After Fiorentina: Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo

12/31/2024 02:20 PM

Juventus end 2024 on a draw against the Tuscans.

The Good

The French Connection

Khephren Thuram was an absolute standout in Sunday night's match against Fiorenitna. Ever since he came to the club as part of Thiago Motta's new project, fans could see immediately that the Monaco graduate was something special. His control in the midfield, his ability to bypass multiple defenders, and his spacial awareness have been key so far this season.

But the one thing he lacked was his first goal in black and white. As a holiday gift to the Juventus faithful, he netted not one, but two goals in the last match of 2024.

His first goal came in the 20th minute, as the Frenchman found a pocket of space to barrel toward the goal, resulting in a solo run that opened the match up. His second came just a couple of minutes into the second half and allowed for Juve's lead to be restored after Moise Kean goal seven minutes before halftime leveled the playing field.

Creative and Offensive

There was a very impressive level of attacking intent that came from Juventus against Fiorentina, with numerous opportunities, although not enough to get three points, were created and attempted. The one extremely memorable attempt came from Dusan Vlahovic in the form of a finesse attempt from within the left side of the box, which echoed a goal that was scored by Weston McKennie against Manchester City in the Champions League earlier in the month. However, this seemingly easy goal was stopped by Fiorentina keeper David de Gea. Both the Juventus striker and Fiorentina keeper looked equally stunned by the save. Even Vlahovic seemed to give the keeper much-deserved recognition after such a block.

The match ended with 15 shot attempts from the Bianconeri, five of which were on target. The Old Lady also saw seven corners, and retained possession at almost 62%. However, it simply was not enough in the end to keep the lead on one of the better Fiorentina sides in the last decade.

The Bad

The Streak Continues

Well … Juve is yet to lose a match this season — still.

However, it is getting to the point — or has reached the point rather — that clear alterations need to be made to turn these fragile draws into decisive victories. That is in the hands of management at this moment, though one of the clear necessities is a bolstering of the club's defense, as the rumor mill is saying that Captain Danilo may be headed to Napoli in the near future, leaving very little in the way of support.

An early-season draw that comes sandwiched between wins is something that can be allowed, and so can a hard-fought draw against a bitter rival. However, after 18 matches, there needs to be a clear realization that something is not working, and fixes must be made.

Defensive Lapses

Taking nothing away from a Juventus defense that has been dealt blow after blow this season, two allowances for breaches by Fiorentina gave the match away. Former prodigal son Kean was allowed a =n equalizer from a header, while a late Riccardo Sottil goal sunk any hopes for a victory. The persistent issue comes from placement inside the box, as the current Juventus defense becomes a scramble, allowing for changes like the unmarked Sottil to convert into goals. Admittedly, back wing play has been much better than expected with the players on the injury list, but the closer and closer any team gets to the box, the less prepared Juventus is to defend and clear.

Opportunities Missed

There have been Juventus backlines that are able to repel any and all attacks historically. The Paulo Dybala brace in the 2017 Champions League fixture against the Lionel Messi-led Barcelona side comes to mind. After going up two goals (and a shocking third from Giorgio Chiellini), the Old Lady was able to sit back and absorb anything the Catalans threw at them.

The current, Bremer-less Juventus is not one that can replicate this style. It needs to continue a press to solidify a lead of more than a single goal, as was seen not only against Fiorentina, but Venezia, Lecce, and to an extent, Monza. Motta even stated after the match that the share of blame for the result is not just for the defense, but in failing to find a third goal to effectively put the nail in the coffin.

The Ugly

No Room For It

Football, soccer, calcio … whatever it is called, this beautiful game belongs to everyone from all corners of the globe. After the referee halted the match early on, it was revealed that Vlahovic was the victim of racist chants from Fiorentina fans about his Serbian background. The stadium announcer addressed the issue, and it seemed that play continued without another incident.

No matter what, there is no room for that kind of behavior in this sport, and there never will be. It's good to see that all parties were aligned in stopping that kind of rhetoric very quickly. As for Vlahovic, this was not the first time he was the victim of these kinds of chants from Fiorentina supporters, but will hopefully be the last.

Cambias-ouch

Mistakes are part of the game, and every player at some time in their career will experience what Andrea Cambiaso felt against Fiorentina.

In the waning minutes of the game, a flubbed clearance saw Cambiaso slip onto the ground, while Fiorentina regained possession and eventually landed an equalizing blow. In short, it sucked. For a long while, it seemed the match would be a Juventus win, but in one error, both teams walked away with a point.

It's important to remember how electric Cambiaso has been this season, and that one terrible error does not make him a bad player or unfit for the squad, no matter what the self-proclaimed pundits say. Yes, it was a mistake that cost Juventus two points, and two crucial points at that, but let's not take anything away from how well the lad has played to date.

Buono, brutto, o cattivo?

This match had a lot. A racial abuse incident, an ex-juventus player scoring a goal, a Thuram brace, and a Cambiaso slip that leveled the scoreline. However, it underlined some significant issues the club is currently facing that hopefully can be fixed in the January transfer window. There needs to be backup in the striker position, as Vlahovic has been alone up there since the Arkadiuz Milik injury. There also needs to be a bolstering of the defense, as the injury crisis' primary victim was the back line.

Overall, watching the Thuram brace was incredible, but then watching Juventus' inability to defend in the box was costly. This was a cattivo match that exemplified the holes in the current system.