Simone Inzaghi

[Hikonyán]

I think a big part of the defensive struggles this early in the season is down to the lack of counter attacking potential in this inter side.

Last season, the opposition could not afford stand too high on the pitch, due to the huge counter attacking potential of Lukaku and Hakimi. This season with the fairly slow Darmian and Dzekosaurus, there isnt the same threat, so opposing teams can effectively stand 10m higher on the pitch compared to last season and press much more in the offensive phase, because the threat of being caught on the counter isnt very big.

Not sure how Inzaghi can fix this, but its surely a problem.

 

[dzekson]

Another thing to consider is that unlike Conte, this not a team built in Inzaghis image. Of course Inzaghi has to earn the right but let us in turn temper our expectations a tad and give him time.

lol studity i say man. guy does it one time and now he can do it all the time and he did nit even score

 

[qb4ever_2k]

I dont see any reason to worry about the defense yet.

We're leaking goals because we're not there yet tactically. When and if Inzaghi's tactic is fully implemented, we will be looking to overwhelm our opponents in midfield and attack. That's how all attacking oriented teams defend.

Right now, we haven't been able to impose ourselves in the midfield, that's why we're constantly under threat. I will be worrying if we still couldn't by December, but it's more than acceptable where we're right now.

Btw, Just a piece of stats, take it as you will.

 

[varmin]

Conte without Lukaku and Hakimi with Dzeko and Darmian as replacements would shit his pants and we would be midtable team right now. He knew that and thats why he fled like chickenshit. We are so weakened especially cause Eriksen and Hakimi exit and we are doing just fine right know, I dont know what the fuck are people expecting with this roster, it could be much much worse. Look at fkn Rube, their roster is al pari or even superior than ours plus they got Allegri. Hope we stay like this, top 4 is priority this season and thats it.

Milan have weaker roster but are quite stable for now. We'll see how the things will turn out further but the signs are worrying.

 

[thatdude]

I think a big part of the defensive struggles this early in the season is down to the lack of counter attacking potential in this inter side.

Last season, the opposition could not afford stand too high on the pitch, due to the huge counter attacking potential of Lukaku and Hakimi. This season with the fairly slow Darmian and Dzekosaurus, there isnt the same threat, so opposing teams can effectively stand 10m higher on the pitch compared to last season and press much more in the offensive phase, because the threat of being caught on the counter isnt very big.

Not sure how Inzaghi can fix this, but its surely a problem.

This is an important point as well. The lack of speed in our current preferred line up really handicaps us. For example yesterday after we took the lead you could almost see the boys naturally reverting to the old Conte tactics. Sitting deep and trying to absorb pressure (minus the intensity required). However on the break we had two situations with Dzeko where his pace was inadequate. One ball over the top by Hakan and one through ball on the ground by Barella. Both were the type that Lukaku would have probably punished the opposition for allowing to happen. We lack that dynamic currently, which in effect does make it harder to control games.

I think at this point we have a solution for the lack of pace on the right. Dumfries has to be a starter in this team long term. I understand we are gradually working him in but he’s just such a better athlete then Darmian he can start now and learn on the job. The real question mark in this team now is what we do with Dzeko/Correa.

Dzeko is still a player that can help this team, I truly believe that. However he can’t play for 90 minutes every game and at this point he probably shouldn’t even be a preferred starter for a team competing for a scudetto. He has the skills but the lack of athleticism let him down a lot yesterday, and it’s not his fault we knew how old he was when we signed him.

So the natural thing to do would be to start Correa right? Well we’ll see. The issue with Correa is he simply doesn’t score goals, historically. Whether that magically changes in his late 20s is yet to be seen. However similarly to my thoughts on Vecino vs Hakan I’m starting to think in Inzaghi’s brand of football it doesn’t matter. We just need his speed and energy, we will find the goals.

Last point. Vecino needs to be in our preferred staring XI moving forward. If you would have told me I’d be saying this a year ago…wow. However it’s obvious our midfield looks a better unit with him on the pitch. His energy and athleticism just work in this brand of football. And as Uni likes to say he’s not a mental midget. Barella has also looked good on the left side of midfield. What a player he’s becoming.

 

[Strale]

Btw, Just a piece of stats, take it as you will.
View attachment 5861

Among the rightmost teams we are the only ones not league leaders atm (top leagues).

ACM concedes as much shots on target as us and they're far behind in attempts.

 

[rockball]

I don't agree with a lot of talk here about our leaky defence. I think our defence is doing quite alright. Even during the most stable or solid phases last season under Conte, we always looked vulnerable on the counter or when the opposition got the ball near our box. That is still the same; it is hardly worse than last season. In fact, it is better in my view.

We have been conceding goals, but most of these are not down to systemic issues. Real had a freak goal, Nico made a foul against Skriniar, Atalanta got a screamer and a blunder from Handa. The thing to worry though is how this team crumbles when any team deploys a high press tactic. Though that is a constant from last season, and nothing new.

Handanovic needs to be benched though. It's about time he gets a kick on his backside. Radu surely cannot be worse.

 

[morrisama]

I don't agree with a lot of talk here about our leaky defence. I think our defence is doing quite alright. Even during the most stable or solid phases last season under Conte, we always looked vulnerable on the counter or when the opposition got the ball near our box. That is still the same; it is hardly worse than last season. In fact, it is better in my view.

We have been conceding goals, but most of these are not down to systemic issues. Real had a freak goal, Nico made a foul against Skriniar, Atalanta got a screamer and a blunder from Handa. The thing to worry though is how this team crumbles when any team deploys a high press tactic. Though that is a constant from last season, and nothing new.

Handanovic needs to be benched though. It's about time he gets a kick on his backside. Radu surely cannot be worse.

i have very limited or even non-existent technical knowledge on football but our defensive problem is clear as day. lets take a look at the match against Atalanta. the amount of space we give to them is just insane. our defense transition is very slow. Malinovsky or other Atalanta players could freely shoot and exploiting the space. no tight coordination or whatsoever. it seems that the way we defend relies mostly on individual quality of defenders than collective effort.

 

[PHM1605]

I almost scratched my head off...when I saw immediately after Lautaro scored the opening goal, at the fucking 5', all of our midfielders pushed forward then lost the ball. Conte would never do that. He would have known Atalanta would be on fire for the next 30'.

We should have slowed down the match, burnt their gas and attacked again afterward to have more goals for all I care. But let our players get tired before them was stupid.

Sometimes I never understand Inzaghi. He knows how to unlock buses, great gameplay, so far so good. Why he doesn't fucking chill a bit after taking the lead?!? The two times we lost points this season were the same, opened the lead early, attacked like crazy then got backfired. Always. Throwing away the credits he deserves to have.

 

[magnesium]

Even my friend who never watch Inter playing before, know only Barella and Dumfries who can running fast.

There is no way we can do counter attack style like last season.

 

[Bluenine]

My biggest concern at the beginning of this season after losing Conte, Lukaku, Hakimi & Eriksen was that we many struggle to beat top teams. Our games with Real and Atalanta have done nothing to allay my concerns.

We have lost some speed and intensity to trouble good teams.

 

[bubba zanetti]

Remember last season how we beat Atalanta at home? Ridiculous. It should be, 2 or 3:0 for Atalanta before Skriniar scored that winner. Also against Napoli. That was histerical. We were so lucky. This season we were also lucky in some games but we also missed lots of sitters.

 

[rfU]

My biggest concern at the beginning of this season after losing Conte, Lukaku, Hakimi & Eriksen was that we many struggle to beat top teams.

What top teams did we beat with Conte, Lukaku, Hakimi & Eriksen ? Don't say Milan.

I almost scratched my head off...when I saw immediately after Lautaro scored the opening goal, at the fucking 5', all of our midfielders pushed forward then lost the ball. Conte would never do that.

Yep, we should've sat back and hit on the counter. But lack of speed. Maybe Inzaghi wanted a 2 goal cushion.

 

[qb4ever_2k]

Conte would never do that, but you will call any coach a coward the moment they do what Conte would do

 

[Il Drago]

What top teams did we beat with Conte, Lukaku, Hakimi & Eriksen ? Don't say Milan.

We beat at least once all the top teams of the league last season. Milan. Juve. Atalanta. Napoli. Lazio. Roma. We can't say they don't count as top teams because these are the teams we are competiting against.

 

[brehme1989]

What top teams did we beat with Conte, Lukaku, Hakimi & Eriksen ? Don't say Milan.

The irony is that he was also the first coach in 4 or something to lose to Milan in Serie A

Also the first coach to lose twice in the league to Juventus in 20 years, despite having the least quality gap of most of the last decade...

Yep, we should've sat back and hit on the counter. But lack of speed. Maybe Inzaghi wanted a 2 goal cushion.

If we sit back, people whine that we sit back after a goal. If we concede after not sitting back, people whine that we didn't sit back after the goal.

 

[rfU]

We beat at least once all the top teams of the league last season. Milan. Juve. Atalanta. Napoli. Lazio. Roma. We can't say they don't count as top teams because these are the teams we are competiting against.

Ok, given your definition we have a 55-60% win rate against these top teams from 2019-21: Lost to Juventus 3 out of 4 games in the league and they eliminated us from the coppa which was highly disappointing, Roma we beat once out of 4, Lazio we beat twice, lost once, another was a draw, so we dominated only Napoli with 3 wins out of 4 in the league but they kicked us out of the coppa. So it's not like Conte has a record worth mentioning against these top teams.

If we sit back, people whine that we sit back after a goal. If we concede after not sitting back, people whine that we didn't sit back after the goal.

Agreed but Inzaghi should've played it a bit smarter there, also given our heavy schedule this month. But looking at his record against Atalanta last two seasons (mostly high scoring loses) I guess we should've expected this kind of all out attack game from him.

 

[Mr-Intermilan]

lets face it .our bench is lacking quality, and availability which will
start being obvious in the next months .we need at least 2 players in winter...which seems impossible.

 

[PHM1605]

Conte would never do that, but you will call any coach a coward the moment they do what Conte would do

There is a huge difference between slowing down at the 5’ mark with 85’+ left to play and at 80’.

Like in a marathon race. If you use all your gas too early you will lose eventually.

 

[BasedGodPunk]

lets face it .our bench is lacking quality, and availability which will
start being obvious in the next months .we need at least 2 players in winter...which seems impossible.

I think our bench is actually fairly decent. Darmian/Dumfries, dimarco, Vecino, Sensi, Sanchez and Correa/Dzeko could all start on plenty of other teams in the league. Even Vidal and Gagliardini can be useful at times. The only positions we lack in depth is the backline. Although you are correct, some of the players above are injured often.