Allegri: What Juventus have done is not enough

Juventus will have a quick opportunity to get the bad taste of the defeat to Atalanta out of their mouths when they travel to Salernitana. The club is wrought with strife at the moment, what with investigations going on around the finances and results on the pitch continuing to disappoint. Coach Massimiliano Allegri would like nothing more than a few positive results to take the spotlight off his squad, and he will have plenty of opportunities to do so with six games in the next 22 days.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrow’s trip, the coach spoke about the difficulties his side is going through currently.

“The match in Salerno is complicated due to the atmosphere there. We need to do something more, because what we have done is not enough.

“I never invented anything, I only made things happen by virtue of necessity. Right now we need order, concreteness and serenity. We have a run-up that becomes fun, I don’t mean to finish first, I don’t know. But it’s still a run-up, we must find a way to get out of the storm and we must not fight it.”

Allegri provided an injury update for his squad, and who’s ready to play tomorrow.

“Mattia Perin, no. Mattia De Sciglio is not quite ready, we will see against Genoa.

“At this moment, we need Chiellini’s experience and the freshness of the youngsters.”

Is a poor transfer policy to blame for Juventus’ current woes?

“The choices on the transfer market were right. We have scored few goals compared to the chances created.

“Maybe everything will change tomorrow. But it’s not that they have unlearned how to score. Paulo Dybala has goals in his legs, as well as Moise Kean.

“They will start scoring and maybe we will see things in a different way.”

Alvaro Morata has come in for a lot of criticism for his giveaway that led to Atalanta’s winner aside from not contributing on the other end of the pitch.

“I want to make a clarification. On Saturday, Morata played one of the best games since the beginning of the season.

“I think he was among the best on the pitch and I’m sorry because judgments must be given objectively. So, either I don’t understand or there are prejudices.”

Goals continue to be hard to come by for Juve, who last scored in open play in the beginning of November.

“Kean is one who attacks the area more, Morata likes to run a bit more. The objective fact is that we have scored few goals.

“Maybe things change from tomorrow or Sunday. The performance was good on Saturday. Atalanta made defensive changes and the way they play to get the result.”

Dejan Kulusevski has fallen out of favor with Allegri in recent games.

“I don’t know if he’s the right solution, the right solution is to try to win the game. Then, I don’t know if it’s Kulusevski, Matias Soulé or Chiellini.”

Contrary to rumours there is no strife in the dressing room.

“The mood is that of a moment where we are behind in the championship. Everyone wants to do something more, but now we need to have order.

“We will get out of it, it requires serenity. The more excited we get, the more mess we make. We need to start from the simple things and then things will arrive as a consequence.

“It’s not that we isolate ourselves, we are inside Juventus. The President spoke to the team on Saturday and this morning to the employees. He cheered us up.”

Youngster Kaio Jorge has only been given a few minutes here and there so far.

“He is growing, he needs to gain experience like other youngsters who are with us and can help us.

“There’s no transition at Juventus. We need to be aware that we are sixth in the table and responsible. For now, we are in the knockout stages of the Champions League, and we have a run-up ahead that can be stimulating.”

Weston McKennie and Federico Chiesa will both time with injuries, while Rodrigo Bentancur is being given a break to recover.

“For McKennie, it should be a small thing, but Chiesa is already writing a letter to Santa Claus. We will see him again after the holidays.

“Bentancur is much better, he needed to recover a bit because he played a lot of games. He travelled a lot, and the players are not cars. Well, even cars break down after having covered so many kilometres.

“It’s normal that there’s a bit of tiredness, but in this period when he has been out, I have found him more serene and fresh.”