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14-04-2024 20:56
14-04-2024 20:56
Allegri rues missed chances as Juventus held by Torino
Juventus were wasteful in a cagey game against local rivals Torino with both sides failing to take advantage in a 0-0 stalemate yesterday. The Bianconeri’s lead striker Dusan Vlahovic was particularly charitable to the hosts though at the end of the day the whole team did not show the sense of urgency the occasion demanded.
Often this season Juve have looked like they are satisfied to play out the remainder of the fixture list without showing any real ambition, and it’s no surprise really given how the coach Massimiliano Allegri has been going on for the last few months about the only objective being qualifying for the Champions League. With the top four sides in Italy guaranteed to make the competition, and possibly the fifth as well, Allegri’s side look to be sleepwalking to the finish line.
It was such last night too, though Allegri insisted on putting a positive spin on what was a poor result.
“It was a good game, we had chances to score and I think we had the best opportunity in the second half, as Kenan Yildiz had that shot where he went for goal, but Vlahovic was unmarked at the back post, if he had passed it then it was an open goal.
“The team overall played well against a good Torino. If you have three or four chances in the first half and don’t take them, especially against a Torino side that has the fourth best defensive record in Serie A, then it becomes difficult to create 10 or 12 chances per game.
“We kept another clean sheet and continue our positive streak.”
There have been very few games this season where the team has put in a full game, ninety minute effort.
“I think we could’ve done better, but Vlahovic, Chiesa and then Moise Kean should’ve attacked the space, to get behind their defenders and cause them problems.
“There was a Kostic chance when he stole it back and in those situations, you need to go for goal rather than pass it, because Torino are a team who go man to man.
“In the end, we ran a risk on the header when Iling let the player jump over him, but otherwise we didn’t run many risks at the back.”
Federico Chiesa and Vlahovic were both taken off while the midfield was clearly out of gas late on.
“Vlahovic had a negative evening, but if you look at the Yildiz chance, a pass there would’ve been easier than the time he hit the post.
“Rabiot and McKennie have great engines, but they had to play a lot with others missing and I feel they will have a good end to the season. We have other alternatives in midfield, so we must be calm, take it one step at a time and reach our objective.”
Earlier in the week the head of the Juventus parent company Exxor John Elkann sent a letter to club shareholders saying that this season was ‘Year Zero’ for a new tenure. Does Allegri continue to see himself in the club’s future plans?
“As I said yesterday, the words of the patron confirm the good work that was done over the last three years. I’ve said many times, we have not yet achieved our objectives. This important on a football level for us and on a financial level for the club.
“The new directors told us to make it an economically sustainable project, to help the players grow from the NextGen team and we did that. Then the club will make its evaluations on the market.”
Often this season Juve have looked like they are satisfied to play out the remainder of the fixture list without showing any real ambition, and it’s no surprise really given how the coach Massimiliano Allegri has been going on for the last few months about the only objective being qualifying for the Champions League. With the top four sides in Italy guaranteed to make the competition, and possibly the fifth as well, Allegri’s side look to be sleepwalking to the finish line.
It was such last night too, though Allegri insisted on putting a positive spin on what was a poor result.
“It was a good game, we had chances to score and I think we had the best opportunity in the second half, as Kenan Yildiz had that shot where he went for goal, but Vlahovic was unmarked at the back post, if he had passed it then it was an open goal.
“The team overall played well against a good Torino. If you have three or four chances in the first half and don’t take them, especially against a Torino side that has the fourth best defensive record in Serie A, then it becomes difficult to create 10 or 12 chances per game.
“We kept another clean sheet and continue our positive streak.”
There have been very few games this season where the team has put in a full game, ninety minute effort.
“I think we could’ve done better, but Vlahovic, Chiesa and then Moise Kean should’ve attacked the space, to get behind their defenders and cause them problems.
“There was a Kostic chance when he stole it back and in those situations, you need to go for goal rather than pass it, because Torino are a team who go man to man.
“In the end, we ran a risk on the header when Iling let the player jump over him, but otherwise we didn’t run many risks at the back.”
Federico Chiesa and Vlahovic were both taken off while the midfield was clearly out of gas late on.
“Vlahovic had a negative evening, but if you look at the Yildiz chance, a pass there would’ve been easier than the time he hit the post.
“Rabiot and McKennie have great engines, but they had to play a lot with others missing and I feel they will have a good end to the season. We have other alternatives in midfield, so we must be calm, take it one step at a time and reach our objective.”
Earlier in the week the head of the Juventus parent company Exxor John Elkann sent a letter to club shareholders saying that this season was ‘Year Zero’ for a new tenure. Does Allegri continue to see himself in the club’s future plans?
“As I said yesterday, the words of the patron confirm the good work that was done over the last three years. I’ve said many times, we have not yet achieved our objectives. This important on a football level for us and on a financial level for the club.
“The new directors told us to make it an economically sustainable project, to help the players grow from the NextGen team and we did that. Then the club will make its evaluations on the market.”