Pereyra in the median, Samardzic playmaker: at Udinese the tests work in half

The friendly match with Koper ends 2-2: unprotected defense. The German creates, but he eats two goals, Beto misses a penalty

UDINE. When the break for national team commitments arrives and friendlies are organized, the most correct thing that the coaches can do is to experiment.

This is what Luca Gotti did on Saturday during the test with Koper Capodistria, leaders of the Slovenian championship who, especially in the first half, proved to be a tough and competitive opponent.

Gotti used the opportunity to check some balance in the middle of the field starting from the form used last Sunday with Sassuolo: 4-2-3-1. Left to rest Silvestri, Walace and Deulofeu, the Juventus coach in their place proposed Padelli, Pereyra and Success.

All regular as regards the first and third names, a little less for the Tucu placed in front of the defense alongside Makengo.

So far in Gotti’s Udinese the number 37 has received increasingly offensive tasks, but considering his great flexibility, it was a smart solution to try him there with the consequent inclusion of central attacking midfielder Samardzic between Soppy and Success and behind the returning Nestorovski.

The goal is to raise the midfield’s technical rate. Well, the experiment was half successful because Udinese suffered a little too much in the first 45 ‘: two goals conceded (the second on a Nuytinck error) but at least three other clear opportunities for the Slovenians.

The problem was not so much Pereyra as the general attitude: Soppy who did not fit enough on the median line, Makengo still too soft and careless in reading some situations and the same Success in the retreat phase did not offer the support shown by Deulofeu with Sassuolo.

The match was anything but boring: four goals, one post on each side, a penalty kicked in the curve by Beto and obtained by Soppy after a smashing touch from Samardzic. Here, the German was another special observation: he confirmed that he knows how to kick free kicks and corners very well (he and Beto went close to the encore of Bergamo) and to produce dangerous opportunities. Too bad he literally ate a couple of chances on Udogie and Success assists.

The former Watford moved well, he scored the equalizer with a perfect right-footed shot, but the feeling is that, as he knows how to play the ball with his back to the goal, he would perform better as a central striker.

There, however, there is Beto who on Saturday kicked a penalty very badly but then almost in the 90 ‘he ran 60 meters to stop (complete with a yellow card) a dangerous counter-attack that if used would have meant defeat.

It is precisely the mental aspect that they like about the Portuguese and the same reasoning can be done for Perez. The Argentine, re-proposed right-back, has proposed overlapping Soppy.

In addition, he also sought the goal with a right that ended up on the post and with a header rejected on the line by a defender who was then reaffirmed in the goal by De Maio for the definitive 2-2.

Agree that they are friendly, but it is always better not to lose them.