Mirko Vucinic's importance the next two months

When Mirko Vucinic plays well, so does Juventus. I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to figure that out, but it's the absolute truth. Take this weekend as an example. Vucinic played well — contributing to both the attack and scoring a goal — and therefore Juventus won 2-0. Simple formula, simple math, simple answer.

But as it is confirmed what seems like every few weeks after every few weeks, Vucinic can be just as cold as he can be hot. His form reappears as quickly as it disappears like it's some kind of magic show in Las Vegas. And when it will become a regular thing is anybody's best guess. Maybe that's the job for the rocket scientist?

Yet we're left wondering when the good side of Mirko will show up and for how long it will stay around. I guess you could say that about any player on any given day, but it's especially true for Vucinic. Most games Andrea Pirlo is Andrea Pirlo. And unfortunately for him — and sometimes our blood pressure — Mirko Vucinic is Mirko Vucinic. You look at his stats up until this point in time this season and compare them to last year's output, and there's not much of a difference in terms of pure production.

2011-12 in Serie A: 32 games played, eight goals, eight assists, 102 shots taken

2012-13 in all competitions: 32 games played, 10 goals, six assists, 90 shots taken

Obviously there are differences — some slight ones, but most notably the shots-to-goal ratio. And obviously those sets of numbers don't tell the entire story about how his season has gone. But when he produces the goods, so does Juventus. Either way, there's no way around it: Mirko Vucinic's performances the next two months has a lot to do with how Juventus' season will end.

He's had very good games. He's had okay games. And then there's been the absolutely terrible games where he really doesn't do anything other than turn the ball over or just seem like he takes up space. It's certainly a mixed bag — one where the unpredictability of which Vucinic will step onto the field that day is just that more...unpredictable.

If his game against Bologna last weekend — one of the best amongst any Juventus player — was the sign of something greater, then that's nothing but good news. It was evident last spring when he finished the season in great form just what kind of impact he has on this team when he's contributing consistently.

And that's the thing — consistency. It comes full circle, doesn't it? If Vucinic does find that same kind of form that he did this time last season, then it's fair to say that Juventus are in damn good shape — both domestically where the lead is currently sitting at nine points and in Europe where Bayern Munich is lurking in the not-so-distant future. Is he the most important piece to the puzzle when it comes to Juve's resumption of competition of the Champions League? I wouldn't say he's at the very top of the list, but he's certainly up there. He's definitely the most important striker for Juve — both providing assists and scoring goals.

(Although, depending on who he's paired with up top all but certainly changes his role, but that's another topic for another time.)

Still, Vucinic's importance is quite vital — no, not Arturo Vidal — to Juventus' success these last two months of the season. And that will be even more magnified when the stage shifts from Italy to Europe no matter how far Juve go in the Champions League. But if he wants to score a goal against Bayern, I won't object to it.

Now about that consistency. Okay, I'll stop with all that. You probably get the point by now.