View from the opposition: Juventus

La Stampa's Massimiliano Nerozzi, a journalist based in Turin, gives us the lowdown on Juventus ahead of Sunday's clash with Roma and tells us who the Bianconeri need to keep a close eye on as well as which player he'd like to see in Massimiliano Allegri's side.

We’re past the midway point of the campaign now. What have you made of Juventus' season so far?




“Overall it's been very good but in actual fact there have been two Juventuses. There's the one that got off to a slow start, collecting just five points from their opening six games with defeats at home to Udinese and away to Roma and Napoli, home draws against Chievo and Frosinone and just one win away to Genoa.

“Then there's the team which – after a couple of wins and a draw with Inter in Milan – finally turned things around after losing to Sassuolo when Gigi Buffon and Patrice Evra gave their team-mates a rollicking in the dressing room. The squad responded to that and from then – 28 October 2015 – until their last game in Udine on 17 January 2016 they won ten on the spin. Those 30 points have lifted them almost back up to the top of the league.”

How have the summer signings been doing?




“I think the overall assessment of the main summer signings is good at the moment. Paulo Dybala is making sure Carlos Tevez isn't missed and that says a lot about how well he's done so far. He needed a bit of time to settle in after joining from Palermo but since then he's shown just what he's about. He's scored 13 goals so far, 11 in the league – hardly a bad effort!

“Mario Mandzukic's performances on the pitch have proved the club got that one right too, despite some onlookers turning their noses up when he joined saying he wasn't a top-rate signing. He's shown that he's a reliable performer who helps build attacking play and does a great job as a target man. He's scored nine times in all competitions and Juventus won the game every time he's found the net.

“Sami Khedira suffered a double injury setback early on but once he was able to play he added an extra dimension to the midfield unit and has chipped in with a few goals too.

“Juan Cuadrado is doing his bit whenever Allegri calls on him too.”

Who has been Juventus' most consistent player so far?

“I'd say Paulo Dybala because he's contributed 13 goals to the cause and in terms of set pieces he's restored what Juve lost when Andrea Pirlo left. He's already scored free kicks against Bologna and Udinese and his dead-ball ability means Juve retain a potent weapon that all great teams need in their arsenal.”

What has been Juventus' best performance of the season and why?

“The best performance of all and also one of their best displays of mental strength was the Champions League victory at Manchester City on 15 September. It was still a new Juve side back then – they played 4-3-3 and not the 3-5-2 they're playing now – and also something of a makeshift team because Claudio Marchisio and Sami Khedira were missing in midfield, yet they managed to beat the favourites for the Premier League title and one of the main contenders for Champions League success. It was a superb win with great character and goals by Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata. It was a clear sign that Allegri's men were on the up.

“If you look at the quality of Juve's performances regardless of the opposition I think they played better than that several times during their ten back-to-back league victories. I think the first half against Udinese last week was flawless. They were already 3-0 up after half an hour and dominating every area of the pitch.”

What has been the worst match and what went wrong?

“On the European stage I'd say probably the game against Sevilla. Juve weren't at their best that day and although they only needed a draw they lost, which meant they finished second in the group and were handed a tough draw against Bayern Munich.

“In Serie A the worst match was in Reggio Emilia against Sassuolo at the end of October. That day they looked like a team who didn't even know what their problems were or how to fix them. But afterwards Buffon and Evra gave the team a good talking-to – the younger members in particular – and they haven't looked back since.”

Which area of the team has been the least effective so far?




“The frontline is the area that's performed best at this stage, especially considering that's where they made the most changes and so needed more time to adjust. Dybala, Mandzukic and Cuadrado, together with Morata and Simone Zaza, are doing well at the moment and they're Serie A's second-best attack after Napoli's.

“If I really have to name an area of the team that's doing less well, I'd say the defence because Juve are conceding more goals than they did last year. After 20 games last season they'd let in just nine goals; this term it's already 15. It should be said, however, that the backline suffered – especially at the start of the season – because key players were missing in midfield. Once Marchisio and Khedira came back in they shored things up and it made the defence's job easier.”

Which side in Serie A has impressed you the most over the first half of the season?

“Napoli – I think they've played the best football in Serie A this season. They met Juve very early on in the campaign before the Bianconeri hit form and beat them deservedly at the San Paolo with Lorenzo Insigne and Gonzalo Higuain on the score sheet.”

What have you made of Roma’s start to the season?




“They haven't lived up to expectations, that's for sure. I thought Rudi Garcia's side would do better given that much of the squad was unchanged. Luciano Spalletti is a good choice now because he'll restore calm at the club and fluidity to their play and he'll get results. There's a good chance Roma could lift themselves back up into Champions League contention but I think short of an incredible turnaround it's hard to see them getting back into the Scudetto race. We'll see.”

Which Roma player should Juventus fans fear most?

“Edin Dzeko, without a doubt. He's an excellent player and with top players their quality always comes to the fore eventually. I know Allegri's side feel the Bosnian is one of their prime threats too and they fear he might start scoring again at Juventus Stadium. His last goal from open play was in the reverse fixture, when he gave Roma a 2-0 lead at the Olimpico...”

If you could add one Roma player to Juventus' team, who would you pick and why?

“I'd take Radja Nainggolan because he's improved loads in recent years, especially since joining Roma. I remember that before he moved to the capital Antonio Conte was interested in signing him for Juventus. He's a very modern player, dynamic, strong and has a fair share of skill to boot. I think he'd be a fantastic fit in Allegri's five-man midfield at Juve.”

What’s your score prediction for Sunday?

“I think Juventus will win it 2-1. I should tell you that before the game at the Olimpico I predicted Roma would win 2-1 – there's written proof of that and you could ask a number of my colleagues! I hope it doesn't end that way for the Roma fans but it's only right to tell you I was spot on last time.”