The final round of action of the year in Serie A brought another win for Juventus, more issues for Roma and another good performance from one of the stand-out signings of the season at Atalanta.
By Matteo Bonetti, US Serie A expert
Juve’s unlikely saviours
With how poorly Juventus had been playing over the course of the first three months of the season, it makes what has transpired over the last month even more surprising. In Serie A, Juve have now won six in a row while keeping a clean sheet in each and every one of those games. Without Bonucci, it’s been Danilo to really step up in Max Allegri’s back three to help command the defence alongside the only natural centre-back, Bremer.
In midfield, Adrien Rabiot has surprisingly taken over a stale unit and given them a bit more dynamism. The French midfielder has been an enigma since joining Juventus – clearly talented, but lacking the consistency and impact necessary to take a step up to the next level. When Rabiot is at his best, he’s an elegant player who can do the box-to-box work and help break lines. That’s exactly what happened against Lazio. Rabiot’s interception and quick lobbed pass to Moise Kean to set up Juve’s first goal was a brilliant moment of individual quality and quickness of thought.
Up front, Kean has been red hot. Juve’s third choice striker (behind Arek Milik and Dušan Vlahović) has now scored five goals in his last five appearances, going from afterthought to an important rotational player who has made the most of the chances given to him by Allegri. Kean’s first goal against Lazio was clinical – a chipped goal from outside the box to beat the onrushing Ivan Provedel. It was the kind of finish a striker on form and full of confidence will try, showing off awareness and composure under pressure.
This is all brilliant news for Juventus and Max Allegri. The World Cup comes at a perfect time to give Federico Chiesa the chance to build back 90 minutes in his legs after a serious injury last season, and Paul Pogba to finally make his debut this season. With those two players having missed all or most of the season so far, it’s been the unlikely pairing of Kean and Rabiot stepping up to give a bit of an offensive spark.
Roma are Dybala-dependent
Roma’s recent skid has been worrying for José Mourinho. A loss in the Derby against Lazio followed by two disappointing draws against lesser opposition in Sassuolo and Torino. Roma have been out possessed and outplayed in these games, with the second half of the Torino match teaching us a valuable lesson – they simply cannot do without Paulo Dybala.
Dybala is Roma’s only player with world class ability, and the second he came on against the Torino the entire game changed for the Giallorossi. His movement was flawless, hitting the post on what would’ve been a stunning curling finish from outside the box. It was also the imminent danger he posed every time he got on the ball. Dybala just looks head and shoulders above every other attacker Roma have, even though that’s not saying much at the moment.
Roma’s two forwards, Tammy Abraham and Andrea Belotti, have been woeful this season. Belotti (who missed a penalty against Torino) has yet to score his first goal in 12 games. Abraham on the other hand, has scored three times but should’ve had a lot more. The English striker has the highest expected goals compared to actual goals scored in the league, a useful statistic that tells you the story of whether or not a striker has been clinical with his chances. According to the xG, Tammy should’ve scored more than twice his current number.
The World Cup break couldn’t have come at a better time for José Mourinho and Roma, who need a regroup and a chance to hopefully find a healthier squad in 2023. More importantly, Dybala needs to stay healthy, something that has plagued his career for the last few years. He’s currently Roma’s top goalscorer with five goals, despite having only played 606 minutes this season, which is 12th most in the squad.
Lookman’s surprising start
With all the talk this season being about Napoli and their incredible signings, another player who joined without much fanfare over the summer is Atalanta’s tricky attacker, Ademola Lookman. The London-born Nigerian has been a revelation for the Bergamo based club. In 15 matches, he’s already scored more goals than he has in an entire season at any point in his career, as his seven goals put him third on the Serie A Capocannoniere charts.
Most of his work has come in the last six weeks – Lookman has scored six times during the last eight rounds. Aside from his goals, he’s a really fun player to watch. He normally starts as the left-sided attacking midfielder or second striker in Gianpiero Gasperini’s system. With the ball at his feet, Lookman is exceptionally quick and hard to dispossess because of his technical dribbling. Atalanta have needed a player with his characteristics to take over a role that has become more industrious for the club since the departures of magicians like Alejandro “Papu” Gómez and Josip Iličić.
Lookman follows a similar pattern for Atalanta’s summer transfers – unheralded or unknown players who join for little money only to go on and tenfold their value because they’re able to play the best football of their career under Gasperini. The Nigerian was owned by RB Leipzig in the German Bundesliga but sent to England for loan spells with the likes of Everton, Leicester City and Fulham. His production at those clubs was nowhere near the level that we’re seeing in Serie A with Atalanta, as Lookman has become one of the more exciting players in his position that we’ve seen in Italy this season.
(Images from IMAGO)
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