Is Serie A champion’s era of dominance about to end?

While Pirlo's arrival in Turin as a player started an era of unbelievable success, his return as a coach might well result in the destruction thereof.
Juventus are fifth in the league - although with a game in
hand - with just seven wins out of 14. When the champions take enter pitch at
AC Milan's San Siro, they will not spark fear into their opponents as they often
did before.
Humiliating draws against the likes of recently promoted
Crotone and Benevento, not to mention a 3-0 loss to Fiorentina - a team that
had managed merely two Serie A wins - has drawn justified criticism and means
they are no longer favorites.
Juventus look tactically bewildered, nervous on too many
occasions and vulnerable when attacked in great numbers. A team previously
famous for their overwhelming control of a match cannot appear to even control
their emotions these days.
Five times so far in this season a red card has left Pirlo
with just 10 men on the pitch.
Seeking to provide explanations as to why Juve have been stuttering under Pirlo,
Agnelli explained that a lack of a pre-season period of training has hindered
their start. While the top clubs in Italy have all profited from a level of consistency
in these anomalous two seasons, Juventus are one of the few teams who have
changed coach and hence not had the time to transmit new ideas during a
pre-season.
Pirlo has had to experiment during matches, resulting in
some weird displays and choices at the start of the campaign. Players were not
used in their usual positions and there were tactical imbalances all over the
pitch. Yet, slowly, we have begun to understand the methods behind his
decisions.
Pirlo seems to favor an audaciously vertical team that
presses high up the pitch, wins possession quickly and immediately delivers the
pass to a goal. He intends to attack with five and has no desire to hold unnecessary
possession of the ball.
When it works, such as against Parma or Barcelona in the
Champions League, it is somewhat beautiful to watch. The Bianconeri are capable
of quite unpredictable patterns of play and exhilarating attacks, and they have
a defence that has held up quite well under the pressure. Only Napoli have thus
far conceded fewer goals in the league.
The problem, nonetheless, is that it does not always work as
expected and one is never completely sure which Juve side will show up,
especially if they are missing either Serie A top scorer such as Cristiano
Ronaldo or Champions League top scorer Alvaro Morata. Both have proved to be indispensable.
Juventus either command the game with the great authority that
is expected of champions, or dissolve under the pressure thereof. They are
vulnerable when attacked in great numbers and struggle to break down teams who
defend in a low block. Additionally, when obstacles present themselves, Pirlo
struggles to address them successfully because of his inexperience.
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