• How can Juventus rebuild?
• Why have they underperformed?
• Should Ronaldo stay?

THREAD on how Juve could change their fate & dominate Europe in the future

This year Juventus conceeded 43 Serie A goals. The most by a title winning team since 1958

• Why has it been so bad?

- Bonucci, Chiellini, Sandro past their primes
- Pjanic isn’t a defensive regista
- De Ligt was new to the league
- Chiellini & Demiral injured
- No natural RB

• Why it will improve:

- Injury struggles are out the way
- De Ligt has adapted to the league
- Bentancur is the new DM, more physical & defensive than Pjanic
- Demiral & De Ligt look like they could be the next great CB pairing
- Juve should conceeded 10+ less goals in 20/21

• DEF issues which need solving:

- Fullbacks need upgrading
- Sandro & Cuadrado lack creativity, and aren’t reliable defensive units
- Pellegrini could be a solution at LB
- If not, Calafiori, Gosens & Alaba have been linked.
- At RB, Dest has been linked. Hateboer is an option

The midfield has been an issue this year, creating only the 4th most big chances in the league.

• What’s gone wrong:

- A midfield which can’t play the style of football Sarri wants
- Players who don’t belong at Juve
- Lack of the final pass
- Sterile possession

• Why it will improve:

Bentancur at DM:

- A defensive improvement
- He’s more than a pure DM. Shown ability at mezzala & with set pieces
- It takes time to learn the role. He’s begun that process this szn, but he’ll thrive next year with more experience

Arthur’s arrival:

- He’s perfect for Sarriball
- Highest dribbling success rate in La Liga
- Highest passing accuracy in UCL, with 3.8 long balls per game too
- Sarri wants players who can retain possession, play from tight areas and connect the pitch. He is that player.

Why Arthur has more potential:

- He joined Barca as the ‘new Xavi’ - but he never hit that mark
- Barca’s system may be holding him back. In recent years it’s not been a good place to be creative, Griezmann, De Jong, Coutinho etc.
- He will have more responsibility at Juve

• What’s still missing:

- A third midfielder, and importantly, one who can break defensive lines
- Arthur & Bentancur are great, but both are better creators from deep
- What Juve still needs is a player who can pull the strings on the edge of the final third to make chances

• The candidates:

Aouar
Zaniolo
Pogba (unlikely)

These players all been linked, could feasibly happen, and would fill the gap.

The most likely would be Aouar. Affordable, will be allowed to leave, likes Italy, proud of Juve interest & watched them play:

If Aouar happened, it wouldn’t just be an improvement, but a perfectly balanced midfield trio:

- Iniesta / Xavi / Busquets
- Modric / Kroos / Casemiro
- Aouar / Arthur / Bentancur

Ignore the quality, but look at the profile of each of the players:

A technician with creative ability who can break defensive lines

A deeper MF who can set the tempo with accurate passes and connect the pitch

A sturdy DM who has the ability to play a long ball

They’re all U23, and with Sarri have the perfect system to develop

The last squad problem this season has been Juventus’s 3rd attacker.

Higuain & Bernadeschi aren’t enough, and look on their way out.

But, the perfect replacement is already joining, Kulusevski.

Kulusevski stats compared to Juve:

• Goals: 10 ()
• Assists: 8 ()
• Big chances created: 12 ()
• Big chances missed: 2 ()
• Key passes: 2.2 ()
• Successful dribbles: 2.1 ()

He played most of the season as a 19 year old. He’s going straight to the top.

A big problem of this season has been Sarri. He’s a good manager, but he is NOT adaptable.

With the right players, not only does the squad improve, but his influence over the team does too.

Juventus will actually have an identity. Here is Sarri’s effect on Napoli, over time:

Long term, Juve has a serious chance for Pep (check my thread), mayb Pirlo is the next Zidane - but for now Sarri is enough.

The next question is how should they play. Both 4-3-3 and 4-3-1-2 can work as Kulusevski can play AM and RW.

Sources show it will be the 4-3-1-2:

Once again, this is PERFECT.

Ronaldo isn’t a winger anymore. When he was destroying Europe, he was playing as the LS in a 4-3-1-2

This season he’s been at LW, but it’s not ideal as he cuts in, losing width.

As a ST, he doesn’t have a width responsibility, but keeps his freedom

Ronaldo isn’t a natural 9. He’s not a target man you play off. Neither is Dybala.

That means this team would be playing without a traditional 9, but that’s not a problem.

Man City & Liverpool do, Pep’s Barca did, prime Spain did.

Possession football doesn’t need a target man.

Let’s roundup:

- De Ligt & Demiral really look like they could be the next great CB pairing
- With Kulusevski the frontline is complete
- They have 2/3 midfielders for a perfectly balanced trio w/ potential

Now, these players are young:

Kulusevski: 20
De Ligt: 20
Demiral: 22
Arthur: 23
Bentancur: 23

But that doesn’t mean this is a team for the future.

Kulu’s stats are already matching Dybala. De Ligt & Demiral were both Juve’s best defender when they were fit.

To conclude, it’s 3 signings needed:

A LB, RB and a creative midfielder.

The good news is that the core is there, they will definitely improve next year. But a few more signings are needed to have a top chance in Europe.

For me, I hope this is how they do it: