February’s Monthly Juventus Thoughts: Keeping the faith

February was one more breathless month of motion for Juventus. The group performed 7 video games in 25 days — or roughly a recreation each 3.5 days — whereas additionally dealing with quite a few accidents and illnesses. Whereas issues began out brightly, Juventini have been left very upset on the finish of the month.

Let’s assessment the great, the unhealthy, and the infuriating of the month of February.

Juventus confronted Inter for the second time in a couple of weeks for the primary leg of the Coppa Italia semi-finals. Looking for revenge for the embarrassing loss in January, Pirlo’s males traveled to Milan with a degree to show. Primarily based on the opening ten minutes of the sport although, it definitely didn’t appear that means. Lautaro Martínez opened the scoring within the ninth minute of the sport because of (collectively) poor defending from Alex Sandro, Merih Demiral, and Matthijs de Ligt.

However Juventus fought again. It was that man Cristiano Ronaldo who spearheaded the comeback by way of a quickfire double within the first half. A penalty within the twenty sixth minute and an beautiful end after pouncing on a communication error between Handanovic and Bastoni catapulted the Bianconeri into the lead simply earlier than half-time. Juventus defended resolutely for the rest of the sport and took a slender lead 2-1 again to Turin for the second-leg.

Subsequent up was a crunch residence recreation in opposition to (fellow title contenders?) AS Roma. The Bianconeri have been at their most effective, ruthless greatest as they scored twice from their solely two photographs on course (and three photographs total). Ronaldo and Ibañez (personal aim) have been the goalscorers as Juventus secured a vastly spectacular 2-0 victory.

Picture by Giorgio Perottino/Getty Photos

There was little time to have fun although as a result of the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final was proper across the nook. And Juventus returned to its roots for this important recreation because it did what it has at all times liked to do with ardour: defend. An impeccable show of resolute defending resulted in a 0-0 draw (2-1 mixture victory), thus permitting Pirlo’s males to progress to the ultimate of the competitors for a file twentieth time!

As at all times occurs although, issues fell aside simply 4 days later when Juventus confronted Napoli (lastly!) on the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. The Bianconeri huffed and puffed and peppered Meret’s targets with a flurry of photographs, however Napoli did to Juve precisely what it had accomplished to Inter just some days earlier: defend with their lives. A penalty aim by Lorenzo Insigne after a peculiar Chiellini foul on the ridiculously exaggerating Napoli defender Amir Rrhamani proved to be the distinction between the 2 sides: 1-0 loss.

Whereas Juve’s efficiency in opposition to Napoli wasn’t essentially all that unhealthy, its efficiency in opposition to FC Porto within the first leg of the Champions League Spherical of 16 was an absolute catastrophe. Rodrigo Bentancur gifted Porto the lead on the Estádio do Dragão after simply 61 seconds when Porto striker Mehdi Taremi intercepted the Uruguayan’s atrocious backpass and the ball flew into the again of the online.

Remarkably, Juve did not study from their first half woes as Porto scored their second aim simply 20 seconds after the beginning of the second half! Moussa Marega rounded off an intricate passing transfer for the Portuguese facet, though Wojciech Szczęsny ought to most likely have accomplished higher to save lots of the shot at his close to put up. Fortunately although, the spectacular Federico Chiesa scored a priceless away aim within the 82nd minute after cushioning Adrien Rabiot’s troublesome, bouncing cross into the far nook of the aim. Remaining rating: 2-1 and all to play for within the second leg!

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Again to the Serie A then to face last-placed Crotone at residence and hopefully wash away the horrors of the earlier two video games. Though it took us some time to get going, it was ultimately a straightforward recreation for the Bianconeri. Ronaldo scored two quickfire headers within the thirty eighth and forty fifth minute of the sport (and actually ought to have had a hattrick earlier than half-time) to set the group on its means earlier than Weston McKennie added gloss to the end result with Juve’s third aim within the 66th minute: 3-0.

The ultimate recreation of the month was a difficult away match in opposition to Hellas Verona within the league. A cagey first half ended goalless, however Ronaldo put Juve forward within the forty ninth minute after benefiting from glorious work (but once more!) by Federico Chiesa. Hellas proved as soon as once more why they’re such a tricky facet to beat and by scoring the equalizer within the 77th minute by way of Alex Sandro’s absentee marking Antonín Barak’s header. The sport ended 1-1 as Juve misplaced additional floor on league leaders Inter and proceed to see their hopes of securing a tenth straight league title slowly fade away.

Whereas the lads had video games each 3.5 days, the schedule was nowhere close to as hectic for Juventus Girls. The group traveled to face Empoli for the second time in per week (this time within the league) early in February and fortunately this encounter was nowhere close to as crazy as the first encounter. Rita Guarino’s facet secured a cushty 3-0 victory thanks to 2 targets from Cristiana Girelli and one from Lina Hurtig.

The Bianconere then confronted Empoli for the third time in two weeks for the second leg of the Coppa Italia quarter-final. It was one other avalanche of targets as Barbara Bonansea, Girelli, Linda Sembrant, and an Andrea Staskova brace sealed a complete 5-0 victory. Off to the semi-finals in opposition to Roma!

Within the ultimate recreation of the month, Guarino’s facet confronted San Marino within the Serie A. An early personal aim by Giulia Montalti put Juventus forward within the thirteenth minute earlier than Hurtig doubled the lead within the second half. San Marino didn’t hand over and not using a struggle although, as Serena Landa grabbed a aim within the 78th minute and compelled Juve to defend resolutely within the latter levels of the sport. However Girelli scored Juve’s third within the 89th minute to place the end result past doubt and seal one more victory for the group: 3-1!

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After a troublesome begin to his Juve profession, Federico Chiesa has been an undisputed star for the Bianconeri. His direct dribbling and piercing runs have added a brand new dimension to the Juventus assault at a vital level within the season, as Morata’s type has dropped off on account of illness, Dybala has struggled with a longer-than-expected damage layoff, and Kulusevski has did not reside as much as early-season expectations. As I discussed in the latest episode of the podcast, not solely has Chiesa been great in attack, however he has additionally proven great self-discipline and reliability in protection.

Contrastingly, after a really shiny begin to his Juventus profession, Weston McKennie’s type has dropped off fairly a bit (though, curiously, few have talked about it). The principle cause that individuals have proposed is that he’s affected by burnout, however I discover this an odd principle. According to WhoScored, McKennie has performed 1,477 minutes in all competitions to date whereas Chiesa has played 2,200 minutes (virtually 50% greater than McKennie). Nevertheless, whereas Chiesa has thrived because the season has progressed and he has performed extra minutes, McKennie has slowly stalled.

The opposite principle is that McKennie is combating some sort of continual ache or damage that’s inflicting him to be extra fatigued than regular, which is a extra believable speculation. Regardless of the case, McKennie’s (minor?) struggles happen simply as Arthur is battling a long-term damage as properly, thus significantly limiting our choices in (central) midfield. Actually, it’s no coincidence that each of those incidents come on the identical time that Juve’s central midfield suffered (and nonetheless is struggling) from a big decline in type (simply because it was beginning to look so good).

We’ve seen what this midfield is able to when everyone seems to be match and in type. Now we simply want, properly, ehm, everybody to be match and in type.

Straightforward sufficient, proper?

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Rodrigo Bentancur is a participant who’s caught within the “nice potential” class. However as anybody that has taken an introductory Physics class would know, potential vitality isn’t a lot use if it isn’t became kinetic energy.

I believe Bentancur is a superb participant and, certainly, has the potential to be a world-beater. He has thrived when enjoying alongside Arthur and McKennie (when each are match and in type) and has proven flashes of brilliance for the group. However based mostly on the stop-start nature of his type this season, I concern that that is all Bentancur will ever be: potential, moderately than kinetic vitality.

And that might be an actual, actual disgrace.