Defender Strahinja Pavlovic’s season so far has clearly been better than last year: under Massimiliano Allegri, he has become a regular starter as the left-sided centre-back in the back three, and his performances have improved significantly.
Pavlovic: defensive growth, but above all offensive impact
The Serbian centre-back has improved defensively over the weeks, but his new role and formation have highlighted his qualities going forward.
Beyond his imposing physique, which makes him a threat on set pieces, the former RB Salzburg player has shown strong pace on the ball, often allowing him to restart plays and, in some cases like against Roma, finish the action himself. Although technically not outstanding, the 2001-born player can find teammates with vertical passes. His precision needs work, but the vision is there.
The other side: lapses in concentration and excess aggression
Some strong performances may have masked problems Pavlovic still has. The first is occasional lapses in attention, especially in marking.
It has happened more than once, including last weekend against Sassuolo, that Pavlovic lost his marker in the box. Sometimes teammates covered for him, but other times it led to conceded goals. Another issue is excessive aggression: his pursuit of interceptions and physical duels is useful in some areas, but in the penalty area he has often risked becoming a negative factor. This could be a long-term concern, as a reputation as a reckless defender would be hard to shake.
Strahinja Pavlovic’s next step is to address these issues, because with some improvement he could become a truly top-level player.
