Weston McKennie and Jonathan David are in different situations for their club and, with the World Cup around the corner, need to start playing their best soccer.
On Tuesday evening, two CONCACAF stars finally made the difference for Juventus in the Champions League. Their influence was overdue in a 3-2 win that flirted with embarrassment, but when Juve needed someone to steady the ship, first Weston McKennie and then Jonathan David delivered.
McKennie struck first, smashing home a 60th-minute equalizer against Bodo/Glimt. David followed with a stoppage-time winner that secured three points — and, frankly, spared Juve from dropping points in a game they had no business complicating. It was about time for both. McKennie remains an enigma in Turin: ever-present, yet often difficult to pinpoint in terms of tangible impact. David, meanwhile, chose a club with two established strikers and has spent the autumn trying to carve out space for himself. It’s only November, but both feel like they’re approaching a crossroads.
And in recent weeks, that has only gotten worse. Juve did what Italian clubs often do and fired their manager, Igor Tudor, after a poor start to the season. They then responded by hiring Luciano Spalletti, a coach of immaculate pedigree but seemingly a poor fit for the squad.
It is a puzzling situation for both. Spalletti has done little to indicate that he rates David. McKennie has been a regular, but far from the star he could perhaps be elsewhere. In short, the American and the Canadian are struggling – albeit in different ways. And at an unpredictable club quickly falling out of Serie A contention, something has to change.
Getty ImagesSpalletti and what the new manager brings
Spalletti should have made sense. In truth, he still might. This is a frighteningly early time to jump to any conclusions. But what Juventus have is a Serie A–proven manager who showed he can do a lot with a little when he won the league with Napoli in 2023. That team was propelled by Victor Osimhen and a young Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but it was also wonderfully balanced, with legs in midfield and solidity at the back. Spalletti’s sides can attack, but they can also defend.
His time with the Italian national team was admittedly mixed. The talent pool had dried up, and he argued that he didn’t have the time to shape the squad before Euro 2024. Italy lost in the Round of 16, and he took responsibility:
“We failed because of my team selection; it is never down to the players.”
It was expected that he might leave after the exit, but instead stuck around for another year. He was let go for good in June after losing to Norway in Italy's first World Cup qualifying fixture.
When Juve appointed him, they hoped for the Napoli version of Spalletti. There could yet be some magic here.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesEarly results are mixed
The early results have been somewhat mixed. Spalletti looks very much like a coach still figuring it out – tinkering with his personnel despite having a recognized system. There is, however, one major constraint to his game. Juve's squad has been assembled to play in some version of a 3-4-3. There will, in whatever tactical vision Spalletti ultimately holds, a base construction of three central defenders, wing backs and two central midfielders.
That's a problem. At Napoli, he used a 4-3-3 of sorts. For Italy, he tinkered but tended to favor a back four system. He has been given a squad, then, that doesn't quite fit his usual needs. That is not necessarily Spalletti's fault. Juventus have only had a director of football for five months. They are, structurally, a mess, and have appointed three managers in just over a year. He's not been given the best tools here.
He started his reign by beating Cremonese, 2-1. That was followed by three straight draws in which Juve scored just twice. On Tuesday evening, he had his first big win. The conceded first against last year's Europa League darlings Bodo/Glimt and mounted a second-half comeback to seal three vital points in the Champions League.
There have been some tactical innovations here. With too many central midfielders to get into his side – and a feeling that Khephren Thuram, Manuel Locatelli, and Teun Koopmeiners are all undroppable – Spalletti moved Koopmeiners into his back three, and tasked the midfielder with playing a crucial role in build-up play. That has certainly made his side more dynamic on the ball – yet the end product is yet to be seen.
Getty Images SportMcKennie's value amid uncertainty
What this means for McKennie, though, remains unclear. Every summer brings the same message: the American is no longer valued at Juve, a move is imminent, his time is up. And yet, somehow, he always works his way back into the fold. Sometimes out of necessity, but more often because of his quality. McKennie is a gifted, versatile footballer who should be more than a utility man, though a succession of managers have been reluctant to leave him out.
Spalletti has treated him much the same way, using the Texas native as a right-sided player in various roles. McKennie has started all five of Spalletti’s games so far and has played all but five minutes. Three starts have come at right wing-back; two have come as either a winger or an advanced midfielder. And McKennie has been entirely agreeable. He does everything right without quite standing out. He hasn’t scored or assisted, but he’s a steady 7/10: winning more tackles than he loses, completing passes at a solid rate, and creating a couple of chances each game.
Then, on Tuesday, he came alive. Juve were struggling and trailed Bodo/Glimt 1-0 at half-time. Lois Openda pulled one back early in the second half. And McKennie came up with the next crucial moment. His go-ahead goal wasn’t particularly pretty, but he timed his run perfectly and rose to meet a lofted ball. Juve went on to win 3-2.
AFPDavid, who can barely get a kick
And David also got in on the fun. It has been a frustrating few months for the former Lille man. He was linked with plenty of high-profile moves after scoring for fun in the French league. Arsenal and Liverpool were both reportedly in the mix. A few other big names were mentioned here and there. Juve, in truth, seemed an odd choice, especially given that they had Dusan Vlahovic up front. David needed to start, and it didn't seem like the club could offer him many minutes.
So far, those doubts have proven valid. Thus far, David has started five out of 11 Serie A games, registering one goal and one assist in league play. He was bright in the first month of the season, but Spalletti has been reluctant to use him. Davif hasn't started a domestic game under the new boss, and played just four minutes against Sporting CP in the Champions League on Nov. 4.
His underlying numbers, though, look pretty good. David is in the 90th percentile for shot-creating actions and 99th in pass completion percentage according to . His defensive numbers are as reliable as ever. These are small sample sizes, but the player is still very much there.
And he proved it in style Tuesday evening. Juve seemed set to kick on after McKennie's second goal. But the home side grabbed an equalizer in the 87th minute. A point wouldn't have been disastrous. Still, in these games, you need all three. David's goal was all instinct. Kenan Yildiz had a shot well parried, and David floated in, reacted first, and turned home. Whether that goal kicks off his Juve career in full remains to be seen, but it was a solid moment for a struggling player.