
The most interesting one involves the midfield: their best lineup has Gagliardini-Brozovic in front of the defence and Joao Mario in the hole. However, some reports indicate that Pioli could prefer a more defensive look, with Geoffrey Kondogbia, who has recently shown flashes of his old Monaco self, as holding midfielder and Brozovic in a more advanced position. An even more conservative approach would include Medel returning to his old role. The choice will be revealing.
Their main sources of offense are the flanks: Antonio Candreva and Ivan Perisic are both high motor and skilled players, who can finish too. Candreva has had the most crosses in Europe so far. Mauro Icardi is a notorious Juventus killer and this year he has grown also as assist-man rather than just being an excellent goal scorer. With so many offensive threats all over the field, it is easy for an attacking midfielder to sneak in the box unguarded: Joao Mario has scored twice in the last two games.
Ball possession, pace control, flank game, through balls, physical play, technical midfielders, elite striker: they are not far different from Juventus’ style and this makes for a very interesting clash.
Probable lineup:
4-2-3-1: Handanovic; D’Ambrosio, Medel, Miranda, Ansaldi; Gagliardini, Kondogbia; Candreva, Brozovic, Perisic; Icardi.
Injuries:
None.
Suspensions:
None.
Formation
If there is a game in which I want the opponent crushed, humiliated and left in utter despair, this is the one
Just half of them?Hehehe! I too want them crushed.Is not only that I hate everything this Club standsfor, is also the ” we are coming” attitude they have for the last couple of matches. So humilate them, and end their illusion that they are anything more than a Sassuolo with chinese steroids.
Some of their players are okay, its the club and all it represents, like you too mentioned.
Most of all I dislike that douchebag Icardi
Right! Know if you have a “Person” like Icardi as your captain and the play for him ….well their whereabouts are selfexplenatory….
No Marchisio anymore?
2017 things are really changing!
A bit too rusty to be thrown in immediately I think, especially for such a big game
Ok but i see no dm in our ranks. Khedira isnt that kind.
Btw: have you seen Ex drummer?☺
We are using him there though, I think he is suited for that role personally. I would love Claudio back, but he is still suffering from that injury I think.
Ex drummer? :p
Thats what i didnt know.
Still think with Claudio Juve is something better.
I mean this film here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=USA2E06eLj4
Sami has been perfect in a DM role, dovetailing with Pjanic. He has the reading, the passing and the intelligence, also the physicality to screen the defence. He has proven hugely more effective there than the more advanced position played in before hand.
The reason Marchisio is now struggling to get into the starting XI is not just because he is rusty, it is equally due to the success of the Pjanic/Khedira axis. Why change what is working a damn treat eh!
I suspect that after this game, Allegri will try Pjanic in Cuadrado’s role and Marchisio next to Khedira in the middle. Not yet though, we go with what has been providing the most effective and entertaining football of the season.
But its Marchisio!
Hey poet a quick question what player would you really like in Juve colors? one that you think could work wonders or be worth breaking the bank for?
I will take a stab at answering this in the Match Report thread, mate!
Sorry not been on guys,I’m still living and breathing juve,I’m just getting older lol. Hope we smash the living shit out of these pretenders. Ale ale ale ale juve juve ALE ALE ALE ALE JUVE JUVE.
My suspicions regarding Tolisso appear annoyingly true. It made no sense for Aulas to agree to a price in January when there were plenty of other suitors and a bidding war would surely emerge come the Summer. That is, unless the player himself had basically said I want Juve. That may well be the case, but I doubt it.
We can help to throw Inter out the race for his signature by beating them tonight…No CL football for them, and they will find it much harder to attract top drawer talent, unless they pay them well over the odds…
sky sports reporting that hernanes is close to Hebei Fortune for 10m€ , should sign 2+1 year contract, worth 8-9 m per season. Pack up Hernanes ASAP. 10m for this twat is like 100 for Pogba lol
I wouldn’t insult Hernanes. He has done his best and without his slim stabilising force in the midfield earlier this season we would be far worse off. We signed him, then immediately asked him to play a new much deeper role than he was accustomed to. It is fair to say he has not been a major success, but he has given his all in every game, never shied away into the shadows and for this I salute him and wish him well wherever he heads. He deserves more respect, mate
sorry mate i just cant agree with you . he is awful since he joined, i remember his lazio and inter days, great at lazio , worse at inter but terrible at juve. i will be happy when he is gone for good.
He has been better than Lemina and has worked damn hard in a role he is wholly unaccustomed to playing. I find no reason to insult him. For me to call someone a twat means I think they are an idiot, a fiend, have behaved deplorably…I have no issue with disagreeing, yet I salute Hernanes, for his effort and zeal, especially considering the criticism he has had consistently aimed in his direction.
we have different opinions and it’s ok.
I agree we should not engage in disrespect because he has made an effort to fit here. But fact of the matter is he is not Juve standard hence why we must politely part ways.
By such measures we should also say goodbye to Lemina.
It would be a good deal for us, I cant remember what we paid for Hernanes, but it should be more or less the same.
He hasnt been great, but as TGP also said, he has done well enough
we paid 11m
Yeah well If this deal goes through, we recuperate close to the whole sum.
I wonder if the Chinese crap money all of a sudden, they are overspending enormously on everyone they buy
they have to overspend if they want to bring in some known players, i wonder how far they can go.their plan is to have the best league in the world in five years, the next stage is to win the world cup, but buying foreign stars will not win you WC, little nonsense but they have set their plan at least, lol
Football wont be played in China never. Europe is too much for them. We have culture and passion somthing you cant buy. That said Hernanes was a dissapointing transfer for us.Came late after the Draxler telenovela. Now its about to end. With Martinez one of the worst aquisiton from Marotta.
jorge martinez you mean?
Dont know his name it was an early purchase from marotta was high on wage as well. Martinez for sure was his surname. Today great match. Absolutely disappionted for Pjaca. Those are really bad moral hits hope he gets time with Crotone.
jorge martinez, must be him, purchased for 12m, played few matches before he got injured.yep the match was fantastic, i couldnt watch it live , watched it today, but hey, what a match. chiellini was monster, didnt lose single challange.
You are right on the money
Were it some english team they would definitely be overpaying. The Chinese case is different. They know they are not overpaying, but rather paying a premium for a seat at the world class soccer leagues table.
I have only this to say:
Has inter improved this year? true
Did we lose against them last game? true
Will they pose some sort of resistance? true
Is there an overblown hype about this game? true
Are Juve a much improved and will they face an entire different beast today? True
Besides all of the above I am not nervously hyped or concerned even in the slightest about this game, God willing we will win this game maybe even by more than 1 goal specially us playing at j Stadium. I believe just as we dispatched home Milan in coppa italia, we will exact revenge today against Inter. God willing it will be just another day at work.
Fino Alla Fine. Go ahead and crush them mercilessly and do it without even breaking a sweat. Lets make it clear who is boss here.
Forza Juve
Brady is too good. The Falcons are the highest scoring team in the nfl this season, but if they score 33 points, the Patriots will score 36. If the Falcons score 60, Brady will make sure his team get 63. Thats simply an example, there wont be so many points xD
That’s my thoughts but yeah i agree it’s hard to predict.
It is true the Pats are darn good and Brady is a beast. It is just they have won so much a part of me roots for the Falcons as the underdog I also have brief but very good memories of Atlanta.
It would be a great story if Atlanta wins it. And i wouldn’t dislike it. Only i support the Boston Celtics in the nba so by that rule i should root for the Patriots :p
I get you. And yes it would be a great story. Also the patriots are a story in their own right. We are lucky to be in the times of Brady, i think tonight he feels he has something to prove, will approach it as if it was the 1st time. It will be a heck of a game. I am hyped on this one.
On another note did you know Juve won today? just how I thought.. Inter? Just another day at work.
Yes he will. He can become the most succesfull quarterback in history.
Ofcourse i do 😀 Inter was dirty as usual and in the end stand with empty hands.
Don´t let any Patriots fan hear he can, or may “become” the most succesful or you might get in trouble. I am just picking on you here.
Why’s that 😮
And i have only this to say…
Merda Calcio, we are coming for your head!!
When does Dybala renew his contract?
CUADRADOOOOOOOOOOOO
Cuadrado!!!!!! Holy shit 😀
Oh man, what a delicious shot that was! Electrifying game so far, great advert for Serie A football
Most entertaining national league in the world by far 🙂
Wheres Rugani?
it’s 3-5-2 again
Yeah. Did you see the moment when Pjaca was ready? But Rugani came in.
Would take Pjaca instead of Alves.
Great haircut by Marchisio.
Strange feeling about Dybi. Think hes gone in Summer.
Should have be a 3:1. 1:0 is so thin. Nervous till the end.
Anyway……..Dont say my name. Alex Sandro. Love him.
Was a suprised as anyone about Pjaca. Furthermore, glad someone else mentioned the haircut of Marchisio 😀
And then there was Lichtsteiners reaction to being substituted :/
Yeah Alves came on instead of Pjaca, was weird to see Pjaca all ready to come on and then dont come on after all xD
Great haircut? O.o
Anyone else enjoying the salty inter tears? Hopefully Icardi gets a nice lengthy suspension too, along with Perisic