Serie A matchday two is in the books, and it has set an interesting script for the rest of the season. There was an electric game in Juventus versus Napoli, an underwhelming Derby della Capitale, and solid showings by the Milanese giants.
Serie A Matchday Two: What We Learned
Giorgio Chiellini‘s Injury Will Be Detrimental
The Bianconero captain, Giorgio Chiellini, fell to a torn ACL injury during training last Friday, days before the Napoli match up. Juventus took an early 3-0 lead in the game, but Napoli clawed back with three goals in quick succession. Juventus ultimately won due to an unfortunate Kalidou Koulibaly own-goal, but nonetheless flaws were shown in the defence.
Leonardo Bonucci will continue to be a veteran presence, but Juventus will have to rely heavily on youth like Matthijs de Ligt and Daniele Rugani. Although De Ligt broke out last season, he’s still adjusting to a new team and atmosphere. Rugani, on the other hand, has not shown signs of reliability. With an improved Inter Milan squad and Champions League yet to start, Chiellini’s will greatly affect Juventus’ dreams of silverware this season.
Inter Milan Can Be a Scudetto Threat
Juventus have reigned supreme in Serie A the past several seasons, with Napoli consistently being their biggest threat. Matchday two, however, showed us early that Inter may have what it takes to go all the way. Yet to play with a full squad, Inter travelled to Sardinia to beat Cagliari, just a week after trashing Lecce.
Romelu Lukaku was a great addition to the team and allowed them to rid themselves of a perennial headache in Mauro Icardi. Lukaku has adjusted well so far, notching two goals in two games. Diego Godín will bring veteran savvy to an already strong defence, while the midfield saw an entire shakeup.
Furthermore, Alexis Sanchéz is waiting to debut. This deal represents a low-risk, high-reward, as he is just there on loan. Antonio Conte’s brilliant management should keep the Nerazzurri in the thick of things all season long.
AC Milan Have yet to Figure out a Formation
The Rossoneri and Marco Giampaolo were committed all summer long to a 4-3-1-2 formation switch. Although Milan saw great success with this in their golden years, the formation has gone somewhat extinct in modern football. Perhaps it was evident why in Milan’s season opener, where they look completely lost in a 1-0 defeat to Udinese.
Serie A matchday two saw a switch in formation for Milan, as the team went out with a 4-3-2-1. This formation fits the squad better. Suso, Milan’s most creative player, is best on the right wing and not in the middle. The Spaniard’s play typically dictates the team’s attacking success, so naturally he needs to be set up to succeed.
Ante Rebić arrives in Milan with plenty of fanfare after a deadline deal. Rebić positioning on the left wing is a great complement to Suso and Krzysztof Piątek. Piątek needs others to create around him, making the 4-3-2-1 formation an overall better idea.
Final Serie A Matchday Two Thoughts
Juventus are still the team to beat, even without Chiellini. Inter, however, have concluded a fantastic transfer market and are the most improved team in the league.
Napoli remain a threat. Hirving Lozano will be a major attacking threat, while Kostas Manolas and Koulibaly will continue to improve. Juventus, Inter, and Napoli look like clear-cut top three, while those in competition for fourth have yet to make an early, but convincing, case.
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