For the second Roman visit in a row, Juventus had to make the long trip back to Turin without any points in the bag.
Despite beating Lazio twice this season, the Biancocelesti were the superior side from the get-go, dominating possession and threatening Wojciech Szczesny’s goal with a flurry of dangerous chances.
When Sergej Milinkovic-Savic broke the deadlock for the capital side, Adrien Rabiot replied with a swift equalizer. However, the Old Lady had no response to Mattia Zaccagni’s splendid goal that eventually decided the encounter.
So here are our three takeaways from Juve’s sixth Serie A defeat of the season.
Not-so-Savvy Veterans
In the most delicate period of the season, clubs tend to resort to their most experienced players to light the way. But unfortunately for Juventus, their two longest-serving stars displayed a shocking lack of shrewdness during the defeat to Lazio.
While Alex Sandro decided to dive instead of fighting Milinkovic-Savic for the ball, Juan Cuadrado broke the defensive line by rushing into Luis Alberto leaving Mattia Zaccagni completely unmarked. Two different blunders, yet they led to a similar outcome, costing the Bianconeri a couple of goals.
Now let’s hope that the veteran pair can deliver improved displays between now and the end of the season, but such outings should highlight the dire need for reinforcements in some of the club’s departments.
Sarri’s New Masterpiece
Maurizio Sarri’s short tenure at Juventus remains one of the most debated subjects in Turin in recent years. Was his appointment a mistake on the club’s part? Was his sacking fair?
Nevertheless, most would agree that the Tuscan’s work usually improves as times progress, and Lazio’s second half of the campaign is the ideal case in point.
Last night, the veteran manager outplayed the Bianconeri with a solid but far from an extraordinary group of players, reclaiming his status as one of the finest tacticians in the current day and age.
So maybe, just maybe, keeping Sarri would have been the wiser option back in August 2020 instead of appointing a rookie manager like Andrea Pirlo and then resorting to Allegri’s services, but sadly, we’ll never get a definitive answer for this particular dilemma.
Chiesa’s Ideal Position
During his half-hour cameo, Federico Chiesa reminded the world of his immense prowess, even if he isn’t in his optimal physical condition.
But one thing is becoming crystal clear: the Italian is at his best when he’s unleashed on the wings… more precisely the left flank.
This season, Filip Kostic has cemented himself as the undisputed starter on the left side with a string of consistent and reliable performances, prompting Allegri to test Chiesa in a more central role ( a second striker).
Obviously, dropping the Serbian at this point might be a risky decision on the manager’s part, but if he truly wishes to squeeze the best out of Chiesa, then this maneuver might be necessary, as well as a return to a 4-3-3 lineup.
Amidst the overpacked schedule, rotating between the players and alternating tactical formations could be the way to go.