Opinion: What would be the ideal Juventus XI following 4-2-3-1 switch | OneFootball

After teasing a tactical overhaul over the past few weeks, Luciano Spalletti has backed up his talk with action, as Juventus switched to a 4-2-3-1 formation in the second half against Pafos.

The Bianconeri started the contest in the usual 3-4-2-1 system that the new manager had inherited from his predecessor, Igor Tudor. But after a stagnant 45 minutes, he decided to unleash a new and more proactive formation, mainly by reverting Teun Koopmeiners to his original role in midfield.

Luckily, the decision paid dividends, as the Serie A giants collected three crucial points in their bid to advance to the Champions League knockout stages.

While this doesn’t necessarily mean that Juventus will start the next match in a 4-2-3-1 formation, Spalletti confirmed that he and the technical staff are plotting a smooth transition. So how would Juventus line up in this system in an ideal world that doesn’t include injuries and absentees?

Who would start for Juventus in a 4-2-3-1 formation?

Michele Di Gregorio has shown enough in his latest outings to maintain his starting role between the sticks, while Gleison Bremer is certainly a lock once he regains his full fitness. The Brazilian would ideally combine with the left-footed Lloyd Kelly at the heart of the backline.

Bremer (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

Spalletti has made it clear that he wants at least one defensively sound full-back, and that would be Pierre Kalulu. On the left flank, Andrea Cambiaso remains well ahead of Juan Cabal.

In the middle of the park, Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram remain Spalletti’s best combination until proven otherwise.

Where should Kenan Yildiz play in the new Juventus formation?

The manager might be leaning towards Teun Koopmeiners in the attacking-midfield role, but it is past time we trust Kenan Yildiz in a central position.

The Turkiye star can be paired with the versatile Weston McKennie, who would act as a foil. In other words, the Texan would start on the left wing, but would be able to move all over the field to accommodate Yildiz’s free role while also boosting the midfield numbers when required.

Francisco Conceicao should be the favourite on the right wing, while Edon Zhegrova is the perfect super sub who can cause havoc in the final third when the opposition begins to tire. The two roles could also be reversed from one match to another.

Although Spalletti has insisted that Yildiz can play as a false 9, the team would arguably operate better with a genuine striker upfront, and at this stage, Jonathan David is the best available option. On the other hand, Lois Openda is more useful when the team is playing on the counter.

Juventus XI (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, Yildiz, McKennie; David