A video from The Italian Football Podcast has brilliantly highlighted the offensive woes of the Juve frontline, revealing some shocking stats in the process.
Juventus has found themselves embroiled in a crisis of offensive impotence under the stewardship of manager Max Allegri. As the Serie A season unfolds, glaring statistics reveal the stark reality of Juventus’ offensive shortcomings, painting a picture of a once-potent attacking force reduced to mere shadows of its former self.
In 32 league games, Juventus has mustered a paltry 45 goals, a tally that ranks joint 6th highest in Serie A. Alarmingly, this represents the lowest goal-scoring output for Juventus at this stage of the season in 25 years, indicative of a profound regression in offensive potency. Even more concerning is Juventus’ performance at home, where they languish as joint eighth-highest scorers alongside Cagliari. This, despite boasting a formidable array of attacking talent including the likes of Vlahovic, Chiesa, Yildiz, Milik, and Kean.
Delving deeper into the underlying statistics only serves to compound Juventus’ offensive woes. The Bianconeri rank a dismal 6th in Serie A for expected goals (xG) from open play, with an average of a mere 0.95 xG per game, equating to less than a goal per game. However, paradoxically, Juventus finds themselves sitting pretty at the top of the xG table from set plays, underscoring their overreliance on crosses and corners.
This overemphasis on set-piece prowess epitomises Allegri’s tactical approach, characterised by what critics have derisively labelled “Brexit football” reminiscent of 1980s English Division 1. Allegri’s conservative tactics seem at odds with Juventus’ tradition of expansive, free-flowing football, leaving fans disillusioned and frustrated.
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Further exacerbating Juventus’ offensive woes are their lacklustre rankings across various key metrics. The Bianconeri find themselves a lowly 10th in Serie A for shots on target, 5th for big chances, 8th for corners won, and 6th for touches inside the opposition box. These statistics paint a grim picture of a team that spends little time in attacking areas and struggles to create meaningful goal-scoring opportunities.
This offensive malaise is not a recent phenomenon but rather a recurring theme throughout Allegri’s tenure. In his first season back at Juventus, the Bianconeri ranked as the 11th-highest scorers in Serie A. Last season saw marginal improvement, with Juventus climbing to 6th in the goal-scoring charts. However, this season has seen a regression to the mean, with Juventus once again languishing as the 6th highest scorers, further compounded by abysmal underlying metrics.
In conclusion, Juventus finds itself mired in an offensive crisis under Allegri’s stewardship, characterized by a dearth of creativity, a reliance on outdated tactics, and a failure to convert possession into meaningful goal-scoring opportunities. Urgent action is needed to address these systemic issues and restore Juventus to its former glory as a formidable attacking force in Italian football.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW FOR FURTHER INFO ON JUVENTUS OFFENSIVE WOES
