Looks like he is starting in CM with Cambiaso sliding over to RWB. Will be interesting to see how this works out. It would be great for Juve if Cambiaso can be as effective on the right as he is on the left. Juve are 3 deep at LWB and only 1-2 on the RWB position.
Wes has that most rare quality among our YAs: he's not made of glass. That alone puts him above most, already.
He did well enough to keep playing, basically. Not good chemistry with Cambiaso, and they had to face the best Cagliari player of the day on that side, Dossena.
Temporarily top of the table and 6 points above 3rd though, so there is that. Even if your eyes are bleeding.
Contrary to popular opinion, I think both Juve and Milan have the squad to go for the title. People are comparing them to teams in other seasons. They need to look at how the other 18 are playing now.
McKennie started and played every minute for Juventus since the last international break, with the result being 1 goal wins over Milan, Verona, Fiorentina, and Cagliari.
Milan is a very fragile ship, however. Giroud is pretty long in the tooth to be relied on for the whole season, and without Leao and/or Puli and Theo they look a bit dentured as well. And the backs are a issue. If they can keep key personnel healthy, maybe, but they got to do something about their D. Juve seems less dependent on particular players, but it would be good if they scored a bit more. Really fun to see two US-heavy teams in the mix tho. Really enjoyable atm.
I like to see Chukueze find his legs. CP needs to play 70 at a time. Olaf or can play too. They need Reijnders to be consistent and for Pioli to stop making weird choices.
Writeup in Calciomercato regarding McKennie and Juve. Basically calling him one of the better players on a poor Juve squad: https://www.calciomercato.com/news/...ia-migliore-della-juve-ma-con-loro-alle-43948 He's definitely winning over Juve supporters this year, due to his hard work and grinta. Here's the excerpted translation for those who need it: "In their smallness, Juventus is moving. And Allegri is a courageous leader. Out of necessity he dusted off Rugani and, apart from the yesterday's goal against Cagliari, the defender is still one of the best since Danilo was injured. Last summer, the Juve coach should have given the redundant McKennie to some team, returning from Leeds, where he was relegated. Instead, McKennie has not only earned himself a starting place, but is good for two roles (winger and midfielder), always appearing among those with the highest performance. There would also be another miraculous midfielder, who responds to the name of Miretti, but being a young man perhaps it is good to have patience and trust, after all he has a long way to go and it may be - even if I don't believe it - that he will improve with time. ... An even more radical discussion deserves McKennie, about whose professional seriousness there were some unpleasant rumors regarding food and, therefore, weight. The American remained at Juve because there wasn't a shred of team that wanted to invest in him. The Juventus management would have been satisfied with a few million (five? ten?), but no one came forward and so, against the wishes of many, but not Allegri, McKennie remained in the squad. Pogba's disqualification and, even more so, Fagioli's involvement in the betting affair, opened the opportunity to start him. The surprise is that, in addition to being versatile, McKennie is obedient. He doesn't reply, he doesn't protest, he doesn't speak. And - as the legendary Osvaldo Bagnoli would have said - it's where you put it. He does so much good that one wonders if, regardless of need, it wasn't a mistake to give him up regardless. In truth, Allegri, who has a predilection for the mediocre, in the secret hope of giving himself and them a bright future, had secretly fought for him to stay. In fact, he knows that McKennie works hard in training, doesn't save himself in matches, has good technique, scores some goals. However, not even his coach could have thought that he was so useful and, why not, so good. It is obvious, however, that with Rugani and McKennie as starters, Allegri himself has more than a few doubts about the possibility of winning the scudetto. So, in the end, the Juve coach is not at all dishonest when he talks about fourth place. Being first, even for just another half Sunday, is a real miracle."
What a bunch of cheesy Euro-drama. Seriously, this is National Enquirer type bullsh*t. It’s a way for over dramatic self-important people to admit that they were wrong. My guess is that Italian calico has become so boring that they have to do this kind of crap to keep themselves interested.
Now imagine all that stuff said in loud Italian, while moving your hands around frenetically. Basically, "he stayed because no one wanted him, but surprised us all by becoming one of the best in this weak Juve, and we hope he fails miserably soon so we can flame him again."
I can absolutely imagine that outside of a cafe in Trestavere from an early-thirties hipster. Amplify it twice if there is a girl of interest at the table.
These translations are terrible. Much better AI (GPT4) translations below for those who don't want their eyes to bleed. Luckily we're not far away from translations of a much higher quality being the norm. One might ask: if Rugani is only playing due to the absence of Danilo and Alex Sandro, what credit does Allegri deserve? This question misses the mark because Allegri has always respected and valued Rugani as both a player and a person. He even brought him back to Juventus after his less-than-stellar stints at Rennes and Cagliari, where he mostly warmed the bench. It's unclear whether Rugani has improved by learning from his more experienced teammates or if, despite his age, he has become reliable through his own efforts in training and dedication. There's a third angle to consider: perhaps Allegri himself is responsible for Rugani's improvement. Regardless, today at Juventus, there isn't a central defender as solid as Rugani. He might be benefiting from the three-defender formation, or perhaps playing alongside the towering Bremer is a perfect match for him. Despite his shortcomings in agility and limited game vision, Rugani's place in the team is indisputable. McKennie's situation deserves even more radical discussion, especially considering the unflattering rumors about his professionalism, focusing on his diet and, consequently, his weight. The American remained at Juventus simply because no other team was willing to invest in him. The Juventus management would have been content with a few million (five? ten?), but no offers came. Against the wishes of many, but not Allegri, McKennie stayed on the team. Pogba's suspension and, even more so, Fagioli's involvement in the betting scandal, opened the door for him to become a regular starter. Surprisingly, besides being versatile, McKennie is also obedient. He doesn't talk back, complain, or speak out. And - as the legendary Osvaldo Bagnoli would say - he stays wherever you put him. He performs so well that it makes you wonder if it would have been a mistake to let him go, regardless of the circumstances. In fact, Allegri, who has a soft spot for average players and secretly hopes to offer them and himself a bright future, had quietly fought for McKennie to stay. He knows McKennie works hard in training, doesn't hold back in matches, has good technique, and scores some goals. However, even his coach couldn't have imagined him being so useful and, dare we say, so talented. Of course, with Rugani and McKennie as starters, even Allegri harbors doubts about winning the league. So, in the end, the Juventus coach is not being dishonest when he talks about aiming for fourth place. Being at the top, even just for another half Sunday, is nothing short of a miracle.
ChatGPT4 (if anyone out there is not using this…its far better than google) does a much better translation indeed. It changes the nasty attitude, novela-level drama, and reluctant admission of error regarding McKennie from Trestavere hipster to bitter old head who has since moved out to Chianti and assumed his family’s wine lease.