A Point to Prove: Giorgio Chiellini – A Giant in Need of Growth

Good read Lars, but I completely disagree with you Chiellini isn’t a leader. If you’re basing your assessment on the past two years, well… then, is Buffon not a leader? Judging by the last season, one would say no… but we know better right?

The last two years were garbage, and made good players look garbage by extension (Del Piero excepted). Above all the defense was garbage, and I defy even Paolo Montero not looking like shit under the circumstances. Besides, how many times did it look like our opponents would score on us
and out of nowhere BAM, Giorgio steps in with a devastating tackle to
clear away the danger.

Simply, Chiellini needs better people all around him. If you have idiots like Marco Motta and Grosso on your sides (not to mention the disaster-waiting-to-happen that was Cannavaro the year he returned), no matter how much a leader you are, you won’t turn piss into wine.

Frankly I think you’re being rather unfair to Chiellini here, and I bet this year, with decent full-backs, he shall prove you wrong. I love my Giorgio!

That’s why I’m calling for Lugano, he’ll lead the backline well and is a natural leader/captain of Uruguay. You guys should do a piece on our transfer targets it’s interesting to hear everyones thoughts

Over the last year or two, I have written often and passionately about the horrifying and obvious lack of on field leadership in our ranks. It began to really show itself when Nedved retired. We missed his spirit, berserker zeal, infectious enthusiasm, blood lust for victory…much much more than we missed his talent with the ball at his feet. Some people suggest that Dp is a great captain, who leads by example, a consummate professional admired and respected by all in the game. I believe he is a great man, a great player, a true legend for the club, but nowhere near a natural born leader of men. Especially now he has become older, and is more likely to get thrown to the floor in most 50/50s than inspire the team with silky skills. He STILL has class. but if we are losing 0-1, the team needs at the very least one player, preferably several, whose heads do not drop, who demands of themselves and everyone else in their team, that they redouble the efforts, and fight to the death. Del Piero is not that man. He has never been that kind of capitano…

Buffon has some leadership talent, but the last season especially he was returning from a lengthy spell on the sidelines, and must first focus on regaining his match sharpness before imposing himself on the defence. He needed the second half of the season simply to find his feet, and I have been encouraged by his pre-season performances.

Other than Buffon…its laughable to read of people suggesting Marchisio as a future captain. Perhaps if that opinion is based on his pre-season form, I understand, but I base my opinion on the last two years, and claudio is not in any way endowed with a natural vapacity to inspire and lead the troops.

You are spot-on Lars. And I unfortunately agree with you, in that I think we have seen enough chances come and go when Chiellini needed to step up to the task, gather those around him, and organize the fight back, and he simply has not made that step. NEVER would I doubt his talent, he remains for me one of the top 5 centrebacks in the world. But…I was insanely excited by the Lugano rumours, precisely because I would love to see Giorgio playing next to a man who wins respect and trophies wherever he plays, a man whose ability to lead and organize is world class. Who knows? Perhaps he could inspire Giorgio to improve in this area? Certainly a greater chance of Lugano having that effect than Alex.

When you see a team who are fine if they are winning, but when they concede a goal, they more often than not fall to pieces…you know there is a lack of leaders on the field. We used to have many leaders in our starting XI…Now we have? None. Although I do feel this is been addressed by Marotta and Conte. Firstly, with Conte himself…he was a wonderful captain, and epitomizes everything we have been lacking, in terms of character and mental steel. Then with lichsteiner, a player who leads himself, rarely drops his head and fights till the death. Vidal also…the chilean has a strong engine, great stamina, and enjoys putting himself about. Pazienza, whilst not technically amazing, is another player with some steel in his veins…Vargas would add another fierce spirit to the group, but for me, the best player to begin to truly solve this clear and ongoing problem, would be Lugano.Alex is a better defender, but Lugano is a King of Men when it comes to the darkest battles.

Yes, Chiellini will improve when he is able to play as CB rather than CB+LB, but the same can be said of Bonucci. Whoever we sign as his new partner, I wish Giorgio a brilliant season, and thank him for bringing me so much joy over the years..

forza juve

Leadership like any other talent needs to be nurtured by those who what it is. After calciopoli no one was there who could teach this to Chiellini as the two CB’s left. Legro was sort of a leader but only at the end and to those who were new to the club but who could teach Chiellini especially as he was carrying the whole defense with him and this would be another burden. But, having said this in the last few games of last season he was the leader of the defense and was growing into the role. I think Conte can bring that aspect out of him and teach him like no other.