Ahead of their Serie A clash on Monday, the spotlight will also be on the two coaches and their diametrically opposed trajectories throughout the season.
At the start of the season, Massimilano Allegri and Rudi Garcia had seemed on the opposite sides of the spectrum.
The former was brought in to replace Antonio Conte who had guided Juventus to three successive Serie A titles, and despite having been sacked as AC Milan boss only six months prior.
On the other hand, Rudi Garcia was in seventh heaven. The former Lille boss guided the Giallorossi to second place in Serie A in the 2013-14 season, thus securing Champions League qualification once again after two consecutive seasons without out of Europe.
Fast forward seven months and both coaches remain on opposites sides of the spectrum, but they’ve switched places.
Garcia has failed to live up to expectations thus far, knocked out of the UEFA Champions League and the Coppa Italia, as well as adrift nine points off of leaders Juventus. Conversely, Allegri looks on course for a second career Scudetto while remaining in the Coppa Italia and the Champions League.
The truth lies in the critical difference between the two coaches: that is to say difference between a coach allergic to change and a dynamic coach who adapts to the given situation. Allegri is definitely the latter.
At the start of the season the Juventus coach kept with the 3-5-2 formation in place, which was the same formation the side had found so much success with when under Conte. However, he gradually started changing it to his preferred 4-3-1-2 setup.
The intriguing thing isn’t that Allegri changed the formation, many coaches have done similarly in order to stamp their authority, but he began the transition process when there was a relative slump in results, with elimination from the Champions League at stake following two successive defeats against Atletico Madrid and Olympiacos.
Not only that, but Allegri has been able to tweak the line-up for the good of the side as well.
Who would’ve thought that following his 18 goals last season, Fernando Llorente would sit as a substitute to the less experienced Alvaro Morata? The 2010 World Cup winner has been a shadow of his former self this season, and Allegri was not afraid to install Morata in the line-up.
The issue here is that Juventus possess depth whether it is squad or formation-wise. Allegri instilled a new game plan but can still revert to the old one whenever he wishes to. He has been playing Morata up front alongside Tevez, but at the same time if the former is injured, Llorente can step up to take his place.
On the other hand though Garcia’s season has been abysmal. Clubs have broken Roma down on many occasions whether it has been in Serie A, the Champions League, or even Feyenoord in the Europa League.
Despite that, the Giallorossi boss has stubbornly stuck with the 4-3-3. The 7–1 defeat to Bayern at the Stadio Olimpico was the perfect example of Garcia’s static thinking.
When Roma found themselves 3-0 down in the opening minutes, a change in the game plan would have helped a lot, but that didn’t happen because Garcia has rarely attempted another formation.
This has therefore increased the predictability of Roma’s play, as they only know how to play on way. However, the Frenchman is yet to think about changing the way the side lines up, something Allegri carried out earlier this season.
In short, make fun of him all you want, but Allegri is doing what Garcia hasn’t been able to comprehend.
The hare may have had the better start, but in the end the tortoise always wins.
About Garcia being static. But what do you guys suggest he could have done different against Bayern – or anyone else?
It was explained how Allegri made changes so I’m interested to know what Garcia’s options are.