Serie A talking Points #2146

Serie A

Juventus no closer to contending

Juventus has had a really unusual season. One I’m sure they’re not going to think of too fondly about. They’ve had highs and some real lows this campaign. However, it seemed as if they’ve taken a further step back than they have the last few years. To a certain degree. They are still Juventus capable of winning those clothes type of games. It seems to be imprinted in their DNA. However, the quality of the sides into Turin seem to have slowly declined. Juventus has heavily relied on young talents over the recent seasons. Their ability to attract big names has gone by the wayside. In the last couple of years, they’ve lost key components such as Dybala, Cristiano Ronaldo, Giorgio chiellini, Leonardo bonucci in addition to others. They’ve had to rely on less reliable components. Don’t get me wrong. Juventus still has enough quality to continuously remain as a Champions League side. However, as far as contending for something significant, it seems as if they’re traveling further away from that. Even last season with all the problems That they had with the financial rule. Breaching that caused them to get multiple deductions throughout the season. They ended up missing out in Europe all together because of the suspensions. However, judging by the points they received alone without the deductions. They would have finished second in the league. This season. They have been out of Europe. You would have thought they would be benefiting from it. It’s simply not been the case. The first half of the Season they had done remarkably well for themselves. Max Allegri For the most part was getting it right. He was working well within the means of the situation. However, he has since flipped into a different type of situation. Juventus recently dropped points against already relegated Salernitana This past weekend. This has seen them slip all the way down to 4th. They could finish outside of the top four. Italy has five Champions League spots this season, but if they did not Juventus could be in some real threatening situation regarding their Champions League. They seem to be working well with the individuals that they have there. However, the squad and its abilities is not to the same level as it needs to be to contend for titles. Dusan Vlahovic Is returning to his best this season with 17 goals and three assists this season Chesia been pretty decent But not enough. The links towards Roma aren’t going away. We have seen some nice productions from young pieces such as Gatti and most importantly, Antonio Cambiasso in Midfield, Westen Mckinnie has had a really good season. Possibly still presenting an argument as being the best American. As crazy as it sounds, Juventus have come to a point where keeping him at the club next season is incredibly important. They have young pieces around that had kept them competitive. Not to mention Matteo Soule, Enzo Barrenechea, Dean Huijsen and Kaio Jorge All young pieces on loan that could play a senior role next season. However, the pieces hat they have brought in through the transfer market hasn’t been exactly a smashing hit. Carlos Alcatraz hasn’t hit the ground running, Timothy Weah has barely scored. Most of the investments they have made while not a large majority have not been good enough. They are likely to lose at bare minimum Bremer as he happens to be the heart of the Juventus defense. We do not know what’s happening next season or who the manager is going to be. However, attracting top players to Juventus is becoming increasingly more difficult. They still have enough quality to keep themselves comfortably in the Champions League spots. However, as far as Title contention there’s a lot of work to do before that can happen again.

Bologna Qualify for Champions League

Bologna has done it they have qualified for next season’s Champions League. They have been truly sensational this season. In fact, this has been 2 years in the making. Last season they failed to qualify for Europe but their entire identity has been re-Inagorated. The arrival of Thiago Mota has completely changed the complexion of what has occurred in bologna. He took over the team last season when they were in the relegation zone. He made the courting moves to enhance their chances forward. He drove them up into the top 10. Unable to really power it home and get into Europe. However, bologna took a 360 in terms of what they were able to pull off in a short amount of time. This was before this season even started. During the stretch from last season when he came in to now is in addition to all this brought in the appropriate pieces to set up Bologna in the best possible situation. Players such as Stefan Posch from Hoffenheim, Joshua Zirkzee from, Bayern Munich, Giovanni Fabbian A young player from Inter Milan, Ricardo Calafiori from Basel and Alexis Saelemaekers on loan from AC Milan as well as many others. They have become a surprise, but a surprise that most of us saw coming. They took a bigger step forward than anyone could have realized. However, right now they’re sitting in third place. The club has never participated in the Champions League. The OG’s will know that Bologna actually has nine League titles. In terms of a trophy amount, they’re in the top half of Italian football. The problem is the years they were dominating. The lead was in the very early inceptions of Italian football in the '20s and '30s. Not to say they don’t count but it was in an era without European football. They have pulled it off. They will be competing in the Champions League next season. Now that they have done this. One thing is clear. Thiago Motta Should not even remotely consider a different Club next season. They need to keep this group together and they need to keep the man in charge. After it was officially confirmed, the fans took to the streets in celebration as they have waited decades for a moment like this one.

Atalanta ends Roma’s Champions League hopes

Roma has waited many years to return to the Champions League. It felt as if Roma was going to end their drought and return to the elite European competition with Italy now possessing five Champions League spots. They have been sitting in 5th for months. There was this feeling that if they got the proper results down the stretch that they were going to make it. However the difficulty was going to be Atalanta. The reason being they possess a game in hand. Roma is likely to finish in front of Lazio for the first time in 6 years. Their final two matches are against Genoa and Empoli. So to a degree that is a progress in the right direction. However, a huge opportunity was put on the feet of Roma. Four matches was likely going to determine their fate. At Napoli, home against Juventus and against Atalanta At the Bergamo. My thoughts at the time was that Roma needed five Points from these games. I didn’t think it was too much to ask. Realistically I wanted about seven but I thought with five Points from these matches would be able to figure it out and get enough points to put them in position to beat Atalanta for 5th. They lost to Bologna and rightfully so as Roma absolutely was outclassed. They did give themselves a Fighting Chance at the end but a poor first half killed it. They outplayed Napoli from start to finish. However, the inability to assert themselves more aggressively cost them. They ended up scraping with a draw after Tammy Abraham scored a equalizer very late on. Then they were at home against Juventus A game. Roma was the better side and could have one in the end. Tam, Abraham had a chance with the ball at his feet. The fantastic but failed to convert what could have been a winner then this past weekend in Bergamo. Charles De Ketelaere scored twice to snatch Champions League out of their hands. Of the games in question I wanted them to get five Points. They ended up with two. Both of those draws could have turned into points, but they lacked a little bit of something. A lot of people are going to draw conclusions to Jose. However, Jose had Roma driving towards their worst season in 20 years. He was removed in comes De Rossi. He’s still done. Very good job There were opportunities for him to turn this around and get them into the Champions League. But overall he’s done a good job. Jose Mourinho would not have made some of the decisions that de Rossi made. Mile Svillar being in search it definitely wasn’t going to happen. The Serbian goalkeeper since he’s been a starter, has been the best goalkeeper in the league and the Europa League. Lorenzo Pellegrini became a huge difference Maker again. Leo Paredes looked completely different during the second half of this season. He’s made strides in the right direction. He has to take some ownest for some of how everything transpired down the stretch but De Rossi did get Roma to a Europa League semifinal and has done an outstanding job. However, he still needs to sharpen his toolbox a little before next season. It does look like Roma will finish 6th for the third straight season. A level of frustration of course with opportunities there, but saying that the circumstances would be different under Jose is just lying. It probably would have been worse because Roma was going nowhere fast at the time. There’s still a slim chance if the side from Bergamo drops some big points down the stretch. They also are in the Europa League final so it’s not impossible. If they win the Europa League final Roma also could get in, but I don’t want to live in a reality that they end Perfection. Roma will need a bit of help but it’s probably not going to happen this season for the Champions League. Perhaps next year De Rossi can put together a season from start to finish that can end on a more positive note than this one.