Nicklas Bendtner

by Lars Aabjerg Pedersen

While Bendtner didn’t get much of a chance in the team, he did not take the few opportunities he was offered either. Less prejudiced than most about my countryman and the baggage he arrived with, I still have to concede that even if he did not embarrass himself on the pitch, he did not do enough to make anyone think he belonged there either. Now out for a few months with an injury it’s all but certain that “the Bendtner experiment” is practically over before it even began. If indeed anyone ever really thought it was going to… From a Juve perspective, it was a very low risk gamble that went entirely with the odds. Like with most of our strikers, I suspect more playing time might have seen a different outcome, but all in all, the Dane lived up to the rather pessimistic billing he received upon his arrival. There might be a lesson in that too, for all involved.

Pagelle Average Rating: 5.5    Matches Played: 9

Sebastian Giovinco

by Aaron Giambattista

Seba’s return to Juventus was a victory for the co-ownership model practiced in Italy. Sent to Parma initially on loan with the right to co-own the player, Parma developed and groomed a talent into one of the best players in Serie A. His return to Juventus was welcomed and doubted – many Juventus fans still believed he was the same player when he left, but that was far from the truth.

A more mature, balanced player, Giovinco has steadily grown into his role at Juventus. His start was a bit mixed, balancing good play with poor finishing and a propensity to drop to the ground. Since then, he’s played very well and currently, is arguably our best playing forward with 8 goals and 5 assists in the Fall.

He’s had some difficulty in physical “big” matches, but done extremely well against the smaller clubs – far from a slight, it’s probably a big positive for this team. Seba has not revealed the “true” Parma Giovinco yet, but there’s still time to grow into it.

Pagelle Average Rating: 6.5    Matches Played: 21

Alessandro Matri

by Adam Digby

Oh where to begin. The absolute best striker at the club under Gigi Delneri, the only member of the striking department who can be considered a legitimate twenty goal a season man, Matri is perhaps the one genuine casualty of the Conte era. Struggling to earn playing time and often ghosting through games when he does, the 28 year old finally rediscovered his best form in netting a brace against former club Cagliari in the final game before the Winter Break.

If that player can emerge in the new year it will add a previously missing dimension to Juve’s play and we can only hope that 2013 see the real Ale Matri on a regular basis.
 

Pagelle Average Rating: 5.5    Matches Played: 15

Fabio Quagliarella

by Aaron Giambattista

It took nearly a year for Quagliarella to start hitting form. He was a largely peripheral figure in Antonio Conte’s season, and there was heavy rumors of him leaving to secure more playing time. Conte kept him around, and Fabio has repaid the faith in him with some crucial goals this season. They’ve come in big matches, like the goals against Chelsea, but also “small” games where his goals were nonetheless vital, like his brace against Chievo. With Bendtner and possibly Vucinic out of the lineup for some time, Quagliarella will see even more playing time in the Spring, and with his advancing age and the summer transfer market coming up, it could be make-or-break time for Quagliarella at Juventus.

Pagelle Average Rating: 6.3    Matches Played: 15

Mirko Vučinić

by John Cascarano

Oh Mirko, how I love and hate thee. The Montenegrin is truly the closest thing to a “top player” that we’ve got, and when on, truly plays like one. When off, well, then I write snarky pagelle, probably over exaggerating how truly poor his performance actually was. I like the guy, want him to do well, and will continue to root for him, I am just growing tired of two-steps-forward-two-steps-backwards-Mirko. In fairness, like Claudio Marchisio, he does provide a lot off the ball that easily goes unnoticed by the casual observer. Still, I know which Montenegrin footballer of the year candidate I’d take if given the choice, and it’s not the winner.

Pagelle Average Rating: 6.3    Matches Played: 20

Antonio Conte & Management

by John Cascarano

I am not sure any other manager could have had such a dramatic turnaround for the club during his first season in charge than Antonio Conte. Aside from the meticulous effort put into the squad on a tactical level, evident in the team’s performance and results, il mister has quickly managed to motivate a squad which looked disinterested and plummeting mere weeks prior to his arrival. Rising from 7th to unbeaten Champions in only one season is no small feat, and if I had to pick one single biggest reason for the change, it’s been the coach. With Conte present on the bench, Juventus has only lost once in league play. That is impressive.

Pagelle Average Rating: 6.9
Matches: 25