Luciano Spalletti's four games in charge of Juventus have yet to show that he can improve their performances. Three draws on the bounce following a slender 2-1 success at Cremonese indicates that to achieve anything he must change his tactical approach.
When Spalletti stunned Serie A by guiding Napoli to the Scudetto he built his team around a physical center forward and a whizzy winger. He has attacker Dusan Vlahovic and Turkish talent Kenan Yildiz to replicate these tactics at Juventus.
Both Vlahovic and Yildiz are likely to leave Juve as their representative agents are unhappy with contract extensions tabled by the Bianconeri. They are borderline world class at Juventus, with a new challenge overseas likely to elevate their silky skills to a higher level.
They will surely be seeking a new club where they have a shot at winning silverware. Juventus have been wide of the mark for years, and it will take a minor miracle for the club to become Scudetto contenders this term.
Juve's Champions League campaign is in tatters, with their must-win match at Bodo/Glimt a do-or-die exercise. After they have tackled the Norway league leaders on artificial grass, Juventus only have three Champions League games remaining in the initial group phase.
To not return from Scandinavia with maximum points would signal a crisis at Juventus. The Bianconeri have to face Cyprus club Pafos, Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon and Paul Pogba's AS Monaco in their finals Champions League group games.
Should Juve fail to progress in the lucrative Champions League and continue to stutter in Serie A, then the club could call time on Spalletti's tenure earlier than his deal until the end of the season.
Vlahovic and Yildiz are two players that he can ill afford to lose in the January transfer window, but it appears that they will remain at Juventus until the summer. Spalletti has yet to give Vlahovic any support upfront, with the 25-year-old only ever succeeding when he has a partner in crime.
Juve's lightweight attacking options
Vlahovic is man-marked out of matches when he is played as a lone target for club and country. Although Spalletti has goal poacher Jonathan David and unorthodox attacker Lois Openda at his disposal, the summer signings are misfiring in a Juve jersey.
Spalletti has pushed Weston McKennie, whose contract expires in June, forward to use his pace and creativity onto the wing. The American ace was one of just a handful of Juventus players who shone at Fiorentina last weekend.
Should Spalletti introduce a 4-3-3 formation at Juve, which proved so effective when he was Napoli boss, then McKennie and Yildiz seem like the ideal attackers to support traditional no9 Vlahovic.
Vlahovic's current deal expires at the end of has June, when he will be a free agent. There is a gentleman's agreement between the Serbia striker and Juventus to reopen contract talks at the end of the Serie A season.
He has a plethora of suitors in Germany, Italy and Spain, although Vlahovic has long indicated that he wishes to tackle the English top flight.
His Juve team-mate Yildiz has become a priority signing for Premier League clubs Arsenal and Chelsea, on top of a cluster of teams in Germany and Spain.
Juventus play hard ball with star
Juventus are refusing to meet Yildiz’s wage demands of a significant pay rise, which seems a foolish stance considering his exceptional talent. The Bianconeri have over the past couple of years been dismissive of Juventus Next Gen standouts, and seen many dramatically improve once they have left the club.
Yildiz is stifled at Juventus, given a limited role. He dazzled when he was offered freedom, which was infrequent, by former managers Igor Tudor and Thiago Motta.
Spalletti needs to prove his worth over the next handful of matches, and give Yildiz a new lease of life. Employing him as a false no9 or traditional no10 could elevate his silky skills to a much higher level.
As it appears that Juve's stance on Yildiz's salary will not shift, even though he would earn considerably less than misfits David and Openda, then the Bianconeri need to get the 20-year-old firing on all cylinders to justify their high transfer price.
Yildiz is a big fish in a small pond at Juventus, and leaping to another top European club could initially mean his talents are overshadowed by new team-mates. Arsenal and Chelsea are wealthy clubs that are littered with big names, so getting regular minutes would not be guaranteed for Yildiz.
Double-pronged support for Yildiz
His mother and super agent Jorge Mendes deal with Yildiz's deals. Underachieving Juventus are aware that their €100 million (US$115m) price tag is steep for a player who was only introduced to first team action by Max Allegri a few seasons ago.
Juve tried in vain to make an audacious swap deal with Real Madrid. As Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea are the frontrunners to swoop for Yildiz, a January move is looking unlikely although a summer swoop is expected.
Juventus turned down a summer bid from Chelsea for their rising star, and want to hold out for their full valuation. It is highly probable that they will have to organise a part swap deal, although attracting players to a club that is in free fall will not be an easy task.
Juve fans should have the rest of this season to admire the skills of Vlahovic and Yildiz, but only if Spalletti can shake things up with a new tactical approach to make the fallen Italian giants competitive again.