He's been better as LB but that's because he's been dreadful as CB as of late (this past season I guess). That still doesn't mean that Juan as LB is a good idea and I hope come next season Mancini puts an end to that chapter.
As LB, yes, he’s been good defensively for the most parts and 10+ years ago maybe you would settle for that with a fullback. But if you think about the world’s best fullbacks now you’ll find them all being fast, able to get past one or two players and capable of delivering a good cross. They are an essential part of both starting and participating in attcking play. Ronin makes a good point with Chivu and Maicon and I guess I kinda buy it. Although as of now we don’t exactly have a Maicon in his prime on our team… What we do have though is most possession in the league and as opposing teams comfortably sit back when facing us we need every attacking force we can get… and Juan of course offers zero attacking force. He can’t make things happen even if his life depended on it. Not even if Kova’s life depended on it could he make a successful dribble or cross. 41 year old Zanetti could loosen his tie, skip a commemorative event or how about one of those English classes he has made no progress in to make a comeback against Empoli and he would without a doubt offer more going forward than JJ. The mere fact that I’ve been missing Jonathan lately should make whoever in doubt realize that Juan is far too rigid if we want to improve our play. Whenever Juan makes a forward run and gets the ball he just passes it right back to whoever provided it to him in the first place. Not only does it slow us down with possession for nothing, but it also means we only have functional attacks from one side which makes us more predictable.
There once was a time when I saw Juan as one of the biggest talents out there, not far behind Varane. I was convinced he would one day make it in the Brazilian NT. Now, I was probably one or two, or maybe a couple more than that steps ahead of myself, as many others also were, but I'm 100% sure that if this LB nonsense continue he won't have even the slightest, tiniest bit of chance to make it in the NT. The new Marcelo? Maxwell? Alves? Maicon? Forget it. As LB he can only ever be an average player. Even Dodò has a better chance if he would just stop serenading the nurses and leave the hospital where he seemingly spends most of his time as a professional footballer.
I’m not sure if we should follow Universe’s spontaneous motion and sell Shrek to Chievo or Aston Villa, but if he ever had any potential to become a good player. Good enough for Inter. A winning Inter. It would be as a CB.
With that said, maybe he can’t find back to the promising level he once showed, maybe it was all an illusion and we were all fooled by his strength and aggressiveness, his occasional nice interventions and his ridiculously small ears or whatever else he deceived us with. Maybe he was always going to be too clumsy, too naive, too short and too dumb to ever succeed as a CB at the highest level. Maybe he’s only sufficient in a back three? I’m not sure, but he truly did show potential as CB not that many years ago at all. After this season I guess we’re all left rather clueless. How on earth has he regressed so much? Did part of him die when Coutinho left? Did he sell his soul to Osvaldo? Does he struggle to think straight when Kova the cutie is on the pitch? Is he jealous of the Bro? Are Mancini's notes confusing? I don't know, but when he is LB it’s all clear. At least to me. Another player, another lowered standard, and another hand slammed on the desk when you see his name in the starting line-up.
