The Expert: Will Higuain's barren run end against former employers Napoli?

As Gonzalo Higuaín pulled out of Juventus’ training ground on Thursday, he stopped to sign a few autographs for the fans congregated outside the gates. “Go on, Gonzalo! Get a brace for us at the weekend, will you,” one demanded, high-fiving Higuaín through his open car window. “Let’s hope so,” the Juventus striker replied, apparently unaware Mediaset’s cameras were rolling. And with that, the Argentine lit the blue torch paper early, ensuring there will be fireworks in Saturday’s eagerly anticipated showdown with his former team in Turin.  

“Ingrate!” Napoli fans shouted at their TV screens. “Judas-ín!”  

In fairness to Higuaín I wonder whether this was his intention. The Serie A record goal scorer and league’s most expensive player ever has gone a rather long time without doing specifically what Juventus signed him to do. His last goal in all competitions was almost five hours ago, so of course Higuaín hopes to score. Recall he started his Juventus career exactly where he left off last season with Napoli. Sent on for his debut in black and white just moments after Fiorentina equalised on opening night at the J Stadium, El Pipita’s impact was almost instant.  

He got Juventus in front within five minutes. All it took were three touches. Short of match fitness and out of shape - Fabio Capello, for one, adjudged it “unacceptable” that Higuaín showed up for training overweight - Max Allegri instead chose to highlight his instinct; you’ve either got it or you haven’t. It’s not something that comes with better nutrition or more cardio. “Keep calling me fat and I’ll keep scoring,” Higuaín told those who nicknamed him Piguaín.  

At times, it felt like his presence alone was enough to strike the fear of God into opponents. Take Lazio for example. Throughout his time in Italy, Higuaín has scored 11 goals in 6 games against them. Within seconds of coming on at the Olimpico in August, Lazio’s defenders were so worried about him, they completely forgot about Sami Khedira who grabbed the only goal of the game. On his next appearance at home against Sassuolo, Higuaín struck twice before everyone had taken their seats.  

At this stage he was averaging a goal every 39 minutes. One of the reasons put forward for Juventus’ defeat in the Derby d’Italia was Allegri’s decision to start without the team’s €90m top scorer and resist the temptation to tell the fourth official to flash up his number until a quarter of an hour before the end at San Siro. As if to say to Allegri, please don’t ever do that again, Higuaín swiftly scored four in his next four appearances.  

At the beginning of October, his ratio was still an astounding one every 66 minutes. Since then, to the relief of everyone outside of Juventus, things have slowed down a little. In fact, following last weekend’s shock defeat to Milan, questions have been asked about Higuaín, the style he plays and service he receives.  

Maurizio Sarri’s system revealed itself to be ideal for the Argentine; a 4-3-3 less extreme than Zdenek Zeman’s in it’s approach to attacking, but every bit as orchestral as the football Arrigo Sacchi idealised, albeit in a 4-4-2. Napoli had the best possession and pass completion stats in Italy. They created more chances than anybody else; manna from heaven for any striker, not just Higuaín. Before the knee injury he suffered on international duty Arkadiusz Milik, Higuaín’s successor, scored six goals in his first five appearances for Napoli.  

At Juventus, it’s different. Higuaín is not a lone striker, he’s a strike partner in a 3-5-2 and naturally this requires adjustment and a bit of time to get comfortable in it. He also needs to adapt to his teammates and they need to adapt to him. People forget the turnover of players at Juventus since the Champions League final in Berlin two years ago. They acquired 10 new players last summer and another five this off-season. Unsurprisingly the early months of the season are spent figuring things out on the job. You can't say Juventus are doing a bad job at it. Frighteningly they’re 10 points better off than they were at this stage a year ago.  

However, there have been occasions when Higuaín and his partner haven’t combined at all this season. He didn’t once exchange a pass with Paulo Dybala in Zagreb and there was just the one between Higuaín and Mario Mandzukic in Wednesday’s 4-1 win against Samp. They don’t (yet) combine like Alvaro Morata did with Carlos Tevez or Dybala does with Mandzukic. Issues of compatibility have been raised. At one stage in the defeat to Milan, Dybala and Higuaín made the exact same run to the near post. As for Mandzukic, he isn't a similar player to Higuaín but their teams use them in the same way. They seek them out and play up to them. All of this needs work.  

At times Higuaín cut a frustrated figure against Milan. There were a couple of occasions when he threw his arms up in the air as his teammates, Juan Cuadrado and Dani Alves, elected to go themselves instead of spotting that he was open and in space. “We could help integrate Gonzalo better,” Andrea Barzagli admitted. “We have to get him the ball more.” The chemistry will come. It didn’t help that Juventus’ build up was also slow. Allegri has had to patch up and play around with the team’s midfield in Claudio Marchisio’s absence and didn’t get Axel Witsel or Blaise Matuidi in the final days of the transfer window.  

Hernanes, Mario Lemina and Kwadwo Asamoah have had their moments, but it’s this area in particular where Juventus haven’t looked as strong as they have done in previous years. That should change now Marchisio is back. “He’s the best there is for his tactical intelligence,” Allegri said on Wednesday. “Today we moved the ball a lot quicker.” To him, the zip of a team’s passing is every bit as much a factor in a game’s intensity as chasing down and pressing opponents. Juventus’ first choice midfield of Marchisio, Miralem Pjanic and Khedira should make their build-up play more fluid and benefit Higuaín.  

Goals aside, his numbers are down on last year. El Pipita is averaging fewer shots per game (2.9 as opposed to 5.2), fewer shots on target (2.4 compared with 1.2); he’s not getting as many touches (down to 23.6 from 41.8) receives fewer passes (a decrease from 26 to 13) and, understandably, isn’t creating as many chances (0.6 instead of 1.5) as he did in his record-breaking season for Napoli.  

Of course the bar Higuaín set last year wasn’t just high it was historic. Matching it will not be easy. But now Marchisio is back and the team is complete again, there is no excuse for Juventus not to play better for more sustained periods on a more consistent basis - achieving a high level of performance for a full 90 minutes rather than a half or an hour. When a team plays well as a collective, it makes it easier for its individuals to shine as well, which is scary when Higuaín is one of them. For now, his wait for a goal goes on. But as Giorgio Chiellini provocatively joked on Thursday: “Gonzalo is saving them up for Napoli.”

Will Higuain net against his former side when Juventus clash with Napoli on Saturday? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below