Massimiliano Allegri

[Socrates 8386]

Momentum with Massimiliano

An excellent start to life under Massimiliano Allegri has empowered
Juventus as they head into a crucial week, writes Jeremy Lim.

Sep 15, 2014

For 10 minutes on Saturday night, the Juventus Stadium looked on anxiously as their team came under siege. Opponents Udinese weren’t sticking to the plot, making the Italian champions’ single-goal advantage appear very slender indeed. At the visitors’ helm was Andrea Stramaccioni, author of Inter’s 3-1 victory on the same soil that broke Antonio Conte’s 49-game unbeaten streak with the Bianconeri.

But this was not Conte’s Juve Stramaccioni was playing - it was Massimiliano Allegri’s. Claudio Marchisio’s rasping strike ended fears of another shock. Just as his predecessor had won his initial pair of fixtures as Italy boss earlier in the week, Allegri has now won his at the helm of his new side.

The comparisons are as constant as they are inevitable. Allegri’s naysayers hang on the end of his every last statement and tactical decisions, waiting to seize on the moment the new Juve Coach does not demonstrate himself up to the task of matching the very high standards set by the one before him. So far, he’s defied early expectations. The Turin club have leapt to the top of the table, shattering the perception Allegri’s teams are perennial slow starters.

Beating Udinese makes that 20 Serie A games at home without dropping any points. Allegri can largely thank the victorious elements of last season for making it two wins out of two. Juventus have forged ahead seemingly as rabid for success as before, retaining their edge and killer instinct. Those traits have been joined by something more - there’s added spontaneity and expressiveness in their play, something the new trainer deservedly takes credit for.

There’s depth too. It’s clear from Marchisio’s magnificent outings in Andrea Pirlo’s role, down to the assured and composed displays of Martin Caceres and Angelo Ogbonna, that this squad isn’t split into first or second-teamers. Each member feels stimulation, not fear, at the competition for places. Even the summer’s recruits have been quick to add their say. Kingsley Coman enjoyed a game for the ages at Chievo. Against his former employers on Saturday, Roberto Pereyra had been a standout performer.

All of which bodes well for Allegri as he prepares to tackle Tuesday’s test versus Malmo, and then a trip to face his Milan past at San Siro. The Champions League presents an early litmus test to the 47-year-old and Juve’s credentials, also due to the club’s recent failing in the competition. Their Swedish opponents don’t seem like much on paper, but as Nordsjaelland and Copenhagen proved before, team reputations count for little at this level.

This much is clear - they face a fight from the Group A minnows. But as the infirmary clears, new aspects of the team present themselves daily in training, and Juventus draw momentum from their heady start to life under Allegri, the odds of an upset are looking slimmer than ever now.

[Socrates 8386]

Allegri Making His Mark on Conte's Juventus

Sep 18, 2014

If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it.

Massimiliano Allegri has been quite sensible since he replaced Antonio Conte as coach of Juventus this summer. On the surface, it would appear he hasn’t changed much and why would he? The Old Lady has won the Scudetto three years in a row, each one better than the last, breaking several all-time records last season, going beyond the 100-point barrier and winning every game at home.

Still the temptation to put your own stamp on things can be hard to resist. Just compare the subtle succession in Turin to the radical reformation at Napoli a year ago when Rafael Benitez did away with Walter Mazzarri’s tried and trusted 3-5-1-1 system and the cautious style with which it was practiced to impose his own more propositive 4-2-3-1 on the team. The circumstances were different, granted. Napoli were then looking to go to the next level - they still are - whereas Juventus at least in Italy wish to stay where they are, which is at the top.

At the end of last season, a transition to 4-3-3 or a variation of it was on the cards even before Conte’s resignation, the thinking being it would be more suited to Europe and facilitate a breakthrough in the Champions League. The club sought to equip the team with the players required to make the shift but, despite experiments with it in pre-season, Allegri has persisted with the 3-5-2. That’s in part because the players able to play a back four haven’t been available to him. Andrea Barzagli had surgery after the World Cup and is only now returning while Giorgio Chiellini has been suspended and also tweaked a muscle during the international break.

Still, Juventus have picked up where they left off last season. The Scudetto shows no signs of coming unstitched from their shirts just yet. They have been frighteningly dominant even though with the exception of 86 minutes against Chievo, they have been without Arturo Vidal, not to mention Andrea Pirlo. Juventus’ added depth has been evident. Carried over from the last campaign their defence - even in makeshift form with Martin Cáceres, Leonardo Bonucci and Angelo Ogbonna combining - has protected Gigi Buffon’s goal to the effect that Juve now haven’t conceded in 7 games.

Certain novelties that have been feathers in Allegri’s cap weren’t available to Conte but he has already made a number of praiseworthy calls in his time in the dug-out. Suffering from the flu before their season opener in Verona, Fernando Llorente was replaced by summer recruit - another free transfer steal - Kingsley Coman. Thrown in early by Allegri as was the case with Pogba under Conte, he impressed in his role as the player operating furthest forward.

Patrice Evra and Roberto Pereyra were then integrated well against Udinese. And the use of Kwadwo Asamoah in the team’s central midfield three rather than out-wide also gave encouraging results against Malmö when he stood out for his back-heeled assist for Tévez and (wayward shooting aside - 6 shots, only 1 of which hit the target) his overall play which saw him register a 7.6 WhoScored rating. Of course, his deployment in that position was forced by the absences of Pirlo and Vidal, and the option presented itself because Juventus now have cover, if not an upgrade in Evra at left wing-back [something Conte wasn’t blessed with]. Credit where it’s due though, Allegri again found the right solution to what threatened to be a problem.

It’s early days but he has already silenced some of the sceptics. Renowned for making slow (and sometimes false) starts, Allegri has led Juventus to three wins from three in all competitions. Apart from a Maxi López chance, which Buffon did ever so well to snuff out with the score still at 1-0 against Chievo, they have given the impression of being in near total control.

Admittedly in the first half of the Malmö game it seemed as though we were watching a re-run of the huffing and puffing Juventus that dropped points against Nordsjaelland and FC Copenhagen in recent years. However, after the interval they were much better and won comfortably. Tévez scored his first goal in the Champions League in five and a half years and got a brace. “For strikers, goals are like ketchup bottles,” Gianluca Vialli said on Sky Italia, “you tap, tap, tap and nothing comes out then they splurge.”

If Conte’s results are, by his own reckoning, almost impossible to improve upon in Italy, in Europe margins for Allegri to do better do exist. True there’s pressure on him to reach the quarter-finals but it’s fair to say when Juventus play on the continent the shadow of Conte looms less large than it does in Italy. As such, a debate has already begun as to whether Allegri’s style of play is more adapted to Europe than his predecessor’s.

It’s a question for which there is no answer. There are lots of different ways to win and the bottom line is Conte’s Juventus underachieved in the Champions League. Last season’s group stage exit didn’t reflect the team’s true value. But if there is a conversation about this it’s because, even though they play the same system, a difference has been discerned in the way Juventus play under Allegri. They are nuanced slightly differently.

Claudio Marchisio touched upon this after the victory over Udinese. “Before we had a very clearly defined game plan,” he said. “Practically every movement was planned and we persisted with it even in periods when we were perhaps experiencing great physical difficulty. With Allegri we keep the ball more and instead seek to identify, in particular against tight defences, the moment in which it’s preferable to manage our energy through keeping the ball [resting on it]. You can’t always go at a thousand miles per hour also because [tired out] you then find it hard to get the ball back quickly. It’s better to pass it between ourselves in some circumstances.”

When asked if that meant playing a little Tiki-Taka, he replied: “Yes.”

Is the Old Lady becoming a Spanish señorita? Marchisio’s remarks are borne out in the statistics. It’s a small sample size of three games to compare with three years of Conte, but under Allegri Juventus have more of the ball. Possession is up from 56 to 66% on last season. They’re also playing more passes: 611.7 per game as opposed to 513.7 in Europe and Serie A during Conte's reign, and more accurate ones too - 538.7 compared with 438.3. They’re trying to force it less and because they have the ball at their feet for longer, they’re not chasing and attempting to take it off their opponent as much.

These are small details but they give credence to Allegri’s claim that while the formation is a copy of Conte’s, its interpretation is not. It’s one of several reasons to tune in and watch his return to San Siro on Saturday when will Juventus face his old team AC Milan. Outed as a fan of the Bianconeri by the club’s former president and board member John Elkann - “he told me he had Michel Platini’s poster on his bedroom wall” - another victory will represent another step towards winning over the supporters in Turin.

[Socrates 8386]

Buffon: Juventus Needed Allegri
After So Much Time With Conte

Sep 18, 2014

Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon has revealed that he’s happy having Massimiliano Allegri leading the Old Lady and admitted that the team needed someone like him after spending so much time with Antonio Conte.

Allegri signed on with the Bianconeri in July after Conte’s departure from the Turin side and has been able to help Italy’s reigning champions begin the 2014-15 season on the right foot with two victories in the Serie A and a Champions League group stage win over Malmo on Wednesday.

Buffon spoke to Sky Sport Italia about Allegri’s qualities as a tactician and compared him to former Juventus boss Conte, while praising both coaches for their ability to guide teams to success.

“Allegri is a coach who knows the tactical aspect of football really well, but also knows how to psychologically handle a team and an individual player, ” said the veteran goalkeeper.

“He’s very careful and picky when it comes to the smallest of details. I think that he’s less manic than Conte, who had a different way of leading this team, but that doesn’t take away from what he was able to do for us.

“Indeed, after so many years of being beaten down in a way, his arrival is something that can be useful to us.”

[Socrates 8386]

Allegri happy with 'mature' Juve

Juventus are brimming with confidence heading into Wednesday's game against Cesena,
but coach Massimiliano Allegri has warned "we still have room for improvement".

Sep 22, 2014

Saturday's 1-0 victory at the San Siro was the Bianconeri's fourth straight win in all competitions and kept Allegri's side at the top of Serie A, where they are level on nine points with Roma.

"There's still a long way to go but my players have shown maturity," Allegri told giornalaccio rosa dello Sport.

"Our positive start has been deserved by my players. They are doing a great job on the pitch.

"When you have talented players as I do, everything is easier. However, we still have room for improvement."

Juve have not conceded a goal this season and will be firm favourites to beat Cesena, who recently returned to Italy's top flight.

[Socrates 8386]

Marotta: Allegri deserves credit for strong Juventus start

The Bianconeri suffered a fan backlash when the coach was hired following Antonio Conte's
summer resignation and the club chief thinks he's proving his sceptics wrong.

Sep 22, 2014

Juventus director general Giuseppe Marotta believes Massimiliano Allegri deserves a good chunk of the credit for the club's strong start to 2014-15.

The appointment of the former AC Milan coach in the summer following Antonio Conte's shock resignation was met with negativity by many Bianconeri fans. However, his side have started the season with three league wins from their opening three league games and beat Malmo in their Champions League opener.

And Marotta hopes that Allegri's start to the campaign has turned the sceptics' minds around.

"The scepticism regarding Allegri was a widespread and this was quite right after what Conte achieved," he told Rai Sport.

"Replacing a coach who has won three league titles in a row with a lot of records.. backlash could always be negative because the coach is the leader of a group.

"We must give great credit to Allegri, who was not a stranger but he had done well at Milan, winning the Scudetto in his first year there.

"He's a winner - when we gave him the team we did it with great responsibility, knowing that he had the skills to coach Juventus."

[Socrates 8386]

Allegri: Scudetto no two-horse race

Sep 23, 2014

Juventus Coach Massimiliano Allegri does not believe the race for the Scudetto is only between his side and Roma.

The Bianconeri and Giallorossi have both made perfect starts to the season, winning three games out of three, but the former’s tactician does not see it as ruling others from title contention.

“It's too early to say whether or not it’s a two-horse race with Roma,” Allegri has told reporters in today’s conference ahead of facing Cesena.

“There are still too many games to be played. Inter, Milan, Napoli, Lazio and Fiorentina, are all possible rivals [for the title].

“We'll have to be very good to deal with all the matches in the right way.”

Allegri also revealed that midfielder Arturo Vidal is close to a return for the Serie A Champions, while Alvaro Morata could make a first start.

Martin Caceres could also be back in contention soon, but Andrea Barzagli and Andrea Pirlo are not quite ready.

“Vidal has been training with the team for the past three or four days, but he’s not 100 per cent and he needs playing time.

“We are in a situation where unfortunately we have players who have been injured and have missed training sessions.

“Morata? I’d like to see him play 90 minutes, as he’s a player with great quality, but let’s not forget he only returned against Udinese after a month out. We need to take things slowly.

“Andrea Barzagli will return on October 1. I had to have him in the squad for Udinese to make up the numbers.

“Caceres’ injury is nothing serious and he should be available for the Atletico game. Pirlo will have a fitness test this week, but he’s already training with the ball.”

Allegri commented on tomorrow night’s League opponents Cesena.

“They are in a good moment of form, they give away little, in three games they have only allowed nine corner kicks and have defended well.

“To win championships you need to win particularly against the smaller sides so as to head into direct clashes with rivals in a strong position.

“I will not change everything in the team - we are at the beginning of the season and I do not need to change anyone to catch their breath.”

[Socrates 8386]

Allegri: 'Juve more than tactics'

Sep 24, 2014

Massimiliano Allegri said he is changing Juventus because “players don’t need to be caged by tactics.”

Arturo Vidal bagged a brace before a late Stephan Lichtsteiner strike to defeat Cesena 3-0.

“It was a positive night because we won, which was the most important thing,” he told Sky Sport Italia.

“Giovinco played 90 minutes very well, Vidal was not in great shape and still decisive, while Ogbonna and Pereyra continue to do well. It’s important to have 15-20 players in good shape during a long season, especially when our intensity level drops.

“Unfortunately we have some players with injuries and must try to get them back in shape by playing, but winning at the same time.

“We had started with Vidal on the left and Pereyra on the right, then we switched them. It wasn’t easy, we controlled the ball well and didn’t allow Cesena many good opportunities and I was pleased to see the concentration levels stayed high.”

Allegri was asked how he is both continuing Antonio Conte’s work in Turin and changing their approach.

“Every Coach trains the way he thinks is best and has different ways of expressing his concepts. Conte’s Juventus had three years of excellent results.

“I am fortunate to be the Coach of Juventus and to be at this solid club, then I think each game lasts over 90 minutes and you have to read it.

“At times you need to raise the tempo, at others lower it, and some players don’t need to be completely caged by tactics. I think games are won with organisation and excellent players, otherwise it becomes like playing on a computer and that’s not possible.

“I inherited a side with great organisation, but this team still needs to improve a great deal.”

Juve are top of the table alongside Roma, but are now the only team yet to concede a goal this season.

“Rudi Garcia did very well last season to understand football is different in Italy from in France and he has a great side at his disposal.”

[Socrates 8386]

The seven early wrinkles of Massimiliano Allegri

The older you get, the more wrinkles you have. It's just life
and you cannot avoid it. Wrinkles are good, though.

Sep 25, 2014

As in life, wrinkles in football also means "change." And there are some new wrinkles I found on the Old Lady under our new coach, Max Allegri. It's early, yes, as we are only four giornate and one UEFA Champions League game into the 2014/15 season. But they're there, so let's see what those are.

Wrinkle No. 1: Leonardo Bonucci's less long balls, more thrusts

In 2013/14, Leonardo Bonucci averaged nine long balls per game. But this season, it's an average of only five per game. He did, however, quite often thrust into the opposition's half, something we didn't see his three seasons under Antonio Conte.

They haven't given any clear results yet, but these thrusts are something different. And while Bonucci hasn't gotten the hang of it, they offer a new dimension in Juve's scheme. The opposition has to commit a man on him and it will open more space for other players. Will it work? I don't know, but it does have a great potential and at least, less long balls means more possession.

Wrinkle No. 2: Claudio Marchisio is keeping it simple

Last season, Andrea Pirlo averaged 69 passes per game as Juventus' regista. With him out, Claudio Marchisio took his place and averaged around 40 percent more, 101 passes per game. He didn't open the opposition's defense with his passes but he kept it simple and made the game flow quicker. Defensively, he is also more sound and contributed to the clean sheet in all of our five competitive games so far.

Will it continue when Pirlo is back? I don't know, but I like what I've seen so far. Both players compliment each other and it doesn't hurt to have two types of regista in our squad.

Wrinkle No. 3: Paul Pogba's power game

Last season, we were mesmerized by Paul Pogba's silky skill and booming shots from outside the box. This season, I'm in awe at how he's used his power to keep the ball. He's still in the process to assimilate skill, speed and power and hence why he doesn't seem to play as well as Marchisio. But once he can mix them all together, oh boy...

Will he still have weaknesses after this? Yes. His defensive phase and ability to read the game still need improvement, but those hopefully come later as he keeps working and gets more mature. One thing I predict, though. Pogba is going to be an absolute beast sometime soon.

Wrinkle No. 4: Deep is good, Calos Tévez

Last season, Tévez had two goals after four competitive games. Now, he's got four. The difference is he's now playing deeper and maximizing his strength at running at defenders. Does it work? I think so, but he's already 30 years old so Allegri needs to control his minutes carefully.

Wrinkle No. 5: Rotation, rotation, rotation

Through four Serie A and one UEFA Champions League games in, Juventus has scored nine goals and, probably more importantly, conceded zero goals. This is even more satisfying considering Andrea Barzagli didn't play in any of those games and Giorgio Chiellini also missed the first two games. Allegri didn't have any choice, but to play them but Martín Cáceres and Angelo Ogbonna have responded very well and performed admirably with oozing confidence. They made plenty of errors last season, but now, they can keep it at a minimum. If they can keep it up, we don't need to worry about the center back position for the next few years.

Not only at the back. Last season, with the scudetto virtually secured, Antonio Conte played his best eleven against Sassuolo when three days later, we had a very important game against Benfica in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League semifinal. Now, Allegri rested Tévez, Pogba and Kwadwo Asamoah in the midweek game against Cesena on Wednesday for a more trickier game against Atalanta three days later. Immediately follows is another midweek game, this time in the UEFA Champions League at Atlético Madrid.

Does rotation always work? No, and while I'm not saying Allegri is better than Conte, it seems he's willing to take more risk for a greater return.

With five wins from five games, those changes form the old guards have made us less predictable and so far it's working. Furthermore, Allegri has also mixed the new guards into the squad and they look encouraging.

Wrinkle No. 6: Roberto Pereyra The Hub

With Arturo Vidal out, Roberto Pereyra has proven that he belongs here. Many media members see Pereyra as the vice-Vidal, but I disagree. Both are excellent at their movement and versatility, but while Vidal is superior at tackling, stamina, shooting and breaking plays, Pereyra is quicker, a bit better at passing and making himself available for a pass. To me, he seems like a hub between midfield and attack. He's a type of a player Juve didn't have last season and personally, I like what I saw last night against Cesena when they played together.

Before the season began, many Juventini doubted his worthiness. But little by little, Pereyra keeps proving himself and with only starts with Juventus, he's already been called up by the Argentina national team this past Monday.

Wrinkle No. 7: Two-way striker in Álvaro Morata

In the three games where he played around 30 minutes in total, he's already shown us how good he can be. Skillful, strong, quick and fast, Alvaro Morata will at least be our super-sub from the bench but personally, I think he's going to be a wonderful No. 9 for Juventus. Already a two-way striker, Morata complements his offensive skills with hard work and willingness to defend deep into his team's area. I won't be surprised if he takes the starting spot from Fernando Llorente sometime this season or next.

And this is just the beginning. Who knows, maybe soon we are going to witness the eighth wrinkle, (Kingsley) Coman The Destroyer. We haven't seen much from Coman, but he could be the joker of our wrinkles. He's fast, technical and good at keeping the ball, so the potential is in abundance. If realized even a bit, Coman will also offer an option we didn't have last season: He can play as a second striker, wing forward and attacking midfielder and once he's learnt how to deal with Serie A's defenders, we can possibly have another diamond on our hands. The troubles Juve had in breaking down Milan's defense when they put 11 men behind the ball may be solved with Coman if he's given the chance and blossoms.

These seven wrinkles are just from the first five games and who knows how many more we'll see from Allegri. The only constant is change and we're doing it. They have definitely enriched our plays and make us better but will they be enough? I don't know, but I'm confident that whether we'll achieve our target or not, these wrinkles are laying a solid foundation for our future success.

[Socrates 8386]

Llorente Brands Allegri As The ‘Perfect Coach’

Sep 26, 2014

Juventus striker Fernando Llorente is delighted to have coach Massimiliano Allegri in Turin and feels he is the right person to lead the team.

The former AC Milan boss replaced fan favourite Antonio Conte in the summer and has had a wonderful start to the Serie A campaign as his side have won all four games played so far.

This run of results has led to praise from Llorente, who himself has featured vastly for the Old Lady.

“Allegri is a good coach and a good person,” the Spaniard stated while speaking with Calcio2000.

“It was always difficult to replace a coach like Conte and I think Allegri is the right choice. Compared to Conte, he speaks perhaps more with the players. I feel he is the perfect coach.”

The 29-year-old is yet to open his goal scoring account for the season but feels that the team will only grow stronger as they look to hold off challengers Roma for the Scudetto this season.

“I think Rome maybe our most dangerous opponent. They have a consolidated group, with some really good new players and it is going to be difficult to beat them.

“We are not afraid of anyone and, above all, we still want to win the Scudetto.”

[Socrates 8386]

Iaquinta: Allegri commands respect

Oct 10, 2014

Vincenzo Iaquinta says Juventus made the right choice in bringing in Max Allegri as Antonio Conte’s replacement, as he talks regret.

The striker spent six years on the books of the Bianconeri, but struggled with injury and competition for places in the final few years.

It was a situation that has the 34-year-old harbouring only the one regret to his playing career, having failed to make an appearance under Antonio Conte.

“The only regret is that I was not a protagonist in Conte’s Juve. A team with an extraordinary mentality,” Iaquinta has told Tuttosport today.

“I departed from the scene just at their height. I failed to make the field? It is true, but Conte doted on me.

“I remember the words he said to me that summer: ‘Vincenzo, let me see that you are what I think, then I am convinced the club will keep you’. Unfortunately I got injured.

“Why did I have so many injuries? For sure, in 2009 after knee surgery, I tried to return too quickly. They told me to try too soon, I had a leg as slim as my son’s.”

For his respect for the current Italy CT, the former Udinese man believes Juve were right to turn to Max Allegri as replacement this summer.

“I honestly did not expect it. But Allegri was the right choice and compared to the three years under Conte little has changed, Juve seem to me to be as aggressive as before.

“The fact that the players have not dropped is confirmation of the quality of Allegri. He is a Coach who commands respect.”

[Socrates 8386]

Allegri: 'Against video replays'

Oct 10, 2014

Several Serie A Coaches have come out in favour of technology in football, but Juventus boss Max Allegri is “against it.”

The debate has been raging since Juve beat Roma 3-2 on Sunday and even FIGC President Carlo Tavecchio wrote a formal letter to FIFA asking for the go-ahead to introduce video replays.

“I am against it, because you can see that five days after Juventus-Roma, and I am very sad about this, there is still talk of penalties and centimetres,” Allegri told Tuttosport.

“There wasn’t enough respect towards the players and everything was reduced to the refereeing decisions.”

Roma complained all three of Juve’s goals were invalid, as there were two penalties that may or may not have been inside the box and Arturo Vidal was possibly interfering with play while offside on Leonardo Bonucci’s winner.

However, even with numerous video replays from multiple angles, it has been almost impossible to clarify all three situations.

[Socrates 8386]

Allegri against video replays in Serie A

With Juventus' controversial clash with Roma last weekend still a talking point, the coach
does not believe that being able to review decisions mid-match would be a good thing.

Oct 11, 2014

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri is against video replays and hopes that Serie A continues to trust referees' instincts.

The Scudetto holders required a late stunner from Leonardo Bonucci to settle an intense top-of-the-table clash with Roma, which finished 3-2 to the Bianconeri.

Much of the talk since that game in Turin has been on the fortuitous Juve goals, with Giallorossi boss Rudi Garcia heavily critical after the game of the penalty decisions and Allegri himself admitting that Arturo Vidal's offside position hindered the visitors for Bonucci's winner.

Referee Gianluca Rocchi has been suspended for two matchdays for his questionable officiating in the Italian tussle, but Allegri is determined that mid-match replays are not the answer, with some of the decisions in the clash still dividing opinion nearly a week since the full-time whistle.

"I am against video replays," he told Tuttosport. "Why? Because you can see that five days after Juventus-Roma - and I am very sad about this - there is still talk about whether they were penalties.

"There wasn’t enough respect towards those who played the game and the game has since been reduced to its refereeing decisions."

Juve - top of the Italian table - are back in action after the international break with a visit to Sassuolo, who are bottom of Serie A after six games.

[Socrates 8386]

Allegri: Vidal must change his attitude

The Juventus boss wants his star midfielder to move on from the night club
incident and insists he is against the use of TV replays during matches.

Oct 11, 2014

Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri has called on Arturo Vidal to change his attitude in the wake of his omission from the starting XI against Roma.

Vidal was reportedly involved in a night-club brawl in the build-up to the Serie A clash last weekend and was subsequently left out of the side after further rumours that he turned up late to training.

Allegri has always maintained his decision was purely a tactical choice but has nonetheless urged the Chile star, who was fined €100,000 for his breach of club conduct, to improve his behaviour.

"Vidal's omission against Roma was a technical choice. He'd played a lot of games and I had[Andrea] Pirlo. What happened off the pitch has nothing to do with it, that's a problem for the club," he told Tuttosport.

"Now, however, he must have a different attitude."

The 3-2 win over Rudi Garcia's men was Pirlo's first Serie A appearance of the season and Allegri is now hopeful he will regain full fitness while on international duty with Italy.

"As for Pirlo, I can say his call-up didn't surprise me," he said. "Andrea needs to play. He's only played one game and if he can play for the national team in this break I'll only be too happy."

Juventus have enjoyed a 100 per cent start to the new season under Allegri and the former AC Milan boss admits he did not expect such a flying first few weeks.

"I admit I didn't expect to start like this in the league - we won at San Siro against AC Milan and at home against Roma," he said.

"In the beginning, a bit of scepticism is normal, as a coach who won three league titles has gone. Conte represented more than a coach for Juventus, but in life, you need balance: players, coaches all go, but the club remains."

Juve's win over Roma has continued to make headlines during the past week after the controversial penalty incidents and red card during the game, but Allegri is adamant the introduction of slow-motion replays would not benefit the game.

"I'm opposed to using slow-motion replays. After five days, Juventus-Roma is still talked about in penalties and centimetres, there was little respect for the players," he added.

"But replays have not been able to show who was completely right and who was completely wrong. And, in the end, it wouldn't be a computer who decides it, but a human being, and then he'll be told he was wrong.

"In short, I don't think slow-motion would solve this problem."

[Socrates 8386]

5 Issues Juventus Need to Work on
During International Break

Oct 11, 2014

With seven wins in eight matches, Juventus and her supporters have had little room for complaint so far this season. So impressive has been the start made by Turin’s grand Old Lady in 2014-15 that finding fault in their performances is extremely difficult.

Only two sides—Atletico Madrid and AS Roma—have managed to score against them, with the former the only team to take all three points from Massimiliano Allegri’s men. There is little shame in losing away to the Spanish champions, particularly by the narrow 1-0 scoreline seen at the Vicente Calderon.

Yet the Bianconeri will be fully aware that there is always room for improvement, that identifying and reducing issues before an opponent capitalises on them is what separates great teams from the merely very good ones.

Over the following pages is a look at five such areas, things Juventus need to work on during before play resumes after the current international break.


1. Finding a Defensive Solution

The Bianconeri were rocked by a serious injury this week, the club’s official website noting that Martin Caceres has suffered a torn thigh muscle. With the statement believing the Uruguayan will be sidelined for around a month, Allegri will need a defensive reshuffle in the coming weeks to compensate.

Caceres himself had been impressive—his form discussed at length here—but he was only in the starting lineup due to the continued absence of Andrea Barzagli. With both men now unavailable, Juventus have no natural option for the right-sided berth in their back three.

That means either playing the left-footed Angelo Ogbonna in an unnatural role, or sliding Leonardo Bonucci across from his usual central position. He has played there on a number of occasions, with Arturo Vidal then dropping back into defence as cover as he has done previously to great effect.

The one factor in Juve’s favour is the schedule they face in the coming weeks, with fixtures against Sassuolo, Olympiakos, Palermo and Genoa taking them to the end of October.


2. A Change of System?

The arrival of Massimiliano Allegri saw renewed optimism that Juventus may switch formations against certain opponents, an idea pushed by the new coach himself. With the squad comfortable in the 3-5-2 framework Antonio Conte almost exclusively used, the 47-year-old talked up the merits of being able to deploy a back four.

“I think it is very fortunate to be able to switch between two formations, even in the same game,” Allegri told La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport (h/t Football Italia). “There are moments in the season where you can play with three [defenders] and others when it is better to do so with four.”

While the coach must be praised for understanding how well the current setup works, the loss to Atletico Madrid once again highlighted the need for variety. He has yet to opt for a four-man back line in a competitive game, but may look to do so going forward.


3. Improve the Team’s Attacking Prowess

If the concerns in defence are only slight given the stellar performances thus far, in attack there is perhaps more cause for concern. Juventus have scored 15 goals in all competitions this term, with Carlos Tevez responsible for more than half that total.

The club’s leading scorer last term has already found the back of the net eight times in 2014-15, and the other goals have come from much further back. To date, Alvaro Morata is the only other Bianconeri forward to have scored, with the form of Fernando Llorente particularly worrying.

In order to fully maximise their potential, Allegri needs to get the Basque striker, plus Kingsley Coman and Sebastian Giovinco firing as quickly as possible.


4. Find an Alternative at Right-Back

Of Juve’s outfield players, only Leonardo Bonucci, Claudio Marchisio and Stephan Lichtsteiner have started all eight games this season. With injury and rotation likely to see the former pair soon earn a break, the non-stop style of the latter means he too will need to be rested very soon.

His natural replacement in the squad is summer-signing Romulo, but the former Hellas Verona defender is out of action following surgery on a sports hernia, per the official Juventus website. With Martin Caceres also unavailable, Allegri may opt to use Roberto Pereyra in that role, with the international break providing time to plan such a switch.

With Lichtsteiner never the type of player to coast through games, giving him time to rest now could prove vital later in the campaign.


5. Calming Tempers and Preparing to Resume Competition

Perhaps the most vital issue facing Allegri and his players is the manner in which the clash with Roma played out, with tempers on both sides boiling over. The match was hugely controversial, with referee Gianluca Rocchi’s decisions coming in for criticism from all sides, particularly over the two penalties he awarded to Juventus.

With two weeks away from the action, the Bianconeri must recompose themselves, preparing calmly for domestic action to resume. With a three-point cushion over the Giallorossi and two Champions League ties against Olympiakos on the horizon, their mental focus could prove essential in the coming weeks.

[Socrates 8386]

Storari: Allegri Wants Juventus
To Keep More Possession

Oct 12, 2014

Juventus goalkeeper Marco Storari believes that the approach under new coach Massimiliano Allegri is different compared to what it was under Antonio Conte.

The 37-year-old joined the Old Lady in the summer of 2010 for a fee of €4.5 million from AC Milan and has played second fiddle to club legend Gianluigi Buffon ever since.

“Let’s say that we try to manage a little bit more of the ball,” said the Italian according to Juventus TV.

“We like to keep more possession of the ball and this is what characterizes the teams coached by Allegri.” he continued.

The former Messina player then had a few positive things to say on his time with the Bianconeri.

“The most important time was perhaps the first year I was at the club. We had finished in seventh place that season so it was an unsuccessful year.

“But then Conte arrived and we won the Scudetto. That was a most beautiful moment.”

The goalkeeper was asked to recollect the best save he has made so far for Juventus.

“I think the one save that has stayed with me was the one in Verona against Chievo Verona. It was a penalty save and we drew the game.” he concluded.

[Socrates 8386]

Italian football isn't rubbish, says Allegri

The 47-year-old believes too much attention is paid to controversial
refereeing decisions in Serie A and has slammed the league's detractors.

Oct 15, 2014

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has denied that Italian football is in terminal decline, arguing that its positives are always overlooked.

Serie A teams have performed badly in Europe of late, with the Bianconeri failing to reach the last 16 of the Champions League last term.

However, Allegri feels that people focus too much on controversial incidents - such as the ones which plagued his side's recent 3-2 win over Roma - and fail to recognise the good work players put in.

"In Italy, they always show you the less good things. Everybody says: 'Italian football is rubbish', but nobody does anything about the good stuff.

"Everyone says: 'Italian referees are the worst'. Then we have them officiating the World Cup final. Italian teams concede questionable penalties abroad and stay calm.

"What does harm to Italian football is that everyone talks about incidents and not the game. The game itself was good, intense, great to watch.

"You have to appreciate the play more and evaluate it, otherwise everything becomes an excuse.

"The decisions of Rocchi came into focus because it was Juve-Roma. Nobody cares about that in a game of a lower level.

"So we lose a great Juventus performance against Roma, a great team with a great player in Francesco Totti."

Allegri went on to say that he now realises the full extent of how badly people view Juventus within Italy.

"In Italy, there are 50 million fans: 12 million support Juventus, the rest are of AC Milan, Inter, Roma and so on. But they are all against Juventus. I see that now."

[Socrates 8386]

Allegri: There is no Vidal case

Oct 15, 2014

Max Allegri says there is no case with Arturo Vidal, whilst it is too early to suggest the title race is only between Juventus and Roma.

Juve’s international break has been hit by growing speculation over Vidal’s future at the club, following reports on why he was left out of the starting line-up against Roma in Week 6.

For his Coach, though, there is no issue to focus so much attention on.

“First, against Roma he has been left out because, with the return of Pirlo, I needed a more tactical player, Marchisio,” Allegri has looked to explain today to the Corriere della Sera.

“Every now and then the guys do something stupid. They need to understand when they afford it and especially now, with mobile phones, photographers everywhere.

“Under the aspect of training and the intensity of Arturo, there is nothing to say. There is no case with Vidal.”

Allegri, who also complained of a negative approach from Italians to their football, also considered his philosophy at Juve.

“The idea is to have good players that can allow you to win games. I do not like to provide many points of reference nor remove the creativity of the players.

“And on this there should be a broader discourse, talking about the youth sector.

“You cannot hold kids to two hours on a 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 3-5-2, as they will lose the passion. The Coaches should not teach, they should train themselves.

“Who has impressed me the most? Marchisio.”

The team are facing a shortage of players in defence, with Andrea Barzagli and Martin Caceres out for a month each with injury.

“Ogbonna has done very well. We will recover Marrone, and on the edge Lichtsteiner can be a third. Or we can play with four at the back.”

It was put to Allegri that in spite of being only six weeks into the season, the title race is already just between the Old Lady and Roma.

“Milan have only lost to us, Inter I did not expect to be in difficulty, but they are a very good team and will come out in the long run, as will Napoli and Fiorentina.

“It is not yet nor will it be just Juve-Roma. There needs to be balance. We lost in Madrid, and if the same had happened against Roma, what would have happened? The value of the team is not lost in a week.

“Juve in Europe? Let’s talk at the end. If in Madrid it had ended 0-0 we would be talking about great personality.

“We played the right game, conceding on the only error. Certainly we have room for improvement.”

[Socrates 8386]

Everyone is against Juventus,
says coach Massimiliano Allegri

Oct 15, 2014

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said he has only just discovered how much anti-Juve sentiment there is in Italian football in the wake of his side's 3-2 win over Roma.

The fallout to that game has disappointed the former Milan coach, who sees Italian football as the only real loser of the protracted debate.

In an interview with Il Corriere della Sera, Allegri was critical of the culture in Italy, saying the game is only becoming so bad because people continue to make it that way.

"The thing that did the most damage to Italian football was that all the talk has been about the incidents and little has been said about the actual game," Allegri said. "Technically, it was a good, intense and pretty game to watch, yet there's been total silence on that.

"In Italy, people are always keen to highlight the bad things. Everybody says 'Italian football's rubbish,' but nobody does anything to improve it. Everybody says 'Italian referees are the worst' and then we see an Italian referee in the World Cup final. When we go abroad and dubious penalties are given, we keep our mouths shut, but it's not like that when it happens in Italy."

According to Allegri, there is a culture of negativity which is preventing the Italian game from evolving. He said that Juve is everybody's favourite victim.

"We need to appreciate all the good moves more and start to appreciate them, otherwise everything becomes an excuse," he continued. "The decisions referee Rocchi made have been blown out of all proportion just because it was Juve-Roma. If they had happened in a lesser game, nobody would have cared.

"Because of this, a great performance by Juventus against a fantastic Roma side with an extraordinary player in Totti all got lost. There are 50 million football fans in Italy, 12 of which support Juve and the others support Milan, Inter, Roma and so on. But they all are against Juve and it's only now that I'm realising that."

Allegri did not care to follow the days of diatribe that followed the top-of-the-table clash nearly a fortnight ago. Instead, he has been spending time with his family and improving his English.

Before returning to management with Juve less than six months after being relieved of his duties as Milan coach, Allegri spent several months in England, not only learning the language but also appreciating a different culture which opened his eyes.

"I had to go live in Leeds because there are too many Italians in London," said the 47-year-old. "It was positive to see their league because it helped me to understand a few things.

"The game's not as spectacular as it's made out to be, but what does make it so beautiful is the atmosphere, the people. You'd never find a young kid being told to cover his Tevez shirt [like a young child who was refused access to Atalanta's home clash with Juve until he covered his shirt] over there. That would be out of this world.

"Once, I was giving my daughter a driving lesson and we ended up outside the San Siro. With all the gates, barriers and metal fencing -- I'd never go to a place like that as an ordinary fan."

[Socrates 8386]

Allegri: One day to England

Oct 17, 2014

Juventus Coach Max Allegri has admitted he would like to work in the Premier League, but reiterates Arturo Vidal won’t be going there in January.

The 47-year-old is a few months into his tenure in Turin, but has conceded to the BBC World Service this week of intentions to one day manage in England.

“What particularly struck me was how good their infrastructures are and the huge enthusiasm that the crowd has,” Allegri is quoted as saying this week.

“I hope, in the future, to have the opportunity to coach in England. I was in London for two months when I was dismissed by Milan.

“I saw some games to try and better understand English football. It's different from the Italian football, it's more fascinating.”

Rumours continue to suggest Juve midfielder Vidal is closer than Allegri to a move to the Premier League, with Manchester United again seen as preparing a January bid.

“The club has been very clear on Vidal,” Allegri has responded.

“This season Vidal is a Juventus player and I think there's no possibility that in January he'll go to Manchester.”

[Socrates 8386]

Allegri: Juventus Have A Fundamental Month Ahead

Oct 17, 2014

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has urged his side to focus on Saturday’s match at Sassuolo ahead of an important month of matches in Serie A and the Champions League.

The Bianconeri return to league action at the Mapei Stadium after the international break looking to extend their lead at the top of the table and then travel to Athens to play Olympiacos on Wednesday.

“It’s an important game for us and we’ve got a fundamental month ahead,” the 47-year-old tactician said in his pre-match press conference.

“Not just in the championship, but in also in the Champions League where the double-header with Olympiacos will be decisive in the race to get out of the group.

“We need to pick up where we left off, but tomorrow won’t be straightforward by any stretch of the imagination.

“Sassuolo may have just three points on the board as it stands, yet they’re very strong in forward areas and possess everything that’s required to stay up and maintain their top flight status.”

Allegri also called for fallout from the 3-2 win against Roma prior to the international break to now stop.

“What has been said is part of the game and I believe that it is the moment to stop, because luckily, tomorrow we return to the league,” he continued.

“And I think that this is the most important thing, because after that I think people’s interest will be in watching football games, seeing beautiful matches, as Juventus-Roma was, and there will be many others.

“There are a lot of games to go until the end of the season and as I said, in the case of victory or defeat for one of the two teams, it certainly does not affect the title race for either team.”

[Socrates 8386]

Juventus not as fierce under Allegri, says Lippi

The iconic Italian coach is impressed with how well Antonio Conte's replacement has done
in keeping a successful side from crumbling without their previous leader.

Oct 21, 2014

Juventus are "less fierce" under Massimiliano Allegri, according to World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi, who is nonetheless impressed with the transition from Antonio Conte's reign.

Many Bianconeri supporters were unhappy with the chosen replacement for Conte, who parted ways with the Turin job after three successive Scudetti.

However, Allegri has exceeded many of the poor expectations he had been lumped with - his side top Serie A having dropped only two points in seven matches - and Lippi is impressed with how the ex-AC Milan boss has handled his new position.

"This Juventus team is less fierce,” Lippi told La Politica nel Pallone. "They play a slightly different brand of football.

"They prefer to have more possession and slower build-up play, and that's the difference.

"But Allegri has done well not to alter the attitude and approach of a side which has dominated Serie A for the last three years."

Conte, meanwhile, has enjoyed a perfect start to life in charge of the Italy national squad, which Lippi memorably guided to World Cup glory eight years ago, and the coaching legend has high hopes for the Azzurri under him.

"I hope Conte can do the same thing that I did with the national team after all of the good stuff he did with Juve," he added. "You can see his personality in the team already.

"Conte is one of the few coaches whose personality comes across after just three months. He's imprinted a great determination and desire that people love to see with their national team.

"Italy are going in the right direction. When we went to Germany for World Cup 2006, we did not expect we were going to win but then we realised we could."

[Socrates 8386]

Massimiliano Allegri Must Make 2 Key
Changes for Juventus to Improve

Oct 24, 2014

Juventus' flop against Olympiakos on Wednesday was revolting to the team's fans and emblematic of the team's continuing problems in European competition. It should also mark a turning point in the team's season.

Indeed, the game revealed two major points that, if Massimiliano Allegri addresses properly, may be able to turn Juve back into the monster that it has been the last three seasons—and maybe take them to new heights.

First, the formation has to change.

When Allegri took charge following Antonio Conte's surprise resignation, he toyed with formation changes in preseason training. So far, however, he has remained wedded to the 3-5-2 that Conte used for the vast majority of his tenure in charge. There were pragmatic reasons for keeping things the way they were. With such an abrupt change, it was easier to keep the players in a shape they knew than to try to change things wholesale in the space of one preseason campaign. Injuries—both in preseason and over the course of the season—have also kept several players who would be key to other formations on the sidelines.

But the last week has made it clear that the 3-5-2's run might finally be at an end. Both the Olympiakos game and last weekend's draw against Sassuolo saw Juve struggle in the 3-5-2 in the first half. They also saw the team come alive when Allegri changed formations midway through the game.

Against the Greeks, in particular, the change was striking. With 13 minutes left, Allegri removed Angelo Ogbonna and replaced him with Roberto Pereyra, creating a 4-2-3-1. Juve had already clawed a foothold after Andrea Pirlo—who is clearly not back to full fitness after his preseason injury—was replaced by Claudio Marchisio, roared. They pushed hard for an equalizer and were twice denied one by fantastic saves from Roberto Gago.

It's becoming clear that Allegri doesn't know how to get the most out of the 3-5-2. That's understandable considering he's never used anything resembling the system before in his career. Given that, the logical move is to change formations.

Why Allegri hasn't done it yet is puzzling. He may be waiting for some injuries to heal. In September he was quoted by the website of transfer guru Gianluca Di Marzio that he couldn't use a four-man defense "until I have the personnel to do it."

That might mean he's waiting on the injured Andrea Barzagli, who has shown himself to be more effective in a back four than Leonardo Bonucci. Given that Barzagli might not return until January, he may not have that luxury.

It may be considered dangerous to make a wholesale formation change in the middle of the season, but Conte did the same thing during his unbeaten 2011-12 season when he changed from 4-3-3 to 3-5-2. A large segment of the current roster are veterans of that change.

Whatever the reason for staying, in the last week his team has simply played better from a formation with a four-man line. Allegri obviously knows how to utilize those systems better. Rather than persist in something he isn't good at, Allegri should shift to his own strength.

The other point Allegri needs to address has to do with tactics rather than formation. Specifically, it has to do with possession.

As in Juve has too much of it.

It may be heresy in this age, when Pep Guardiola's Barcelona teams made possession king, but if you possess the ball and do nothing with it, it's meaningless—and Juve isn't doing much right now.

If you go to Juve's fixture list on WhoScored.com and go through the statistics of each game, you can average out Juve's possession stats at 61.47 percent over 10 games between the league and Europe. But Juve hasn't used that possession the way they have in years passed. So much of their movement is wayward, and they aren't putting the ball into positions where their strikers can use them.

Simply put, they're getting stale. But the solution to this is simple—let the opponents have more of the ball.

Why do this? Because Juve is a team that can be deadly on the counterattack. They rarely get credit for how good they are on the break because they usually enjoy so much possession, but when they get the chance to run with the ball, the opposing goal is usually in danger.

The best example of this comes from last January's game against Roma in Turin. Roma's best weapon last season was their devastating counterattack. Conte's way of nullifying that threat was to cede Roma possession and take the counterattack out of Rudi Garcia's arsenal.

Juve had a few nervy moments, but the defense held firm. They then thrust forward on the counter. A run like down the wing eventually set up the throw-in that saw Juve score their first goal in the 3-0 rout. It was arguably the best tactical performance of Conte's Juve tenure.

Juve needs a shot in the arm. A different approach, one that takes advantage of their excellent defensive record this season and allows them to unleash the quality counterattacks that they are capable of, could be what is needed to push out the lethargy that has crept into their game.

Wednesday's game needs to be a wake-up call. If Allegri doesn't make changes, Juve could crash out of the Champions League for a second consecutive year and Roma could zoom past them in the league table. These modest proposals are, in this writer's opinion, the best way to start the alarm clock going.

[Socrates 8386]

Zaccheroni: Juve not playing badly

Oct 29, 2014

Former Juventus Coach Alberto Zaccheroni has defended Massimiliano Allegri’s side, insisting they’re not playing badly.

The 61-year-old coached the Old Lady in 2010, replacing Ciro Ferrara mid-season, but was not offered a new deal at the end of the campaign after finishing seventh in Serie A.

Allegri was forced to defend the team’s recent dip in form during yesterday’s Press conference, but Zaccheroni doesn’t think the Bianconeri have been as bad as some might suggest.

“Juve are playing in a different way to last year,” Zaccheroni explained in today’s edition of Tuttosport.

“But it’s not true to say that they’re playing badly, far from it. I’ve enjoyed these last few games.

“There isn’t some magic formula to win Championships.

“A lot depends on the players a Coach has available. A Coach shouldn’t look to make a name for himself, the priority is to make your team play well and win.

“To win the title you have to make very few mistakes, and that’s everyone at the club, including the fans and the atmosphere.

“Everything must be done in the right way, not only on the pitch.”

[Socrates 8386]

Time For Allegri To Change Juventus’ System

Oct 29, 2014

Massimiliano Allegri needs to change Juventus’ system by shifting away from the 3-5-2 formation.

The new Bianconeri coach has persisted with the formation that Antonio Conte used so successfully in the last three seasons, but it is no longer effective, and especially not in Champions League matches.

Juventus reached the Champions League quarter-finals in 2012/13 and were eliminated by eventual winners Bayern Munich, but the Bianconeri failed to get out of the group stage last season.

This season’s results in the Champions League have not been so good either. After defeating Swedish champions Malmo 2–0, the Juventus have suffered consecutive 1–0 defeats against Atletico Madrid and Olympiakos.

These results prompted former Italy coach Arrigo Sacchi and former football director Luciano Moggi to say that Italy has fallen behind the rest of Europe in football terms.

One of the reasons was the style of play Allegri has implemented at Juventus, and like most Italian teams, the Bianconeri play at a tempo that is too slow compared to the other European teams.

Conte’s Juve played with more pace and intensity than Allegri’s so the style of play cannot be the sole problem with Juventus’ failures in Europe.

Conte used the 3-5-2 formation because he did not have the players that suited his preferred 4-2-4 formation or the 4-3-3. Once the back three was introduced, the trio consisting of Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini proved to be a huge success for the Bianconeri.

Allegri has avoided revolutionising Juventus but he has not needed to because the Bianconeri’s recent dominance in Italy, thus making a system change unnecessary for dealing with Serie A.

Juventus registered their seventh Serie A win for the season by defeating Palermo 2–0 on the weekend using the 3-5-2 formation. The Rosanero used the 3-5-1-1 formation against the Bianconeri on Sunday afternoon but their wing-backs Eros Pisano and Zouhair Feddal were ineffective.

So why does the 3-5-2 work in Italy and not in Europe?

The formation works in Serie A because currently there aren’t many teams in Italy that possess the wingers to stretch the opposition’s three-man defence.

This is largely due to the narrow style of play that the Italians are known for. There is more reliance on the trequartista (playmaker) or support striker to create play through the middle and the full-backs are expected to provide the width.

Another thing to consider is that most of the full-backs in Serie A aren’t very good defensively so it is more convenient to put them in midfield and use them as wing-backs.

Even if Allegri persists with the 3-5-2 in Italy, he must use a system with a four-man defence. Shifting to a back-four would be ideal once Patrice Evra returns from injury as well.

Massimiliano Allegri can use Angelo Ogbonna as left-back while the Frenchman is injured because he has played in the role previously. Kwadwo Asamoah lacks the defensive game to play at left-back and Giorgio Chiellini looks uncomfortable running up and down a flank these days.

The central midfield would not need to change much but Allegri would need to decide if the likes of Roberto Pereyra should be used as a trequartista in the 4-3-1-2 system or a right-winger in the 4-3-3. The latter would be the best choice in European games because it will give Juventus more options on the flanks.

Juventus has been triumphant on the Italian peninsula in the last three years, but that success has not continued on in European competitions. Juventus’ style of play may require changing, but a formation switch should be Allegri’s number one priority.

[Socrates 8386]

Trap: You can’t always be beautiful

Oct 29, 2014

Giovanni Trapattoni is the latest former Juventus Coach to defend Massimiliano Allegri, following Alberto Zaccheroni and Marcello Lippi.

Allegri replaced Antonio Conte on the Juventus bench this summer, and despite the Old Lady sitting top of Serie A, has come in for criticism for perceived poor performances.

Trapattoni spent 10 enormously successful years on the Bianconero bench, winning six Scudetti and the European Cup, and the veteran Coach believes Allegri is right when he says you don’t win titles by playing well every week.

“You can only make wine with the grapes you have available,” Il Trap has explained to Tuttosport.

“You can’t always be beautiful.

“Max is right, it’s hard to win Championships by playing well throughout. The Coach can’t always guarantee a spectacle.

“The recipe for success is to change from time-to-time, like a chameleon to reach your goal.

“Sacchi’s Milan - and it’s a compliment to Arrigo - they won while also offering great entertainment. In a different way, my Inter and my Juve with Platini and Boniek also produced great football.

“But it’s not always the case, especially if you don’t have a [Lionel] Messi or a Cristiano Ronaldo in your team.

“Tactics count, but it’s more down to the players you have available.

“Also we have to be clear what we mean by ‘entertainment’ - I like shots on goal. I get excited when I see saves and goals.

“Sterile possession for 40-50 minutes doesn’t excite me.”