Alessio Tacchinardi, former Juventus midfielder, was candid in his assessment of the Bianconeri’s current state during the latest live episode of Tiki Tacco on Il Bianconero’s YouTube channel.
Juventus Must Show Spalletti’s Identity
Tacchinardi didn’t mince words about the team’s progress and what he expects next. “Everyone is hoping for a change,” he explained, “it has to become Spalletti’s Juventus. In the last twenty minutes, I was expecting more courage, something extra. Instead, the substitutions didn’t excite me. Unless he saw huge mental difficulty and preferred not to risk losing. I didn’t like certain choices. After the break, it must become Spalletti’s Juventus. I’m not expecting miracles, but I still see 750 backward passes. Then I watch Roma and see zero passes back to the keeper. Against Torino, you got the feeling you could be there for six years and not score. This team needs to push more, the players need to give more. You cannot drop the level; that shirt brings pressure. Will the formation change? Yes, but the mentality has to change too.”
Questions About the 4-3-3
Tacchinardi moved the debate to systems and tactics, focusing on the 4-3-3. “If you want to play 4-3-3, you have to fill it,” he said. “Who does Juve have as attacking midfielders? Thuram isn’t that kind of player, he doesn’t make runs into the box like Marchisio or Pogba, he’s someone who accelerates, but in the last twenty metres he still needs to improve. If you try to play 4-3-3 without people attacking the goal, you won’t score. You need people in the box — otherwise, you’ll never score.”
Koopmeiners’ Role: Playmaker, Not Attacker
The conversation turned to new signing Teun Koopmeiners. Tacchinardi was clear about the Dutchman’s strengths and best position. “Koopmeiners has a great left foot and good vision. But he can’t play as a No. 10 with his back to goal. I’m also not sure if he has the rhythm and dynamism to play as a box-to-box midfielder in the 4-3-3. I don’t know if he has those traits. At the moment, if Spalletti wants to get the most from him, he’ll need to play him in the playmaker role.”
