Three Juventus problems in inconsistent start to the season | OneFootball

Thiago Motta’s Juventus started strong in the Serie A and Champions League, but recent displays have shown at least three clear issues the Italian tactician must fix, writes Lorenzo Bettoni.

Many were deceived by Juventus’ back-to-back 3-0 victories over Como and Hellas Verona in the opening league games and even more convincing Champions League wins against PSV and RB Leipzig.

The Bianconeri were not only solid. They created goal-scoring opportunities aplenty and even debutants Samuel Mbangula and Nicolò Savona made an immediate impact, scoring on their debuts as starters. It all seemed perfect.

Fast forward to today, the Bianconeri remain unbeaten in Serie A – the only team in the league – but have lost defensive stability, and Motta’s principles are not always visible on the pitch. Furthermore, the Old Lady is already seven points behind her ex-coach Antonio Conte, now in charge of table leaders Napoli.

Juventus have already met the Partenopei in Turin in September, collecting one of the three consecutive 0-0 draws that suggested Motta hadn’t fixed all problems in a matter of weeks.

Three main issues have emerged recently, and perhaps Motta won’t be able to solve them all alone before the end of the year.

Collapse in defence

Juventus conceded ten goals in the latest six games across all competitions, and it’s undoubtedly no coincidence that problems started after their star defender Gleison Bremer sustained a cruciate ligament injury against RB Salzburg. Before the Brazilian’s season-ending injury, the Old Lady had only conceded one goal in seven matches. The comparison is scary. This surely is the main problem Motta must fix, but it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to do so before the start of the January transfer window when Cristiano Giuntoli will inevitably be looking for a new centre-back.

Brazilian veteran Danilo started in the last three games, conceding two penalty kicks and receiving a red card. Federico Gatti, a regular starter and the Juventus captain at the start of the season, has fallen down the pecking order after a minor injury, while Pierre Kalulu, arguably Juventus’ best defender with Bremer on the sidelines, was shaky against Stuttgart and Inter and was rested against Parma on Wednesday. Motta doesn’t have many more options at the back and must push for a collective improvement before the January transfer window starts.

EMPOLI, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 14: Teun Koopmeiners of Juventus in action during the Serie A match between Empoli and Juventus at Stadio Carlo Castellani on September 14, 2024 in Empoli, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

Midfield issues

There are probably just three ‘untouchable’ players in the Old Lady’s midfield: Teun Koopmeiners, Weston McKennie and Manuel Locatelli. The latter has proved to be the ideal holding midfielder for Motta, a role covered by Remo Freuler at Bologna last season. Although Locatelli’s contribution to the build-up has improved compared to last season, he still needs quality around him, and that’s where trouble begins. Ex-Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz, one of Juventus’ biggest signings last summer, has been struggling with playing time and recently sustained a muscle injury that will keep him out for a few weeks. Nicolò Fagioli is seen mostly as a backup to Locatelli and Teun Koopmeiners, Juventus’ most expensive summer signing, has only provided one assist in eight appearances.

The Dutchman is also dealing with fitness issues and played the last game against Parma with protection for his broken rib. However, even when he was fit, he struggled to find the passing lanes that looked natural only a few months ago at Atalanta. Koop has often alternated his position with Kenan Yildiz, sometimes moving to the left wing, but his poor goal contributions suggest that Motta still hasn’t found the best way to use the talented Netherlands international at the Allianz Stadium.

Vlahovic alone

The Serbia international indeed gets more criticism from fans and media than he deserves. The 24-year-old has already scored eight goals in 13 appearances across all competitions. But somehow, every time Juventus don’t win or he doesn’t score (imagine when both things happen simultaneously, like last night), Vlahovic is among the most criticised. Indeed, he sometimes misses open goals and opportunities that should be routine for a striker tipped to be among the best in the world. At the same time, however, Vlahovic is the only Juventus option in attack, given that Arkadiusz Milik will remain out of action for several weeks after undergoing a new surgery earlier this month. The Poland international hasn’t yet made his debut under Motta and surely, another centre-forward is also on the Bianconeri’s agenda for January.

Wingers Timothy Weah and Mbangula and attacking midfielder Vasilije Adžić have been introduced from the bench the only three times Vlahovic has been subbed off this season. Kenan Yildiz is another potential option for Motta, and perhaps this is why the Turkish talent was rested for the second consecutive game against Parma last night. Vlahovic may not be as ruthless as Europe’s top strikers yet, but the number of minutes he’s already played justifies a bit of fatigue, and the lack of replacements makes it difficult for Motta to identify a plan B.