Could Thiago Motta revive Koopmeiners & Douglas Luiz with a tactical tweak? | OneFootball

Juventus coach Thiago Motta could pull off a manoeuvre that helps Teun Koopmeiners and Douglas Luiz find their best form.

The Bianconeri splashed more than 100 million euros on the combined transfer fees of the two 26-year-old midfielders. However, neither player has been able to hit his stride since his arrival in Turin.

While he immediately cemented himself as an irreplaceable player in Motta’s starting lineup, Koopmieners has been a mere shadow of the player who was deemed one of the best midfielders in Serie A and was sought after by some of the biggest clubs in Europe, including Liverpool.

The Dutchman who had a knack for scoring goals during his time at Atalanta has only netted one since joining the Bianconeri in late August.

While Koopmeiners has at least been active on the pitch, Luiz has even been struggling for minutes. Even prior to his injury woes, the Brazilian wasn’t able to carve himself a starting role.

But according to Il Corriere dello Sport (via IlBianconero), Motta is considering a tactical tweak that could revive both summer signings in one fell swoop.

While Koopmeiners has been mainly operating as an attacking midfielder since the start of the season, many believe that a deeper role would be more suitable to his characteristics, as he’ll be able to work in the engine room and help bring the ball forward while also making runs forwards when he sees cracks in the opposition’s defences.

On the contrary, Luiz could be deployed as an attacking midfielder behind the striker where he would be able to utilize his dribbling skills and shooting to cause damage in the final third, in addition to picking up his teammates with his exquisite through balls.

While it remains to be seen if this trick could usher in a fresh new start for the midfield duo, it is definitely worth a try.