On Saturday, Igor Tudor kickstarted his reign as Juventus head coach with a 1-0 win over Genoa in front of his home supporters who gave him a warm welcome on his return to the Allianz Stadium.
Although it was a slim victory, the performance was encouraging enough to suggest the Bianconeri could indeed get back on the right track, at least for what’s left of the campaign.
After taking over from the sacked Thiago Motta, the Croatian immediately ditched the 4-2-3-1 system, replacing it with his favourite 3-4-2-1.
But aside from the numbers on paper, fans and observers were able to note several major differences from the disappointing Motta era. While the newly-found enthusiasm and fighting spirit are synonymous with managerial changes, some of the tactical aspects may have caught us by surprise, especially with how swiftly they were incorporated.
Calciomercato picked up three interesting tactical manoeuvres that were visible on Tudor’s debut, beginning with the vertical play.
When Motta was in charge, the Bianconeri were too slow in advancing the ball, at times futilely hugging possession without being able to find a breakthrough.
On the other hand, Tudor has no desire to maintain the ball for extended spells, but rather asks his players to bring the ball forward as quickly as possible. It was this approach that led to Kenan Yildiz’s winner, as he instructed Teun Koopmeiners to play it forward on the throw-in.
The second aspect was the three-man backline that was willing to take risks, especially Renato Veiga who operated at the heart of the defence. The youngster evoked memories of Leonardo Bonucci with his long balls which were mostly accurate, while Pierre Kalulu and Lloyd Kelly were willing to drive the ball forward at times.
Finally, the role of attacking midfielders is crucial in Tudor’s system. Yildiz looked relieved to play in a more central role rather than being limited to the wings. His impact proves how devastating he can be when given the freedom to roam all over the attacking third.
On the other hand, Koopmeiners still has some improvement to do, but the early signs suggest he has more to offer in this system, especially if paired with Randal Kolo Muani who is excellent at combining with his teammates and bringing others into play. But it remains to be seen if the Croatian will be willing to sacrifice Dusan Vlahovic in favour of the Frenchman.
