Juventus vs. Dinamo Zagreb: Starting lineup vote results

Juventus is coming off of a statement win against Atalanta. Unsurprisingly, readers would like to see more of what they saw in that game. That started with the formation chosen, as the 4-3-1-2 formation makes its BWRAO survey debut on the year.

How it was used though, was divided significantly. It seemed as though readers were divided between treating this as a rotation game, or a must-win, although more chose to treat it as a must-win.

Same line-up as Saturday, but with Juan at RB and Lemina replacing Sturaro

Rest Marchisio and Buffon. Experiment with formation since we are already advancing.

We need to make a statement to youngsters that they can develop if we can afford it.

This can be seen in the goalkeeping votes, as Neto received a significant amount of votes (11 percent) for a Champions League game, as well as No. 3 keeper Emil Audero getting three votes.

For the backline, Daniele Rugani received the highest amount of votes over anyone else on the team (including Gigi Buffon). We all knew the day would come where he would cement himself as a reliable, every day center back, and I’m glad that day has seemingly arrived. The kid is on fire these days, and it’s fun to watch. Giorgio Chiellini was voted as his CB partner, while Alex Sandro covers left and Juan Cuadrado takes over the right back position. This is not a position that he is completely unfamiliar in, as transfermarkt has him there once for Fiorentina and once for Lecce — I would have thought it’d be more than that. If he does show that he’s playable there, it would make Max Allegri’s decision to leave Stephan Lichtsteiner off the Champions League roster a little bit better, as I’m sure Cuadrado was his backup plan on the right side all along.

3-5-2 just cause we have no available right back, Cuadrado defending in a 4 man back line is crazy

Cuadrado as a right fullback may bring us problems defending, but it would give us a beatiful option on the attacks by using him, sometimes, as a winger.

Mario Lemina and Stefano Sturaro did get quite a few shouts to start at right back. I’m not totally opposed to trying it out, I just think Cuadrado would do a better job.

In the midfield, Miralem Pjanic was voted as the trequartista coming off a strong performance against Atalanta. Let’s hope he’s found his niche role in that position. Claudio Marchisio, Sami Khedira and Lemina (gave him the edge because he was initially left off the survey) were selected behind him.

Up front, Gonzalo Higuain and Mario Mandzukic were selected to start. Paulo Dybala received 29 percent of the votes, but it seems like most of BWRAO wouldn’t want to risk Dybala back too quick, given the results without him this year.

The results for the best summer signing so had Gonzalo Higuain leading with 56.7 percent, Miralem Pjanic at 37 percent, and Dani Alves at 3.8 percent.

For my lineup, I’d treat this game as a must win. The only difference I would make from the community lineup is to play Sturaro instead of Lemina at the RCM spot. What I would do though, is have Sturaro really focus on playing a disciplined, defensive game with minimal pushing forward. I would do this to allow Cuadrado some freedom in the RB position to push forward, and as a safety net in case he gets caught too far up front. It’s probably not much, but it’s the only way I can justify having that type of player moved back into a fullback role.

If we go up by two goals, I’d probably immediately switch off some guys that are injury prone or could use the rest like Chiellini, Higuain, and Khedira. I also wouldn’t bring Dybala in any earlier than the 70th minute, and I would only do it if we weren’t winning.

Anthony’s Starting XI (4-3-1-2): Gianluigi Buffon; Alex Sandro, Giorgio Chiellini, Daniele Rugani, Juan Cuadrado; Sami Khedira, Claudio Marchisio, Stefano Sturaro; Miralem Pjanic; Mario Mandzukic, Gonzalo Higuain.

BWRAO’s Starting XI (4-3-1-2): Gianluigi Buffon; Alex Sandro, Giorgio Chiellini, Daniele Rugani, Juan Cuadrado; Sami Khedira, Claudio Marchisio, Mario Lemina; Miralem Pjanic; Mario Mandzukic, Gonzalo Higuain.