December’s Monthly Juventus Thoughts: (In)consistency

One of many largest complaints from Juventini (and even Andrea Pirlo himself) is the dearth of consistency proven by the group this season. Comfy victories within the Champions League are shortly adopted by insipid attracts (and even losses) within the Serie A. So the phrase of the month (and season?) is simply that: consistency.

Did Juve shut off the rollercoaster 12 months of 2020 with some semblance of consistency then? And what else occurred in December? Let’s discover out.

The primary recreation of the month noticed Juventus play Dynamo Kyiv at residence in its penultimate recreation of the Champions League group stage. Pirlo’s males performed one in all their greatest video games of the 2020-21 season, as they comfortably outplayed the guests. A incredible headed aim by Federico Chiesa put the group 1-0 forward early within the recreation, though they waited till the second half to place the sport past the shadow of a doubt. Two targets in lower than ten minutes by Cristiano Ronaldo and the in-form Álvaro Morata sealed the deal and sealed a simple victory for Juventus. Splendid preparation for the large recreation in Spain on Matchday 6 towards Barcelona, a recreation that may determine who topped Group G.

However first, the Derby Della Mole towards Torino. It began off in comprehensively horrible trend as Nicolas Nkoulou put our metropolis rivals 1-0 forward within the ninth minute. Torino totally pissed off Pirlo’s males for almost all of the sport due to nice defensive form and self-discipline and, in fact, Juventus’s profligacy. The Bianconeri thought that they had scored a vital equalizer when Juan Cuadrado’s piledriver of a shot went previous a crowd of gamers and into the again of the online, just for soccer’s most irritating invention VAR to accurately rule the aim out for offside on Bonucci (who was interfering with the play).

Juve wouldn’t be denied a second time although because the (disallowed) aim scorer turned supplier; a splendidly lofted cross by Cuadrado was headed in by Weston McKennie, the primary American to attain for the Juventus males’s group! Cuadrado continued his crossing perfection by laying on the second aim for Bonucci within the 89th minute: one other good cross and one other good header. They left it late, however on the finish of the day it was one more Derby Della Mole victory for the Bianconeri: 2-1!

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As erratic as Juve had been towards Torino, it was all previous information when the showdown towards Barcelona was on the calendar. We needed to win both 3-0 or by any two-goal margin in addition to 2-0. It appeared nigh-impossible however then once more, it all the time appears not possible till it’s performed. Realizing the gravity of the scenario, the Bianconeri flew out of the beginning blocks with a aim within the thirteenth minute after Cristiano Ronaldo earned and scored a penalty after a superb little bit of footwork by Aaron Ramsey began the transfer. The aim of the season recreation got here simply seven minutes later by way of McKennie. After a pleasant passing sequence by the guests, Cuadrado lofted one more phenomenal cross into the trail of the onrushing McKennie, who scored a surprising bicycle kick to place Juve 2-0 forward earlier than halftime!

Juve wanted simply yet one more aim to seal prime spot in Group G and regardless that Messi Barcelona compelled Gianluigi Buffon into just a few saves once in a while, they had been largely routine, unspectacular saves. The essential breakthrough got here early within the second half after a slipshod handball by Clement Lenglet gifted Juventus one other penalty. Ronaldo stepped up once more and, as (virtually) all the time scored from the penalty spot to seal his second and Juve’s third aim of the sport: 3-0!

Photograph by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket through Getty Photographs

Barcelona had been inches away from pulling a aim again however had been denied by the woodwork as Antoine Griezmann’s cleverly lofted header clipped the highest of the bar and went out of play. Juve thought that it had scored a outstanding fourth aim by way of Bonucci, however his aim was accurately dominated out for offside after a VAR test. That was all of the motion for the day as Andrea Pirlo secured arguably his largest win as Juventus supervisor with a monumental 3-0 victory and prime spot within the group!

The Bianconeri had been ultimately drawn towards FC Porto for the Round of 16 fixture.

After the sugar-high that was the victory at Camp Nou, it was again right down to earth for an away recreation towards the Juventus B group Genoa. Would there be one more Champions League hangover? It appeared so for a part of the sport, however fortunately Juventus nearly prevented embarrassment on the Luigi Ferraris. The vast majority of the sport was a gritty stalemate because it took 57 minutes for the primary aim to be scored. Paulo Dybala picked up a superbly cushioned header by (the in-form!) McKennie, slalomed his manner into the field, and tucked away a tidy shot into the underside nook. Remarkably, it was Dybala’s first league aim of the season in what has been an especially tough season (and calendar 12 months) for him.

Much more remarkably, Genoa equalized a couple of minutes later by way of a aim that was very a lot made in Juventus. Marko Pjaca handed to the on-loan Luca Pellegrini, whose cross was impressively volleyed in from a decent angle by Stefano Sturaro. Fortunately, Ronaldo sealed all three factors for the guests in his one hundredth look for the group by way of two late penalties, the primary earned by Cuadrado and the second by Morata. Ultimate rating: 3-1.

There’s barely any time to breathe for the gamers this season as video games are coming thick and quick. Juventus hosted Atalanta a mere three days later in what ended up being an enchanting draw. Federico Chiesa’s first Serie A aim in Juve colours was a peach of a strike, however it was cancelled out thirty minutes later by Remo Freuler’s equally sensible aim. It was an eventful draw as each side peppered the opposition goalkeepers with photographs (and horrendous backheel attempts) and will very nicely have scored two or three targets every.

Ronaldo had the possibility to earn Juventus all three factors from the penalty spot within the 61st minute, however he did one thing that he hasn’t performed in an extended, very long time: miss a penalty. Goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini guessed the correct manner and comfortably saved the spot kick, thus guaranteeing that the sport ended 1-1.

Photograph by Alberto Gandolfo/NurPhoto through Getty Photographs

As has been a recurring theme this season, you by no means know should you’re going to get an impressed or dire Juventus efficiency from recreation to recreation. Fortunately, we noticed Juve’s sunny facet within the subsequent recreation towards Parma on the Ennio Tardini stadium. The group was in irresistible type as Pirlo’s males scored two targets in three minutes early within the first half; first by former Parma winger Dejan Kulusevski after which by way of an imperious header by Ronaldo after an excellent cross by Álvaro Morata. Ronaldo, responding to a latest dip in type with a incredible recreation right here, doubled his tally with one other aim early within the second half. Morata then turned from supplier to scorer after heading in an exquisite cross from Federico Bernardeschi. An exquisite conclusion to the Bianconeri’s largest Serie A victory of the season: 4-0!

To reply the title of this month’s evaluation although, Juve proved with the ultimate recreation of 2020 that they’re merely one massive basket of inconsistency. It was utter chaos within the residence recreation towards Fiorentina, as Cesare Prandelli’s males ran riot on the Allianz Stadium. Dušan Vlahović shocked the house facet with a breakaway aim within the third minute, however the true turning level within the recreation got here when Cuadrado’s yellow card was became a crimson card after a VAR evaluation deemed that his dangerously excessive sort out was worthy of (one more!) Juventus sending off.

Regardless of outshooting La Viola, 10-man Juve not often seemed like scoring at any second of the sport. Alex Sandro deflected a cross into his personal aim within the 76th minute (after seemingly being stunned by Bonucci’s failure to clear mentioned cross) and, to compound the distress, once-upon-a-time former Bianconeri defender Martín Cáceres rounded off a Fiorentina counter-attack to attain the third and closing aim of the sport: 3-0 and we’re as soon as once more left scratching our heads concerning what on earth we’re imagined to count on from this erratic Juventus group.

Despite the fact that the group’s type was in all places, Juventini had been handled to some stellar particular person performances in December. McKennie’s inventory has skyrocketed after his essential equalizing goal against Torino, beautiful bicycle kick goal against Barcelona, and flurry of incredible, energetic performances in different video games. To acknowledge his fantastic type, McKennie was named U.S. Soccer Men’s Player of the Year, beating the likes of Christian Pulisic and Sergiño Dest to the award.

Coming back from damage with the would possibly of a thousand burning suns, Matthijs de Ligt has been completely imperious. It’s hilarious to think about how many individuals criticized him and Juve for what a silly signing he supposedly was and the way overrated he was when he suffered a lot through the begin of his Juve profession final season. Oh how issues have modified. He even confirmed off his fantastic passing array within the 4-0 victory over Parma.

In the meantime, many individuals have (rightly) complained concerning the full mess that our fullback scenario was in the beginning of the 2020-21 season. Juan Cuadrado’s unimaginable type, nonetheless, is a giant purpose that this example didn’t turn out to be an unmitigated catastrophe. Juanito has racked up assists, supplied pinpoint crosses, and saved the correct facet of protection locked up. Not solely that, however I additionally can not understate how helpful his versatility is to the group, as his skill to play primarily in all places on the correct facet of the pitch continues to be an unimaginable asset.

I’m simply going to conveniently overlook about his completely pointless and silly crimson card towards Fiorentina, arguably the one blemish on what was in any other case an exceptional month for the Colombian.

Photograph by ISABELLA BONOTTO/AFP through Getty Photographs

Sadly, although, the person who has struggled probably the most this season is, with out query, Paulo Dybala. Regardless of Pirlo giving him ample alternative to regain health and type, La Joya has not come remotely near hitting the heights of his potential (just one aim to date within the league). I nonetheless consider in him — and he has individuals round him that help him one hundred pc — however with Morata and Ronaldo scoring targets at a relentless tempo, Dybala has a really excessive normal to match. Tick tock; the sector is a clock.

Whereas Juventus Ladies had a much less grueling schedule than the lads’s group, their video games had been no much less vital. First up was a difficult away recreation towards Napoli within the league. Rita Guarino’s group fell behind within the thirty ninth minute by way of a Sarah Huchet aim, however the women fought again and secured victory by way of two late targets from Maria Alves and Cristiana Girelli (penalty): 2-1.

As Danny wrote in his post-game thread, the Bianconere had been agonizingly near a surprising end result at residence within the first leg of the Champions League Spherical of 32 towards Olympique Lyonnais, the world’s greatest group. Juventus went forward twice towards the French facet, first by way of a Lina Hurtig header after which after Hurtig’s cross was deflected into her Lyon’s aim by Kadeisha Buchanan. However Lyon fought again admirably each instances, first due to a penalty aim by Wendie Renard within the first half after which by way of a Melvine Malard aim within the second. They accomplished the turnaround within the 88th minute when Saki Kumagai scored a late winner to provide her facet a vital edge (and invaluable third away aim) within the fixture: 3-2 in favor of the French facet.

Photograph by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Photographs

Subsequent on the calendar was one other residence recreation, this time within the league towards AS Roma. A lot of the motion occurred throughout a 25-minute burst within the first half: Objectives by Cristiana Girelli and Linda Sembrant put Juventus 2-0 forward early within the recreation, just for Annamaria Serturini to halve the deficit a couple of minutes later. Girelli then restored Juve’s two-goal lead, getting her second aim of the sport, within the thirty sixth minute. Roma tried to battle again through the the rest of the sport however the Bianconere lastly killed issues off within the 89th minute due to a Hurtig aim: 4-1.

The ultimate recreation of the month noticed Guarino’s group settle for the mammoth job of making an attempt to overturn a 3-2 deficit within the Champions League away towards Lyon. They wanted to win by any two-goal margin or a one-goal margin with not less than three targets scored (to not less than pressure further time). Alas, it wasn’t to be as Lyon had clearly discovered from their errors of the primary recreation.

An early aim by Dzsenifer Marozsán meant that Juve needed to rating not less than three targets to undergo, thus forcing the group to take a number of dangers. It was a valiant try, however these dangers had been ultimately punished as Lyon scored two targets within the final two minutes of the sport by way of Melvine Malard and Janice Cayman. The ultimate rating was 3-0 however Juve bowed out of the Champions League with their heads held excessive and with their sights set on successful the (soon-to-be granted skilled standing) Serie A.

Sidenote: Be certain that to take a look at World Soccer Talk’s review of my book and the interview about my book on the “Soccer Down Here” podcast!