Conceding a goal after so many games made it exciting, at
least temporarily, as it looked liked Juventus might be facing a challenge.
Alas, Atalanta could barely control the superior talent of their opponents and
the Bianconeri went on to score three more to finish the match 4-1. Another
week and yet another victory for Antonio Conte's men, who look simply
unstoppable in the league.
On paper, this looked to be an uneven contest between the
two sides. Whilst Juventus can't stop winning, Atalanta haven't won a match
since early November. They are a team that struggle to create or score and
going into the match, only Genoa had attempted fewer shots on goal then the
Orobici. Defensively, they work well together and limit the spaces available to
the opponent, even if they tend to concede a few too many shots.
Juve stay five points clear
Nonetheless, coach Stefano Colantuono has created a good
team ethic. His players play with determination and a certain rhythm that has
seen them snatch points in big games. Their passing may not be the most
accurate, but they take the chances afforded to them and honour the shirt they
don.
An easy challenge on paper, it took Juventus only five
minutes to demonstrate it was an easy challenge in reality too. A beautiful
shot from outside the box by Carlos Tevez gave the away side an excellent start
to the game -- that was until Maxi Moralez dealt the Old Lady and their
remarkable clean-sheet record a blow by scoring the equaliser only 10 minutes
later.
A Juventus fan as a child, Giacomo Bonaventura made a
beautiful run in the box, evading all Bianconeri defenders in his way to
deliver the ball for Maximiliano Moralez to shoot and score. The goal stunned
the Old Lady, a team that had forgotten what it felt like to concede a goal in
domestic fixtures and it took them some time to settle back to their dominating
ways. However, the home side did well defensively, flooding their box with
bodies to severely hinder Juve's intricate play in the final third.
Sadly for the home fans, 45 minutes of good play was all
Atalanta could muster as Juventus well and truly dominated, controlled and
exhibited their superiority in the second half. Colantuono attempted to provoke
a reaction from his side by throwing on more attacking players, but it's
difficult to continue to believe in a win when faced with a side that has so
many options going forward. Even Arturo Vidal and Fernando Llorente, who played
below their usual level, managed a goal each.
Interestingly, Conte opted to play Claudio Marchisio in
the regista role, sitting deep and picking out passes. Many journalists, fans
and even this blog have wondered who out of Juve's midfielders would be the
best placed to take on that role in Andrea Pirlo's absence. Today, questions
were answered.
Once again Paul Pogba showed how important he can be to
the side when played further forward. This is a man who delights in his ability
to keep possession and dribble forward, turn and shoot. Moreover, his athletic
stature allows him to get the better of defenders and reach the ball first to
score, much like he did with Juve's second goal of the game. Played deep, Conte
risks sacrificing the youngster's greatest qualities. Played further forward
and the Frenchman excels in raising the team's level of attacking play.
Meanwhile, Vidal with his consistent determination to win
back possession high up the pitch, coupled with his non-stop scoring, means he
should always be allowed to push forward. Playing him deeper means losing his
defensive capabilities in that final third as well as the most prolific
goalscorer under Conte's tutelage.
Marchisio in that 'Pirlo' role just might be the perfect
solution. The attributes of his teammates aside, Il Principino is one of the
most tactically intelligent players within the Juve ranks and his ability to
interpret different roles further demonstrates his importance to the side.
Whether played out wide on the left, right, deep or just behind the striker,
Marchisio can and does make it work to the best of his ability. Evidently this
is not his best position and yet the Bianconero did well to break up play, keep
his passing tidy and look forward.
Unfortunately, this season he has struggled to find the
back of the net despite his ability to expose and occupy gaps in the final
third. Moreover, there seems to be a reluctance to pass him the ball when he
does position himself well in the box. Thus playing him deeper not only makes
the most of his tactical intelligence but also allows his more effective
teammates the opportunity to express themselves in an attacking sense.
Nine consecutive wins for the Old Lady and only one goal
conceded. Regardless of what happens against Roma at the start of the new year,
it's obvious Juve are Italy's best team and that is not simply based on
results, but on the quality of their play. Few boast that kind of fluidity and
the ability to maintain consistency, even when the squad is rotated.
Culled from ESPN
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