Blog: Juventus’ just reward

The League remains black and white at the top as Juventus and Udinese lead the way. Rob Paton reflects on what came out of Week 6


It took 87 minutes of patience, hard work and belief, but Juventus eventually broke through against Milan to record not only a first home win over the Rossoneri since December 2008, but make a statement of intent for what they want as a club.

The contest will prove less memorable for refined goal-mouth action – Mirko Vucinic bringing out a couple of good saves from Christian Abbiati – than it will for representing a battle of the respective Coaches’ game-plans.

Antonio Conte persevered with a 4-2-3-1 that looked to constantly flood Milan’s penalty area with runners from midfield and that looked to generate a high level of energy to both pressing for and to passing with possession.

Doubts that Massimiliano Allegri was not content with just a point were put to rest with a trio of defensive substitutions in the second half. Those changes were reflective of a team performance happy to soak up pressure, remove tempo from the play and generally leave their trio of forwards alone in attack.

That proved problematic though, in light of Juve’s continued activity. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Antonio Cassano and Kevin Prince Boateng found themselves crowded out when facing, with regular occasion, six opposition markers. Conte’s insistence on pushing his full-backs up-field every time the home side took possession then ensured it was a regular six-on-seven battle at the other end of the pitch.

Milan were not keeping possession in Juve’s half for the same reason Juve were keeping possession in Milan’s – Allegri did not support his front-line, Conte did. Specifically, that translated to 20 per cent more possession across the 90 for the Bianconeri and more than three times as many attempts at goal.

There was an element of fortune that surrounded both Claudio Marchisio’s goals – the first a deflected clearance to beat Abbiati, the second very much Abbiati’s responsibility for letting the shot through his legs – but they were equally goals that were fully deserved.

It is too early to suggest where this Juve team are heading, but the performance had an endless determination about it, that one point was not enough. It bore the result, raises debate about Juve’s rejuvenated spirit and brings Allegri’s defensive game-plan into focus.

The outcome of the weekend’s other main attraction – Inter v Napoli – turned on a combination of the referee’s performance, and both clubs’ reactions to it. Joel Obi was unfortunate to pick up a first yellow card and then later find that his second bookable offence was adjudged to have taken place inside the penalty area. To add to La Beneamata’s frustration at Gianluca Rocchi, Hugo Campagnaro appeared to encroach in the penalty area as Marek Hamsik took the subsequent penalty. Hamsik missed, Campagnaro was first to reach to rebound and give the Azzurri the lead.

Within minutes of falling behind to this, Inter’s Javier Zanetti and Julio Cesar were both booked for dissent, before half-time saw Claudio Ranieri’s dismissal for over-zealous protests.

The decisions had gone against the home team and contributed heavily to the result, but it is testament also to Napoli’s reaction to being handed the advantage to capitalise on it and record their first win at San Siro over Inter in 17 years.

Patience looks to be paying off at Roma after they followed up their first win of the season last week to record not only their first home win of the campaign on Saturday evening, but with a far more constructive performance. The Giallorossi withdrew emphasis on having possession, but proved far more effective in it. Registering less possession than an opponent for the first time this season did not stop them recording an impressive 24 shots at Atalanta’s goal, and the 3-1 result.

Elsewhere, Alessio Cerci and Sebastian Giovinco continued respective goal-scoring runs this weekend – Cerci with his fourth of the season in Fiorentina’s 2-1 home defeat to Lazio and Giovinco with his fourth and fifth in an impressive, surprise 3-1 home win over Genoa. Both have proven influential to their teams this season, but only Giovinco makes it into Cesare Prandelli’s latest Italy squad, perhaps reflective of what they offer positionally.

Whilst the League table is still sorting out its true shape, it is safe to say that the relegation battle has pulled in its first three names, with Lecce, Bologna and Cesena again all failing to win. Cesena did pick up their first point of the season at home to Chievo, which for Adrian Mutu’s penalty miss could have been all three, but they are still joint bottom with fellow Emilia-Romagna outfit Bologna, and Lecce looking equally unsure just above.

For this trio the international break comes as a period of reflection and perhaps reorganisation. For those like Juventus, Napoli and Udinese, it is about ensuring the good work from the first five fixtures continues. They are all too aware – as are the Milan clubs in 15th and 17th – that it is too early to talk of a European place or Scudetto challenges.