Re: Serie A Thread - 2009/10 Season
u know, i actually think this squad is not really as bad as it appears to be right now.
i mean there already is a great spine to build a team on (buffon-chiellini-sissoko-marchisio-diego-giovinco-amauri), and even the starting 11 wouldn't need many adjustments.
sure they need to sort out the flank situation, as grosso can be a great attacking threat (when he's in the right mood) but he certainly can't defend (but then again, they should have known this when they bought him).... and grosso's troubles at defending had a huge impact on cannavaro's performances too (cannavaro is an anticipating cb.... he needs a whole defensive line to back him up).
melo was definitely a bad deal.... but just because of the price tag. he could do so much better than he's being doing so far. the point is he's been asked to do things that he just can't do.... and in all theese months, all the fans disappointment and the consequent pressure had such a huge impact on him that now he can't even do what he's actually good at.
also amauri is becoming a mistery to me. what's happening to him? that's just not the player i used to know.
imo it all comes down to bad management moves. just put a proper regista in that team and the whole team would play so much better.
this management has made so many weird market moves in the past years.
it was clearely evident this team needed a regista already 2 years ago. yet they preferred to get a 3rd muscular midfielder (poulsen) rather than a brain. they spent 12 millions for a player who was supposed to be a backup from the very beginning! with a position yet to fill in the starting 11!!!
they always said 20 millions were too much for xabi alonso and 18 millions were too much for d'agostino.... but then again, if they have theese financial concerns, why did they spent 12 millions on a 3rd defensive midfielder (poulsen)? and why they spent 25 millions on a box to box midfielder (melo)!!!!
they have 2 huge prospects in de ceglie and giovinco. and yet they did nothing to let them grow (buying grosso and diego certainly didn't help). and they also didn't help marchisio, buying 4 defensive midfielders to compete with him (luckily his growth was so outstanding he actually managed to make it into the starting 11 despite the competition).
also, concerning the tactical aspect (wich imo is the most important), ranieri came out with a very interesting story a few weeks ago.
when pavel retired, ranieri asked a proper replacement for that role (say a ribery). secco, blanc and cobolli didn't listen to him and told him they wanted to get diego. then ranieri tried to explain them why this wouldn't have been a good call. his point was "this isn't a team used to formation changes.... this team has been playing the same football ever since zidane left: a 4-4-2 formation with 2 offensive side players (pavel and camoranesi). now the quickest way to hav this team delivering would be to just replace pavel with another great offensive winger..... diego is a great player, but he just won't fit. i'll have to completelyy change the way this teams play, in order to fit him. and changing an entire formation for just 1 player is really stupid. ribery is too expensive? then get silva! silva is too expensive? then get a cheaper one! but that's the kind of player we need..... besides u can't really talk about "expensive" when u waste 12 millions on a backup like poulsen."
yet they didn't listen to him... secco, blanc, cobolli they're all pretty much newbies in this world.... and yet they decided not to listen to the opinion of an experienced coach like ranieri.
another complaint from ranieri regards the poulsen\xabi alonso issue. this team has some serious troubles in building the plays. wich means u need to operate on the cm position, providing a "brain". juventus has some serious problems when facing weaker opponents, who go for a defensive approach. i'm not talking about filling your own midfield and giving up to football, as luckily, no team does this anymore in serie a.
but most of weaker opponents who face a "top team" like juve, will still be very careful, very focused on the defensive phase of the game... they will always leave 3 men on the defensive line (the 2 cbs and one of the sidebacks) and one central midfielder operating as a "filter".... that means it will be hard to find your way to the opposite box. u need someone with a footballing brain at midfield, a central midfielder with good vision and an accurate passing game to give some "unpredictability" to your game... otherwise u're not gonna break that wall.
and that's why ranieri went mad when they spent 12 millions on a backup dmf, rather then spending just 8 more and get a great regista, to complete the starting formation.
once again those newbies thought they knew better than an experienced coach.... and once again they were proven wrong.
and when they couldn't tolerate his complaints anymore, they replaced him with a newbie (ferrara) like them, someone who couldn't question their choices or complain about the market moves..... and that was their last mistake.
however the squad isn't that bad. i mean the players are good. if u would put melo in a 4-3-3 system he could do wonders. if u would put diego in a team that is used to play with a trequartista, he would show what a top class player he actually is. if u would put a proper fullback on the left (and not a wingback like grosso) cannavaro would deliver much better.
it's one of those situations were u have some great players, but all in the wrong place. this squad, the players, is actually good.... the point is, this squad just doesn't make a "team", because theese great players, put together, don't form a team.... at least imo.
It's hard to simply say which team is better...
