Juventus, Spalletti returns ‘home’, but with Kolo Muani and Woltemade in this form, the Champions League is impossible
Victory over Napoli brings the Juventus manager both good and bad news
Juventus' deserved win over Napoli offered reassurance about their strengths and weaknesses. Goalscorers Kerim Alajbegovic and Jeremie Boga were among the positives. Alajbegovic finally got off the mark in the league, confirming that he is, alongside Kenan Yildiz, the most talented player in the Juventus squad. Boga again showed why he is one of the league's most reliable players when it comes to making an impact off the bench. Juan Cabal impressed too and could become a starter for Juventus if he can regain consistent fitness.
Spalletti rediscovers himself
The biggest certainty is the formation, not an individual player. Spalletti has shelved the 3-5-2, a system he does not believe in despite having written a thesis on it at Coverciano, and returned 'home' to a back four. His basic 4-4-2 sometimes became a 4-3-3 or a 4-3-1-2, depending on the stage of the match. After a turbulent week of rumours about the dressing-room mood, including over the formation, and a dressing-down from managing director Giovanni Carnevali, Spalletti has rediscovered his team's character and competitive aggression along with the formation. Now he needs consistency, starting with away matches against AZ Alkmaar (on Thursday in the fourth round of the Europa League) and Fiorentina (on Sunday in the 11th round of Serie A).
With Kolo Muani and Woltemade, Juventus are not a Champions League side
The biggest problem remains the two centre-forwards: Randal Kolo Muani was the worst player on the pitch. He failed to score and made costly mistakes when linking up with his team-mates, including a misplaced pass to Alajbegovic on a two-on-one counter-attack. Nick Woltemade was a little better, holding up the ball a few times and allowing the team to push up. But he, too, failed to make an impact in front of goal. The two strikers' league scoring record is dreadful: one goal between them (scored by Kolo Muani) in 10 Serie A matchdays (they have fared better in the Europa League, with three goals from the German and two from the Frenchman).
With their two centre-forwards scoring at this rate, Juventus will struggle to finish in the top four. Spalletti will have to rely on both of them until the January transfer window, even if he does not always start them together. If neither finds a spark by January and their scoring rate does not improve, the Vecchia Signora will be effectively forced back into the transfer market for a centre-forward better suited to what Spalletti wants (someone like Vlahovic, to be clear) and, above all, more potent in front of goal than Kolo Muani and Woltemade.
Lucumi is not there yet
Then there is Jhon Lucumi's performance, another negative. He continues to struggle to settle in and adapt to life at Juventus. Cumbersome and prone to fouls, the Colombian has yet to show the qualities that made him stand out most at Bologna: personality and charisma. Neither has emerged in Turin.
