Max Allegri jokes about the number of wasted scoring opportunities for Juventus in the 2-0 win over Genoa and explains the touchline row with Max Allegri. ‘We’re the worst in Serie A, I think!’
This was the Bianconeri’s fourth win in the last five Serie A games and they certainly were not short on scoring opportunities with 12 shots on target, 27 overall, but Salvatore Sirigu performed heroics, along with some poor finishing.
Serie A | Juventus 2-0 Genoa: Cuadrado and Dybala get it done
“I think we wanted to reinforce our position when it comes to percentage of scoring opportunities converted into goals! We’re the worst in Serie A, I think, so wanted to consolidate those statistics!” the coach told DAZN.
“I enjoyed watching the team play this evening, as I have done in other games, even when we lost. We can only improve our effectiveness in front of goal, that’s for sure.”
Juan Cuadrado curled in directly from the corner flag and they had to wait until the 82nd minute for Paulo Dybala to add a second.
It puts them in fifth place alongside Fiorentina, but still seven points adrift of the top four.
There was an ugly touchline row with Morata, who was substituted after a yellow card for dissent, then continued to argue with his coach.
“He was booked, he was continuing to argue and so I preferred to take him off. It’s disappointing, as Alvaro had played well and so did the whole team,” explained Allegri.
There were three left-footed players supporting the centre-forward in this 4-2-3-1 formation, Federico Bernardeschi, Dybala and Dejan Kulusevski.
“Bentancur and Locatelli bring quality and quantity. Manuel is more quality and Rodrigo more quantity, but he is improving in the way he plays the ball, he was accustomed to shorter passes, but we need everyone to be good at short and long passes to get the strikers moving.
“I think many of Dybala’s goals have been him coming to the edge of the box when the centre-forward lays it off, those are his characteristics.
“The three behind Morata have a certain degree of freedom, maybe less Kulusevski because he doesn’t want to cross over with Dybala. The important thing is that we had the right mentality throughout the 90 minutes.”
Juventus are still seven points off the top four, with Atalanta, Napoli, Inter and Milan out in front.
“At this moment, we are fifth along with Fiorentina. It was important to win today, the top four are doing very well and currently deserve their positions. I don’t know what will happen at the end of the season, if things will change.
“We have our objectives, in Serie A, the Champions League and Coppa Italia, so we’ll get there step by step, one game at a time.”
I dont like to call my fellow Juve supporters clowns, but I really do when they criticize a coach who knows he does not have enough quality in the team. We were very aggressive today against a team who didn’t even know how to complete a simple pass and we had over 20 shots on target and we managed to score only two. This should have been a blow out, but you could see we just dont have the quality to finish off scoring opportunities, and that you cant blame on the coach!! Allegri knows the players he is working with and that is why he does not risk much offensively. These guys are not giving their all, its like they are scared to shoot when they should shoot. It was a good performance, but we should have score at least two more with the opportunities we had. I am all behind Allegri.
Tonight was not Allegri’s fault and he was right to berate Morata. He never learns and is a low grade Inzaghi. At least Pippo could be onside 2/10 and still score. A simple pass into Bentancur without any pressure was too much to ask of him. Bernardeschi shooting into the orbit once again and Kean having no discipline, getting a yellow card immediately shows problems in every department. Last but not least Kulu. He was given a great opportunity against a lesser team and showed no end product, poor decision making and losing the ball too much. The score line is not great considering Genoa had their entire first choice midfield missing and they are in the bottom 3 for a reason. My concern with Allegri remains. If we give him better players and things do not work out the blame game will never end. Football is a game that goes in cycles. Barcelona are in the wilderness, Man Utd are in the weeds and we have to realise our era already ended. I hate to admit but Inter are now the dominate force. We have made too many hasty decisions and I do not think Allegri is the man to take us back to the top. He is not a builder but rather a coach who can tweak and polish up a winning side.
First couple of lines of the article need modifying, FI.
Anyhow, what does “quantity” mean when he speaks of Bentancur? Quantity?
Anyhow, just saw the last 20-25 Minutes of it. Heard it should have been a blow out if not for some goals missed and a superb performance by Sirigu,
Where was Nicolò Rovella today?
(Juve loan player for Genoa).
Still young, and young in Italian football is exaggerated compared to other leagues, but when he makes the spot his, this will be the end of McKinnie. If not sooner.
Max is good for us but we need striker that can score goals …we don’t have striker morata can’t do it also middle fielder must involve
Re Bentancur, the translation from Italian is incorrect.
I think he said that Locatelli and Bentancur together provide quality and quantity.
However I would interpret quantity as meaning they both covered a lot of ground which was indeed the fact and reassuring to see.
As has been pointed out though it wasnt against top quality opposition.
I think it’s kind of Meta that Mr. Max Allegri had a touchline row with Max Allegri ? !
white Rabbit, I agree. Any Juve fans blaming Alegri for the current situation (as if he just needs to play “attacking football”) are crazy. Alegri got Juve to 2 champions league finals. He has inherited a weak squad with second rate Midfielders, strikers who cant score, full backs who cant defend…. and he has STILL got the team into the CL knockout rounds and they are now climbing the table.
Time will tell if he is a disaster, but how many of these players would play so much better and suddenly be world class under Klopp or Guardiola? None.