Front-wheel drive Juve with all three tenors together? Why yes and why not

Pirlo works in a Juventus dedicated to attack, perhaps with all the spearheads on the field at once. The evocative trident Ronaldo-Morata-Dybala aired at the beginning of the season made his debut in the last league game against Genoa and it is not certain that the experiment will not be repeated. During long stretches, in Genoa the Bianconeri played with a clear 4-2-4, in which Chiesa (first) and the Kulusevski-Bernardeschi couple (after the substitutions of Dybala and the former viola) acted as high outsiders in the line of the attackers. The three tenors shared the field of play only 16 ‘between Morata’s entry to the field in the 67th minute and Dybala’s exit in the 83rd minute, the same time in which Juve found the strength to carry on thanks to the first penalty converted by Ronaldo.

FORWARD, THE ADVANTAGES

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That the high-end reinforced trident increases fire potential, especially with a finally unlocked Dybala, is even apparent. But it’s not just about names. Balance matters and even Pirlo knows it well despite the constant search for a formula that allows his Juve to express an increasingly proactive game and, possibly, with the largest number of talented players on the field. In this sense, the three mentioned represent the elite of the squad and there is no fan who does not dream of seeing them work together. So far it has been possible for a quarter of an hour against Genoa, thanks to the need to unlock an adverse result and the inconsistency of the rival. With Pirlo tied 4-2-4, opportunities have begun to flood in, also as a result of a decisive increase in intensity and pace. Both CR7 and Dybala and Morata are free to occupy the roles and positions they prefer, facilitated by the spaces created by others and by the support of a stranger in turn between Chiesa, Kulusevski, Cuadrado and Bernardeschi. Inevitably the benchmarks for the opposing defense are lacking, as was shown by Genoa, who went crazy after Joya’s entry.

FORWARD ALL, THE DISADVANTAGES

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Perhaps it is no coincidence that Juve in Marassi unraveled a situation that began to get complicated just after Morata’s incorporation, but with four forwards the balance remains very slim. Despite Ronaldo’s sporadic efforts in coverage rather than Dybala’s work to climb almost in the midfield lane, the blanket remains short and the set-up becomes difficult to propose against opponents with a high center of gravity. and a strong offensive propensity, especially in Europe, where the quality increases significantly. The formula with the three tenors together requires an inevitable sacrifice above all for Joya, forced to move away from his range of action from the opponent’s goal and to support the scaffolding that a midfield needs as good at containing as at filtering, with a perfect mix. quality and toughness. Traits that, at least for now, are missing in the midfield two men that Pirlo insists on. To concretely and frequently implement the ultra-offensive project tested in Genoa for a quarter of an hour, it would probably be necessary to intervene in the market. But Pirlo has not shown that he is not afraid of bets and experiments. In Genoa it was good, a sign that at least it is worth working.