We've been playing with this approach since the Mancini days. Build out from the back via short passes from our CB. Get the ball out wide. Sling it into the box for Icardi. Last year we scored an abnormally high amount of goal from set-pieces, specifically indirect free kicks, that masked the attacking shortcomings of this team. I can't sit here and put all of that on Spalletti when he's the FOURTH manager to run into the same issue while implementing the same game "plan."
The problem is the players, who are the only recurring link between the incompetent managers we've had the past five years. Spalletti's not an idiot, if he thought there was another way for us to win, he would try it. Our wingers (and Icardi) are too slow and poor of dribblers to play counter-attacking football. Our midfielders lack any sense of creativity or ability to make passes that unlock defenses. We are predictable because our players are predictable. In some instances it works - Icardi might be the most predictable player on this team, but he has a higher success rate than most. In others instances it does not, sincerely Dalbert dribbling himself out of plays, Vecino skying the ball into Row Z, and Politano failing to beat his final man.
I also refuse to blame Spalletti for the squad being in the dismal state it is in. The only players I'm convinced Spalletti directly wanted that we've given him are Vecino, Nainggolan, and Valero. Dalbert's incompetence, Mario's averageness, Gagliardini's amateurishness, and Candreva's inept finishing can't be blamed on Spalletti.
Vecino is completely useless, I won't argue that. We bought him because he had a cheap release clause and Spalletti wanted him (side note: he's probably one of the few of our recent signings who has retained his transfer value since joining the club). Nainggolan has also been a dud, which many of us saw coming. I understand the Nainggolan signing to an extent - we created artificial capital gains for FFP, and an in-form Nainggolan is type of unpredictable game-changer we've needed. Sadly it hasn't materialized.
I'm indifferent towards firing Spalletti at this point. We can go ahead and fire him, but nothing will change. Whatever caretaker we bring in will have us playing the exact same style of "sling crosses into the box" football that we have been playing. Until we free ourselves from this FFP gorilla on our backs and get higher quality players it will be more of the same.