Manu’s Grab Bag: Don’t Look Now

Thank God for the magic of replays.

I’ll cop to it: I did attempt my finest to get up at 5:30 within the AM on the Lord’s Day to see Juventus. Particularly after the outcomes on Saturday, immediately this week’s match in opposition to lowly Bologna could possibly be of key significance in a newly fascinating title race.

So, I set my alarm clock and went to mattress with the utmost intention of watching the Bianconeri reside. As soon as it rung, although, I hit the off button on that alarm so quick and with such anger that for a second I feared that I may need inflicted some inner harm to the factor. So, like I stated, thank god for replays.

(Shout out to our EIC Danny for really watching it reside in an earlier time zone, although! You’re a extra resilient man than myself, my good friend.)

Nonetheless, within the unlikely state of affairs I had woken up, I’d have been surprisingly happy by the general efficiency of Juventus. It was a no frills, no drama type of win for the reigning champs and one which they might have put to mattress a lot earlier with some higher ending.

Let’s cook dinner.

MVP: Weston McKennie

Take a look at this man.

What an absolute dork.

Unbelievable.

Extra on him in a second.

Runner Up: Arthur – Maybe it was unreasonable to count on him to hit the bottom operating after his transfer from FC Barcelona? Don’t know if this sustainable or for actual in any means however he’s been having his finest performances of the season within the final couple of weeks.

Season Chief: Cristiano Ronaldo (8 Factors)

Lone Star Wizard

I had no thought who Weston McKennie was earlier than his transfer to Juventus. To be truthful to me, why would I? I don’t preserve tabs on the place U.S. internationals are taking part in every day, and his former membership Schalke was a catastrophe within the Bundesliga.

When his signing was introduced probably the most optimistic amongst us — Hi, Hunter! — thought he was good depth piece and a comparatively threat free guess on the younger Texan to develop. I keep in mind pondering on the time that he would possibly really play greater than anticipated simply because the midfield was in such flux and he got here to Italy with a fame of being a Swiss knife sort of a participant.

That is what I wrote about him in my Power Ranking column earlier than the season:

It may not appear like it on first occasion […] however there’s a state of affairs through which McKennie finally ends up taking part in heavy, heavy minutes in his first season as a Bianconero. […] We all know that he brings lots of positional flexibility and was a jack of all trades final season with Schalke. I’m simply saying, don’t be shocked if we glance again on the season and understand he had a far bigger variety of appearances than you’ll assume.

Like I stated, good depth piece at finest and a no hurt no foul transaction at worst if he ended up being Mario Lemina 2.0.

But, right here we’re, one half of the season accomplished and he’s arguably one of the crucial 5 most essential gamers on the crew. The positional flexibility he’s dropped at the desk was simply as marketed as he has lined up throughout Andrea Pirlo’s fluid setup. However that’s about all that was simply as marketed with McKennie.

He’s significantly sharper technically than what we thought he could possibly be and his sense of spacing and run making capabilities have grown leaps and bounds within the half 12 months he’s been a Juventus participant, the crew is simply plain higher when he’s on the pitch.

Ever since Arturo Vidal left the constructing, I can’t recall a man who may present power, tempo, ball recovering abilities and legit offensive chops the identical means McKennie does. I’m not saying he’s at peak Vidal degree — few guys have gotten there in any case — however he’s a participant that I can undoubtedly see growing to that degree sooner or later.

In lots of methods this really was a Mario Lemina 2.0 signing, solely this time the man they introduced in was the actual deal.

Winner: Giorgio Chiellini

Take a look at the outdated timer on the market!

After his final couple of seasons, I feel it was truthful to assume that Chiellini’s time as a top-tier participant had been behind him. Not as a result of he wasn’t good anymore, however as a result of it appeared that he had decidedly misplaced the struggle in opposition to Father Time for good and his physique simply wasn’t as dependable because it as soon as was.

However simply as his crew wanted him probably the most and his younger heirs to be got here down with accidents and the freakin’ 21^st century plague, respectively, Juve’s captain turned again the clock, performed in his 4 consecutive sport in god is aware of how lengthy and performed fairly damned successfully in addition.

With regards to Chiellini, we all the time knew the abilities had been nonetheless there, it was solely a matter of seeing whether or not his physique gave him the shot to see the sphere. Let’s hope this streak of well being is an effective signal for him, as a result of having him obtainable solves lots of the CB depth points this crew had.

(Additionally, I imply, him and Mathijs de Ligt taking part in collectively was simply so good to see. Attempt to beat these two defenders, Christ.)

Equipment/Gear Rankings

Goddamn it.

I didn’t wish to spend $120 on a jacket, however what am I imagined to do? I hate you a lot, Juventus Retailer.

Additionally:

Picture by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Photos

What a glance, what a call by Siniša Mihajlović there. As a result of, buddy, let me let you know that’s a call. You don’t simply come across a plaid newsboy hat and simply throw it on as a last-minute accent. No, that’s a press release. There’s thought put into it. You sought that hat out, put it on and stated, “You recognize what? That is doing work proper right here, I’m protecting it, that is good, I look good.”

I’m wondering in the event that they promote that hat on the Bologna official retailer like they do Pirlo’s garments? As a result of they need to.

Hi5tory Lesson – Half Three

For the much less Italian talking inclined amongst us — or in the event you don’t have Google translate available like I did — the tweet is mentioning that if Juve had been to win their sport in hand they might end the primary half of the season with 39 factors, the precise variety of factors that Max Allegri’s led crew had on the identical level of the season through the 2015/16 season comeback.

As somebody who’s been banging the drum on the parallels between this crew and the crew that received the fifth straight title of the present title run for fairly some time, this solely provides gas to the fireplace of me by no means shutting up about it.

The largest distinction is that this time they’re chasing AC Milan as an alternative of Napoli, and that in the event that they had been to win that sport in hand and get to 39 factors they’d be again 4 factors from the highest as an alternative of solely two which was the hole on the 15/16 season.

Hell the seasons are so related that they each had my signature panic second through which I name the season over regardless of there nonetheless being lots of matches left. The one distinction is again then I didn’t write for this right here weblog so the new takes had been simply thrown into the ether to vanish ceaselessly as an alternative of being registered right here in perpetuity.

Anyhow, as all the time.

Parting Shot of the Week

Sure, we should discuss once more concerning the Serie A race title as a result of take a look at this.

Each end result that might make this race tighter occurred this weekend, with each Milan golf equipment dropping factors and just about all different opponents besides Napoli making up floor.

Rather a lot nonetheless hinges on that make up sport in opposition to the Partenopei, but when Juve had been to beat their southern rivals — one thing they already did within the all-important Supercoppa — they’d be as soon as once more within the thick of it come the enterprise finish of the season.

With AC Milan wanting shockingly human as soon as once more and Inter being Inter it looks as if the studies of Juventus loss of life had been far too overblown by some members of the media — AKA Me and virtually all BWRAO bloggers — we’re in for a loopy end of the season associates, must be enjoyable.

See you Wednesday.