They now form the backbone of the Old Lady, and the team suffers too much when they are not there.
Squad rotation was rejected. After the (fortunately painless) 5-2 defeat against City, Juventus is licking its wounds and trying to learn from its mistakes. The match at Camping World Stadium, the last of the three group games and the only one against a European giant, clarified some basic concepts: there are players the Old Lady cannot do without, especially in high-level matches. According to the Bianconeri coach, changes were essential after two consecutive games played with the same starting eleven to allow those who had exerted the most effort to recover. However, the second-string players did not prove to be up to the task.
ESSENTIAL PLAYERS
Beyond just Yildiz: starting from Di Gregorio, who was the best player on the pitch, up to Kolo Muani, Thuram, and Cambiaso, there are players who now represent the backbone of the Old Lady and are indispensable. When they are absent, the team suffers too much in terms of solidity, ideas, and effectiveness. It matters little that some of their replacements against City are, on paper, considered top players.
BIG NAMES DISAPPOINT
Vlahovic, Koopmeiners, and Nico Gonzalez once played for Juventus A, all starting against City and making their first appearance in this Club World Cup. However, the pecking order has now shifted, and none of them are currently showing they deserve a guaranteed spot. Vlahovic has scored the same number of goals as Kolo Muani (2, one from a penalty) with less playing time, yet he faltered in the first opportunity given to him by Tudor. This wasn`t just due to the glaring chance he missed early on, but also because of his subsequent numerous errors and his limited help to the team. Nervous (cameras caught him arguing with Yildiz) and inaccurate, he is lightyears away from the prolific striker we saw at Fiorentina. Kolo Muani, so far, has proven more useful and also more complete, skilled at exploiting counter-attacks and linking up with teammates. He hasn`t just scored; he has also provided assists and sacrificed a lot for the team.
THE INDISPENSABLE THURAM
In midfield yesterday, Thuram`s absence was felt. He has become indispensable, and not just for his physicality. Combining running and substance, with Locatelli (making his first start yesterday) still finding his rhythm, the Frenchman cannot be overlooked. McKennie was too inconsistent, one of the few unaffected by the rotation, contributing little in both defense and attack support. It`s impossible to sacrifice Yildiz`s talent, especially with a minimal Nico Gonzalez, just as Koopmeiners, deployed behind the strikers, was not convincing, even if the 1-1 goal, a kind gift from Ederson, gave some meaning to his starting debut.
CAMBIASO THE WILDCARD
Cambiaso`s absence was also keenly felt. He was heavily pursued by City in January and was also sacrificed yesterday partly due to being one yellow card away from suspension. The Italian wide player, replaced by Kostic, who has just returned from his loan spell at Fenerbahce, has a different tempo and mindset: the Serb is a straightforward player who goes to the byline and crosses, while Andrea drifts wide or cuts inside depending on the moment and needs, and also acts as an additional playmaker. Tudor has plenty to work on: Juventus B did not convince against City.
