Morata and Ronaldo get 9; 5/10 for disappointing Dybala

11/02/2020 Ghana



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Cristiano Ronaldo came off the bench to help Juventus beat stubborn Spezia in a 4-1 win for the Old Lady in Turin.

Juventus started the game in a much more brilliant way, as they lined up in a traditional 4-4-2. The interaction between the players as he advanced exuded confidence and arrogance as Juventus reached an early goal through Álvaro Morata. The goal, about midweek, was disallowed at the beginning but then held after a VAR control.

All the good things from the first period faded towards the final 10 minutes of time, when Spezia began to exploit the space between the defense and the Juventus midfield lines. Spezia equalized in the 42nd minute thanks to a shot from Tommaso Pobega from the edge of the penalty area.

The two flat lines of four needed some tweaking, and in the second half, Weston McKennie got more compact with Juan Cuadrado coming a little closer, making it a 3-5-2. Cristiano Ronaldo made his first appearance since recovering from COVID – 19 and scored within 3 minutes of entering. He took Morata’s pass perfectly in his stride with a beautiful first touch and then circled the goalkeeper to pass it into an empty net. It was pure class.

The Portuguese goal was followed by a fantastic goal from Rabiot, who blatantly jumped past a pair of defenders and sneaked it into the bottom corner. Ronaldo capped off the super substitute show with a deft panenka from the penalty spot after tricky Federico Chiesa was brought down in the area. Juventus certainly needed this win, and boy, was it complete.

Gianluigi Buffon 6

Buffon had a fairly uneventful game and didn’t have much to do, though there were a couple of shaky moments coming off his line and delivering the ball as well. He couldn’t do much for the goal conceded as the gap between the defensive line and the midfield was exposed.

Danilo 6

Danilo made a brilliant pass to find McKennie’s run for the first goal. The Brazilian had a very busy afternoon, facing many challenges on his flank. Danilo was healthy defensively for much of the game, but the goal was created from his side, and he would feel that perhaps he could do better. Danilo’s attacking input waned as he looked more like a central defender.

Leonardo Bonucci 7

The captain, Bonucci, put in a much more confident performance this time after facing a lot of problems against Hellas Verona. Bonucci was the main dealer on the defense and did a stellar job. He managed his team well and addressed the problems he faced during the brief period at the end of the second half.

Merih Demiral 7

Demiral was sent off midweek against Barcelona and redeemed himself with a convincing defensive display. The Turkish central made 3 interceptions and 2 clearances to prevent Spezia from making a strange goal. His passing precision was also high, but he did not attempt long balls.

Juan Cuadrado 6

Cuadrado left Juventus exposed many times, as he tried to move forward and make things happen. The Colombian could not contribute offensively, since he completed 0 centers and did not have any shots on goal. His attacking momentum was reduced as he seemed much more reserved in the later parts of the game, which worked well for him as he finished the game with 8/10 successful running games won and also made 3 interceptions.

Weston McKennie 8

McKennie was arguably the best player in the first half for Juventus. The 22-year-old played with deep confidence and looked extremely solid. He showed good passing range, tremendous tenacity to propel the defense and cause them problems. His brilliantly timed run and selfless assist to Morata for the first goal was spectacular.

Arthur 6

Arthur was not one of the shocks on the field, but the Brazilian did a good job of recycling possession and keeping the ball moving. He took on a deeper role in midfield and also protected the defense. Completing 92 passes with 95% accuracy is a good sign of his skill.

Rodrigo Bentancur 6

Despite all the short passes made by Arthur in the middle of the park, Bentancur brought in the last few balls from midfield. The Uruguayan sprayed balls to both flanks and made a real change on the field. Bentancur, guilty of disappearing for parts of the game, was finally replaced by Rabiot in the 62nd minute.

Federico Chiesa 8

Chiesa returned from Serie A suspension and headed straight for the starting lineup. The young and promising Italian was at the top of his game. The role of left back did not prevent him from generating impact in the offensive phase.

Chiesa helped Rabiot’s goal with a beautiful chipped long ball and also won the penalty with a big trap. He didn’t see much of the ball throughout the 1990s, but he was wildly clever and direct every time it was in possession. He should have had a goal to his name in the first half as well, as he pulled a very wide shot out of a one-on-one situation.

Paulo Dybala 5

Dybala started the game on Ronaldo and Dejan Kulusevski, but could not justify his selection once again. So far, it has been a season to forget for the Argentine, as coach Pirlo claims there is a physical problem with Dybala. His performance against Spezia was nothing short of normal.

Dybala could not match his performance against Hellas Verona, as he was unable to make a precise cross or hit the goal with a shot. It was a useless display of The jewel who seemed to lose the ball for little money and cause several transitions in favor of Spezia.

Alvaro Morata 9

Proposed to be the one to watch this game, Álvaro Morata continued his rich streak of form and found the net again. He also continued his constant streak of having a goal annulled in each game, as the VAR again denied the Spanish.

Morata was absolutely on point against Spezia in all departments. He ran smart behind defense and used the space offered with great speed. He also matched well with McKennie and Chiesa in the first half, creating opportunities for both players; in the second, he set up Ronaldo’s first goal. It really was a fantastic performance.

Substitutes

Cristiano Ronaldo 9

Ronaldo came in in the 56th minute instead of Dybala, and it took the Portuguese no more than 3 minutes to score and knock Juventus out of Spezia. Ronaldo scored the first goal in style. His first touch was absolute class as he walked away from his man with him and then circled the goalkeeper to fit into an empty net.

The Portuguese maverick capped off his shocking performance with a daring panenka from the venue. His presence is simply crucial for Juventus as a team. He will play a key role in stabilizing Pirlo’s ship.

Aaron Ramsey 6

Ramsey entered the hour mark in place of the spirited McKennie to gain some fitness for the match, but he did not live up to expectations. He was largely anonymous during his time in the field.

Adrien rabiot 7

Rabiot replaced Bentancur and scored a wonderful goal, almost literally passing the ball into the net from very close. Rabiot showed some good dribbling skills when he completed 3 dribbles in his short cameo. Overall, he positively influenced the game during his time on the field.

Dejan Kulusevski N / A

It was fantastic against Hellas Verona last weekend, and it probably deserved to start this week.

Gianluca Frabotta N / A



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