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If I informed you just a few months in the past that Juventus would waste a commanding two-goal, first-half efficiency to drop factors towards Udinese to begin the 2021-22 Serie A season, would you simply have assumed that Andrea Pirlo was nonetheless in cost?
As a result of, regardless of the distinction in taking part in fashion and total efficiency, the 2-2 draw Sunday evening ended up being just about a deja vu of so many related video games final season through which Juventus shot themselves within the foot simply sufficient to handle to grab a draw out of the jaws of victory.
And to be truthful, there have been massive stretches of the sport through which this staff regarded loads higher than what we had been used to seeing them the final couple of years. It was a nicely managed, nicely performed soccer match till, nicely, it very a lot wasn’t.
Let’s prepare dinner.
Offensive Participant of the Recreation: Paulo Dybala
In an effort to proceed retooling and enhancing your loved one Seize Bag and to repair a evident weak spot within the end-of-the-year MVP vote tally, we’re including the Offensive and Defensive Participant of the Recreation awards.
This concept comes straight out of the Nationwide (American) Soccer League — a real mannequin group that makes no errors, in my humble opinion. For those who’re not acquainted, by the tip of the 12 months, the NFL awards the MVP award to the very best participant within the league, however it additionally awards the Offensive and Defensive Participant of the 12 months awards. You possibly can argue that yearly at the very least a type of awards finally ends up being superfluous as all hell. If the MVP — the literal finest participant within the league — is an offensive participant wouldn’t that imply by definition they’re additionally the very best Offensive Participant?
So, what the NFL finally ends up doing more often than not is that they deal with the Offensive and Defensive Participant of the 12 months awards as runner-up trophies to the MVP. I believe it is a neat concept, so we’re utilizing it right here to offer out factors to probably the most excellent participant in a draw.
Final 12 months, we gave out two factors to the MVP of the sport and one level to the runner-up in wins, zero factors in attracts and minus-1 to the worst participant on the sphere in a loss. To make up for the newly created awards, this 12 months we’re awarding three factors to the MVP, two to the runner-up in wins, one to the Offensive or Defensive Participant of the Recreation in attracts and losses stay the identical.
Cool? Cool.
With all that being mentioned: Paulo Dybala is sweet!
Between his horrid season final 12 months, his interminable contract negotiations and the discourse about whether or not he can play with Cristiano Ronaldo or not, individuals are inclined to overlook that he’s truly a very rattling good soccer participant. He scored the opener taking part in the function of poacher striker after which served a stunning cross to Juan Cuadrado for the second. He pale bodily a bit within the second half, besides he remained some of the harmful gamers on the sphere for Juventus.
Sporting the captain’s armband, Dybala did just about all you might have anticipated from him within the season opener, greater than sufficient to deserve the win. The one purpose he didn’t was due to the subsequent man we’ve got to speak about …
MVP Season Chief: Paulo Dybala (1 Level)
Loser: Wojciech Szczęsny
So, do you assume our associates at Paris Saint-Germain would possibly need to do a pleasant mortgage deal?
This weblog has lower Woj extra slack than most — and with good purpose. Regardless of his shaky performances final 12 months, the Polish Worldwide was coming off two superb seasons through which he established himself as a dependable and at instances spectacular keeper. Positive, he struggled for a lot of the 12 months, however so did a lot of the staff.
The Juventus board gave the impression to be of the identical thoughts as they didn’t shut a deal for Gianluigi Donnarumma on a free switch throughout the summer time and did not deliver any competitors to compete with Szczęsny after Gianluigi Buffon left to begin for Parma in Serie B.
The sign appear to be clear: Woj is the beginning keeper and we consider in him.
(You can also make the case Donnarumma wasn’t technically “free” given the wages he would have commanded and the charges that might have been paid to tremendous agent Mino Raiola. Add to that the precarious monetary scenario the membership is in and maybe Gigio was by no means even a chance. Nonetheless … I can’t think about that if Juve actually wished to deliver him in they wouldn’t have discovered a manner to take action.)
So, what does Woj do on the primary recreation again after a summer time stuffed with reassurances of his standing on the membership? He provides away the farm! It is laborious to actually level to anyone else that may have been responsible right here — the staff wasn’t spectacular within the second half by any means, however they did sufficient to deserve a win towards a feeble Udinese aspect outdoors of the embarrassing show of the person with No. 1 package.
VAR Controversy of the Week
Simply … no matter, man.
I get that it’s the principles and Juve acquired bailed out earlier by an analogous play by Udinese. It’s dumb, however them’s the breaks. My actual gripe is that Cristiano Ronaldo nonetheless acquired yellow carded! That appears unfair in some way? How will you get yellow carded for extreme celebration for a aim that finally ends up being disallowed? Are you able to VAR that?
Redemption SZN
Naming Federico Bernardeschi, Aaron Ramsey and Rodrigo Bentancur — arguably the three most maligned gamers within the staff — as your beginning midfield to start the season. CAN YOU FEEL THE EXCITEMENT, JUVENTUS NATION?
However, hey, new season new gamers, proper? Properly … about that.
To be truthful, Bentancur did have a reasonably good recreation. Lastly taken off heart midfield responsibility, he was his common box-to-box one-man rampage and confirmed out with an help for Dybala’s opener and had an total good efficiency. And to his credit score, Ramsey was fully nameless, which is an improve from his common type which is actively detrimental to the staff.
Bernardeschi was additionally nameless, however in a sadder manner as a result of, what’s he even doing taking part in within the midfield? Allegri would relatively eat his shoe than play the person on the wings on a full-time foundation. Anyway, I would like Weston McKennie, Adrien Rabiot and Manuel Locatelli beginning ASAP.
Parting Shot of the Week
Granted, a number of the joy of the brand new season was washed out by the discouraging outcome, however we nonetheless noticed loads to carry your head and optimism for the remainder of the 12 months.
If Juve simply acquired a smack-dab common efficiency from their beginning keeper, we’re speaking about three factors and an honest displaying on prime of it. Then once more, it looks as if for the final two years, that is been the road to justify just about each dangerous outcome from Juventus, if this had gone proper ,then it will all have been OK!
There’s a number of soccer left to be performed, fellas, so let’s not get too loopy simply but.
See you Saturday.
(It feels good to be again.)
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