Juventus: Ups and downs from the 2-2 draw with Torino
Juventus were fortunate to leave the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino with a point on Serie A’s Matchday 29, as they were outright abysmal for most of the match. The Bianconeri must regroup quickly before Wednesday’s big match against Napoli, which could even decide Andrea Pirlo’s fate as the Old Lady’s manager.
But to wrap up our post-game coverage of the Derby della Mole, let’s take one final look back at the ups and downs from Juve’s 2-2 draw with their crosstown rivals.
Down: Lack of fluidity in the attack
Juventus seem to be a team that is out of ideas, and I think that’s a damning indictment of the job Andrea Pirlo is doing. It is true that Pirlo is not the main problem in Turin – not even close – but a Juventus manager must still be able to compete at a high level with the squad he has. Performances like what we have seen against Benevento and Torino are unacceptable from a squad donning this iconic kit.
Pirlo’s attack was toothless. Juan Cuadrado attempted 22 crosses, per WhoScored.com, as Juve’s only plan seemed to be to recycle the ball to Cuadrado for him to then provide service into the box. And as usual, Cristiano Ronaldo was their only real target in the box. Cuadrado and Ronaldo were thus tasked with carrying the attack, which had no pressing or rotational system in place to get other players involved.
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Up: Federico Chiesa does his best
Federico Chiesa has been one of the brightest spots on this Juventus team in 2021, fully establishing himself as one of Serie A’s best players. He hasn’t just made the leap to Juve. No, no, he’s made a leap in quality from where he was at with Fiorentina.
The left midfielder scored Juve’s opener in the Derby della Mole, basically doing the work himself with a left-footed finish that the experienced Salvatore Sirigu could not handle. Chiesa’s penetrative runs and desire to work defensively are vital to Juventus, who were reliant on him to carry a left side that can offer nothing without him.
Down: Where was Dejan Kulusevski?
I have to criticize Dejan Kulusevski again. I don’t like doing it, but the truth must be said whenever a player struggles. Kulusevski was the worst player on the pitch for either team, having gifted Torino their second goal. And he was arguably worse offensively, posing no attacking threat and actively dragging the team down.
Playing a talented young player out of position is a huge mistake, and Andrea Pirlo needs to stop ruining Kulusevski’s confidence. He is damaging one of Juve’s most valuable long-term assets by forcing him into this inane inverted wide midfield role, which can never, ever work in any system other than one predicated on ball-control and that utilizes specific types of players. And Kulusevski is not even the kind of player who can fit this system, nor is this even the kind of system Pirlo is attempting to employ.
What Pirlo is doing is ridiculous. Kulusevski should be better, but Pirlo is making life so much harder on the 20-year-old winger.
Down: The Danilo, Bentancur tandem
Rodrigo Bentancur had another rough evening. He has been invisible in so many matches this season attacking-wise that you start to wonder what his long-term upside with Juventus truly is. Bentancur can be a good squad player for Juve and does his job defensively, but either he cannot be a long-term starter or the current role he’s fitting with Juve is really that unsuitable. I’m not quite sure, but after seeing Bentancur record seven assists in Serie A last season, I am inclined to think it is a matter of fit. He needs to be a wider midfielder in a 4-3-3.
The double-pivot of Danilo and Bentancur was disastrous against Torino, which really shouldn’t surprise anyone who can think logically about why such a tandem would definitively disappoint. Neither Danilo nor Bentancur are great dribblers on the ball, nor are they playmaking passers. So Juve’s midfield was static, stagnant, and entirely lacking in creativity.
Another Pirlo mistake? I think so. And that seems to be a common thread amongst the downs emanating from the derby. He did not have many alternatives, since Weston McKennie and Arthur Melo were suspended and Adrien Rabiot and Bentancur have failed before.
Next. 3 players who must step up after Juventus draw Torino. dark
But at least Rabiot would have offered ball-carrying to the attack. The “devil you know”, in this case, would have been preferable to whatever the heck Danilo and Bentancur were trying to do. Both men, especially Danilo, were passengers in a game Juve’s midfield needed to impose themselves on. And now you can see why Cuadrado had to attempt 22 crosses.