Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus have extended their unbeaten run and cemented the fourth spot, but the coach’s playing style still divides the Bianconeri fans.
Juventus had a terrible start to the season, collecting just two points in the opening four matches but would be on top of the table without considering those first games of the campaign. Massimiliano Allegri seems to have restored the club’s DNA with a very practical playing style based on defensive solidity. Juventus are unbeaten in the last 14 Serie A games by beating Spezia 1-0 at the Allianz Stadium tomorrow.
Alvaro Morata scored the winner in the first half, but the performance was far from impressive as Thiago Motta’s side came close to scoring the equaliser twice in the second half. Just like during his first spell in Turin, Allegri is being criticised by some Juventus fans for his defensive playing style.
The Italian coach hit back at criticism after a 1-1 draw against Villarreal two weeks ago, saying that he prefers to win games than be pretty. “I would prefer to see a Juve that is winning but less pretty. It’s a matter of taste,” he said.
The debate continued after Juventus’ win yesterday with fans who spotted Allegri telling his players to ‘move the ball and be patient until we find a hole [in Spezia’s defence].’ Many noticed how Allegri’s words ‘say everything’ about his idea of football.
Juventus sacked Allegri in 2019, hiring Maurizio Sarri, who was supposed to give the Old Lady a more spectacular playing style.
The Tuscan won the Scudetto but was also sacked after just one season. Both he and his successor Andrea Pirlo failed to bring a new identity to Turin, so Allegri was re-called in the summer. Juventus knew what they were getting by hiring Allegri again, but the Old Lady’s results in the second part of the campaign show that the Tuscan tactician is on the right path, although Juventus’ brand of football is currently nowhere similar to the ones of the top clubs in Europe.
#Allegri e la frase profetica durante #JuveSpezia che ha scatenato i tifosi ⬇️ https://t.co/gWoGx3Yktu
— Tuttosport (@tuttosport) March 7, 2022
If in the end it brings trophies does it really matter?
If they want to continue seeing a decline in ticket sales and lower tv viewership, then hey WINNING!
Whoever wins have played the best football throughout the season. This debate about what is good football is ridiculous to me. If you win, you play the best football. The team doesn’t click yet. We need players with certain qualities to play more offensive-minded football and still win games. Allegri is getting the best out of this group of players considering the number of injuries too.
The only thing I hate about Allegri Flintsone is that he ruins best players careers telling them hola back
Run back help defence
Don’t attack we are 1-0 up
Etc etc etc
Read all his interviews telling likes of Chiesa he has learning to
kulu has learning to
Now Vlac has learning to
Point is all attacking players are not allowed to play free playing offensive football as Allegri Flinstone wants all his team playing defensive and pray 🙏🏼 they hold out 90 mins
Silly fool !!!
Go back and look at the points scored and goal difference during Allegri’s 5 winning seasons at Juve and then say he’s only interested in defending! Truth is he hasn’t had the right players this season (squad weakened by the financial commitment to secure Ronaldo? Perhaps). Things would be better with DV7, but the midfield is still uncompetitive in my opinion – made worse in the near term due to injuries. Midfield reinforcements needed in the summer window for a more attacking Juve to rise again. Forza Juve
Juve doesn’t have player that can impove in it’s style of play. I have been saying this for a long time: Juve has a lot of player with the same style and same role: Dybala and Berna for example and they both struggles with injuries.
Or other than Chiellini (that he is already to old) which other central defender is left footed? Other than that, how many defensive midfielders are in the squad? There is only one left footed midfielder and all the other are more of the same…central midfielders…no attacking midfielders.
The only players that play in a vertical style are Cuadrado and Chiesa and that is why they are very unique in the squad…but the same bith are right footed, there is no other player with their characteristics thatbis left footed.
Juve needs more diversity players and both left and right footed.
Allegri ruins vlahovic
I been a Juve fan since the 90’s, Football and my team been my escape but lately watching Juve gives more stress. I will just follow the results since my team is now unwatchable for me.
When Chinter fans were mocking Juve last year, they weren’t talking about the style of play, it was results.
Now that the results have come in, they have shifted goalposts to style of play.
Shinter fangirls are scared because Juve are just 8 points away and may finish above them in their worst season ever.
Shame.
Juve have had numerous injuries this season to key players so their performance so far is actually outstanding.
If Shinter lost 9 first team players, they would be in Serie C since December.
Juve never looked good before any injuries…Look at Chiesa he only had 2 goals. Attacking players suffer with this negative football.
Allegri is now in the same boat with Mourinho. The “special one” has won way more than Allegri but not many top teams would give him a chance now. Tactics have become outdated, Football looks depressing.
@Cypher it seems the article is about how Inter are playing ugly football while winning. If only they didn’t have injuries then they would be able to play attacking football like the one coming from Juventus who signed the league top scorer mid season.
The nonsense that comes out of some juve fans mouths when defending Allegri is laughable. As if we have to sacrifice playing good football to beat a side like Spezia? Are you kidding me? Are you that deluded? Spezia yesterday had MORE chances than us, and we were the home team. I admit we don’t have a great squad compared to previous years, well especially in midfield, but we play some of the worst football in the league by far.
Are these players really so bad that they are incapable of doing anything good in attack? No of course not.
A better manager would get far more out of these players with better results.
But my biggest criticism is that this team is not even solid defensively, which is the only thing Allegri fan boys have positively to say about him. We’ve got the worst of both worlds – we can’t attack and we can’t defend.
We will concede chances to villareal and will probably lose despite having a better squad. And then there really will be no reason for keeping on Allegri.
All we need right now is a progressive manager who yes may not win the title first season or two but who will get us top 4 and build for the future. Competition at the top of Serie A is nowhere near the standard of the Prem for example so we should easily be able to focus on building for the future, especially as we are the richest club in Italy by far