Juventus 0 – Inter Milan 0: Initial reaction and random observations

With arguably their two finest gamers again within the fold, Inter Milan had the makings of a staff that was going to push ahead and have loads of possibilities to attain a few much-needed objectives. They needed to flip an mixture scoreline of their favor, realizing full properly that Juventus has two beneficial away objectives of their again pocket getting into Tuesday night time’s recreation at Allianz Stadium.

The top end result? Juventus’ protection skunked them.

In a recreation the place Juve’s protection wanted to rise to the event, they did simply that.

Due to Juventus’ protection pitching their newest shutout, Andrea Pirlo will now know he will probably be enjoying in his second one-off for a trophy within the first few months of 2021. Juventus’ protection bent a number of occasions, however by no means actually broke as they recorded a scoreless draw in opposition to arch-rivals Inter to maintain the 2-1 mixture scoreline after the primary leg in Milan final week proper the place it was and clinch a spot within the Coppa Italia remaining in opposition to both Napoli or Atalanta.

Protection, child. Protection. A superb old school grit-your-teeth sort of win the place Juve’s protection is the explanation they get the win (and on this case advance to a cup remaining).

That is the Juventus I do know. And if Juventus’ protection continues to develop and enhance prefer it has over the following few weeks prefer it has in the previous few weeks, then this staff will probably be in fairly fine condition.

And also you name that Andrea Pirlo can see it turning into increasingly of a secure presence just because he’s counting on it increasingly to get outcomes.

It’d shock some to see that inter have been saved off the scoreboard in a recreation once they outshot Juventus 21-12. However you then look down one other line and see that Gianluigi Buffon needed to make all of three saves, with none of them being all that tough in any respect. Which means the likes of Merih Demiral and Matthijs de Ligt have been completely nails in entrance of their goalkeeper who simply so occurs to be twice as previous as they’re.

There have been so many blocked photographs it was arduous to maintain monitor of them at many factors.

Even with Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi again, Inter couldn’t break via. Andrea Pirlo, quite a bit like he did over the weekend in opposition to AS Roma, knew his staff must defend and set issues up precisely that means. We’ve talked about Juventus’ means (or the other) to handle video games quite a bit this season, and this was a case of them managing a recreation about in addition to they’ve all season. Certain, in spite of everything of that possession early within the recreation by Juventus they noticed Inter take management of the possession numbers by the tip of the sport. However, even with all of the photographs they took, Inter in all probability had, what, solely a few actually threatening alternatives.

Buffon was busy within the sense that he had quite a lot of organizing of the protection in entrance of him and amassing or punching out of crosses from both wing. However I reiterate that due to the job accomplished in entrance of him by de Ligt, Demiral and the remainder of the staff defending in entrance of him, Juve’s 43-year-old (!!) keeper solely needed to make THREE saves.

I’ll take a defensive efficiency like that each single day of the week.

And twice when it comes in opposition to Inter and subsequently bounces them from the Coppa Italia.

Roll on, Juventus. You’re enjoying properly proper now and I’m simply gonna sit right here and mood my rising optimism though I’m all the time going to be not less than considerably optimistic.

RANDOM THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS

• Ten minutes into the sport and Juventus had 90 p.c possession. Sustainable!
• There was one level within the opening 10 minutes the place Juve had accomplished over 100 passes and Inter had accomplished … 11.
• But, at one level within the first half, Juventus was being outshot 8-1 regardless of all of that possession.
• In the event that they gave that penalty to Inter after Federico Bernardeschi made completely no contact with Lautaro Martinez within the field … I don’t need to take into consideration what would occurred round right here. Numerous offended phrases, I’m guessing.
• Demiral and de Ligt just about simply picked up proper the place Leo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini left off from the win over Roma. That’s a reasonably good signal when there’s so many fixtures and rotation wanted over the following few weeks.
• Of these 21 shot makes an attempt from Inter, Demiral and de Ligt mixed to dam practically half of all of them by themselves. That’s fairly rattling spectacular for those who ask me.
• I watched a lot of this recreation on the ESPN Deportes feed and for those who have been to make me take a shot for each time the announcers stated one thing alongside the traces of “Otra vez Demiral!” then there could be no likelihood I might be capable to end this sentence.
• Certain, they in all probability talked for a minute or two after the sport, however I might like to see de Ligt’s face the following time he sees Lukaku for the primary time. I might like to suppose that there’s only a sly little grin on de Ligt’s face as a result of he’s in all probability nonetheless a little bit younger and mischievous though he’s clever past his younger age.
• As a lot as this was in regards to the protection, Cristiano Ronaldo had extra than simply a few possibilities to search out the again of the online. A number of of them, like so lots of Inter’s photographs, have been blocked, however the most effective two have been saved very properly by Samir Handanovic. I, personally, would have favored if the up-and-down model of Handanovic confirmed up Tuesday night time, however I suppose we received the model of the goalkeeper that’s nonetheless fairly good. Possibly subsequent time.
• Bear in mind when Juventus misplaced 2-0 to Inter lower than a month in the past and the whole season appeared completely misplaced? Nicely, a lot for that. The 2020-21 season may be very a lot on.
• Since that loss to Inter, Juventus has received six of their seven video games, drawing the opposite one and allowed all of 1 aim over that span. I don’t learn about you guys, however that’s the sort of means to bounce again that I needed to see from my favourite staff.
• This won’t all be glowing reward for Juventus’ win over Inter on this submit. There are nonetheless occasions that Juventus’ gamers nonetheless have actually unhealthy turnovers that result in scoring possibilities. There have been a handful of these on this recreation. I wish to see Juve reduce down on these as a result of that may actually take quantity of strain on the protection.
• I’m glad Weston McKennie began this recreation on the bench as a result of my man wanted the remaining a lot.
• For those who didn’t have flashbacks to Andrea Barzagli approaching to certain up the protection within the remaining 10 minutes of a recreation when Chiellini entered the proceedings within the 82nd second minute, you then have to be new right here.
• I’m nonetheless amazed that Danilo, the identical participant that we have been crucifying for a lot of final season, has now became considered one of Juve’s finest and most constant gamers. My goodness.
• Good win. I like when Juventus wins.
• In conclusion: LOL Inter.