Just when you thought the Bianconeri's injury luck could not get any worse, it has. Thiago Motta is staring at a genuine selection headache ahead of t...
Just when you thought the Bianconeri's injury luck could not get any worse, it has. Thiago Motta is staring at a genuine selection headache ahead of the Derby della Mole, with GoalZaza learning that Kenan Yildiz is already ruled out and Dusan Vlahovic now a major doubt for the trip across Turin.The absence of Yildiz is a significant blow in itself. The young Turk has been one of the few genuine creative sparks in a Juventus side that has too often resembled a blunt instrument rather than a scalpel this season. His ability to drift inside from the left, to find pockets of space between the lines, offers a dynamism that the squad otherwise lacks. Without him, the attacking burden was already going to fall squarely on Vlahovic's broad shoulders.Now, those shoulders might not even be available. The Serbian marksman, a player whose entire game relies on explosive movement and physical presence, being doubtful is not just a minor inconvenience; it is a potential catastrophe for Motta's game plan. How do you prepare for a notoriously scrappy derby against Paolo Vanoli's Torino when your primary focal point and your most imaginative forward are both likely to be in the stands The answer is you don't. You have to rip up the tactical blueprint and start from scratch.The smart money says Motta will have to throw either Nicolas Gonzalez or a raw youngster into a false nine role. But let's be honest, asking someone to lead the line against a Granata backline that will be perfectly happy to sit in a low block and make life miserable is a recipe for frustration. Torino will smell blood. They know Juve are missing their main threats in the final third. This has all the makings of one of those classic derby scraps where a set piece or a moment of individual madness decides everything. For the Old Lady, it is squeaky bum time before a ball has even been kicked.
