Three things we learned from Juventus Women’s first friendly of the summer

With an eye fixed clearly on the beginning of the new-look Ladies’s Champions League, Juventus Ladies took to the sphere Sunday for its first pleasant of the summer time. It was the primary alternative to see what new supervisor Joe Montemurro has in retailer for a gaggle that’s coming off a fourth consecutive Serie A Femminile title a few months earlier.

By way of Montemurro’s first 90 minutes it’s a powerful “Up to now, so good!”

Sure, the competitors wasn’t excellent in any respect. And sure, a 12-0 dismantling of Maltese champion Birkirkara solely confirmed that notion. Juventus got goals from eight different players during Sunday’s rout, together with braces from Cristiana Girelli, Lisa Boattin and Andrea Staskova.

However this was what followers of Juve’s ladies’s crew have been ready for: the possibility to see what modifications Montemurro, who arrived after a profitable run at Arsenal over the summer time, goes to carry to the desk after Rita Guarino shortly turned this squad right into a record-breaking group.

With the second half of Juventus’ weekend stuffed with friendlies now accomplished, right here are some things that we are able to take out of the primary recreation of the Montemurro period in Turin.

1) Annahita Zamanian taking part in as a deep-lying midfielder is likely to be Montemurro’s first huge lineup change.

Below Guarino, the 23-year-old Zamanian was a rotational piece in a crowded midfield that had a lot freakin’ expertise it was primarily six gamers battling it out for minutes in three completely different beginning spots.

Zamanian appeared in 19 of Juve’s 22 league video games, however solely began seven of them.

That appears as if it’s going to be altering. And for good cause.

Zamanian, identified extra as a inventive midfielder somewhat than one who performs in entrance of the protection, was deployed as a deep-lying playmaker Sunday and completely crushed it. Say what you need in regards to the opposition, but when Montemurro’s imaginative and prescient for Zamanian is to have her taking part in deep and direct play, then he might need struck gold. Zamanian has the talents and passing vary to do it, however was all the time utilized in a extra superior position as in comparison with this new one.

As arguably essentially the most spectacular participant on the sphere Sunday, Hito confirmed that taking part in rather a lot deeper within the midfield than we’ve beforehand seen would possibly match her skillset completely. And if that’s one thing that Montemurro can proceed to unlock because the season goes on, then Juve’s midfield that was already among the finest in Serie A Femminile might take an enormous step ahead. Zamanian was implausible in Sunday’s win, and her potential to unfold the ball everywhere in the area was on full show in her 60-something minutes on the market.

Principally, this was day for the Hito Hive.

Picture by Filippo Alfero – Juventus FC/Juventus FC through Getty Photos

With Aurora Galli departing the membership earlier this summer time and no direct substitute being signed (to date) this summer time, a spot within the midfield has opened up for Zamanian to try to make her personal. In a season that’s being considered as an enormous one for her personally, this was undoubtedly an enormous assertion to indicate she can assist fill the void left by Yaya’s departure.

2) Arianna Caruso primarily performed as a trequartista.

This would possibly simply be a product of the opposition Juve had been taking part in and the truth that Montemurro knew for a proven fact that his crew was going to be attacking for a lot of the sport.

But it surely is also one thing that Montemurro critically needs to see occur.

And if it means Caruso is taking part in additional up the sphere and, at instances, taking part in off Girelli, then Juve’s midfield received even that rather more dynamic.

Caruso is coming off a real breakout season within the 2020-21 marketing campaign the place she scored seven objectives — third most on the crew behind Girelli’s 22 objectives and Barbara Bonansea and Andrea Staskova every with eight — and had three assists. Below Guarino — a supervisor that Caruso appeared to be actually shut with — the 21-year-old Italian was extra of a box-to-box midfielder who was the one who made essentially the most runs ahead of the midfield three.

With Montemurro now in cost, it seems to be like that is likely to be taken one step additional.

In Sunday’s pleasant, Caruso was being performed about as excessive as she ever has been when Juve had the ball. There have been moments when she was both even with Girelli in hugging the road and even additional up the sphere than Juve’s No. 10. It was shocking in the truth that

Primarily, it regarded extra like a 4-2-1-3 and even 4-2-4 somewhat than the 4-3-3 that Montemurro is known for.

Once more, this might have simply been due to who Juventus Ladies was taking part in and the truth that Montemurro knew he might do some experimenting. However, relating to reacting to this pattern measurement that we have now, Caruso is likely to be scoring much more than the seven objectives she had a season in the past. And contemplating simply how nicely she performed final season, that’s fairly the attractive risk to see happen.

Picture by Filippo Alfero – Juventus FC/Juventus FC through Getty Photos

3) Press on press on press.

One other case of the opposition was dangerous and Montemurro might afford to tinker with issues a bit bit if he needed to easily as a result of there was a lot room between the 2 groups to take action. However Montemurro made it clear Sunday: He needs his crew to press the opposition, press the opposition rather a lot and press the opposition very often.

Perhaps that’s not going to be the case a number of weeks from now when Juventus head to Spain to face Barcelona on the Camp Nou within the Joan Gamper Trophy doubleheader. For now, although, seeing Juve completely suffocate the opposition with the press — one more reason why Caruso was taking part in somewhat excessive up the sphere, by the best way — was a fairly good first impression.

Guarino’s Juventus sides had been all about placing the opponent beneath stress whether or not it was with the direct means by which they performed once they had been in possession or the best way they tried to win the ball again instantly after shedding it. Montemurro clearly needs to carry a brand new aspect to that, and this utilization of the press is only one side of it.

The primary consequence was good, and hopefully that solely continues to be the case. Ninety minutes into Joe soccer confirmed us that whereas there’s clearly nonetheless room for enchancment, there’s a fairly good basis to work off of even after two weeks value of coaching with a model new coach.