I have tried to keep my personnel bias aside when writing about Inter so far this season, now however I can no longer hold my tongue.
While Saturday night’s loss to Juventus was by no means a disgrace, it brings back not too distant memories of pre-Calciopoli, when Juve were Serie A’s dominant team and the Nerazzurri were perennial underachievers.
Like all Interisti I’m frustrated and hurting at seeing my club lose to its fellow heavy weights and languishing just outside the relegation zone. It’s a feeling that had become foreign as Inter filled the trophy cabinet and gave us so much to celebrate. Going to work feels easy when your team is flying high and you quickly look forward to the next game full of confidence that another victory is on the way.
Those feelings of joy have disappeared and now each game comes with a sense of pessimism as even games against league minnows seem more a risk of further embarrassment than a source of easy points. While I could easily write a whole article angrily aimed at where the team is falling short and who is to blame this would be nothing that hasn’t already been said this year, and while being cathartic it achieves little.
Instead it’s worth looking at were and how Inter can improve and what can be done in the short term, other than complete this workout program, to right the ship and begin a move back up the ladder. Until at least January Inter must make do with the squad at its disposal and Claudio Ranieri must find his strongest starting eleven, and to be fair he has a reasonably strong squad at his disposal.
One issue in settling on his favoured eleven is fitness and the continuing problem of soft tissue injuries at the club. While I was one who was happy to see the back of Rafael Benitez, he was certainly on to something when he repeatedly expressed concern over the strength and conditioning training being undertaken and the impact that was having on an ageing squad.
This is an area that can and should be immediately addressed at La Pinetina, as until Ranieri has as many of his best players at his disposal week in week out it will continue to be difficult for him to settle on his favoured team line-up.
Also in the short term certain areas on the pitch require immediate attention. Cristian Chivu for the last few years has complained that left back was not his favoured position and that he plays his best football in the centre of defence. If what he has dished up in his preferred centre back position in the last three games is his best football, then his best position is not on the field at all. His lack of pace and woeful positioning has cost Inter dearly in recent games and right now any alternative would be an improvement.
Other players such as Esteban Cambiasso and Yuto Nagatomo too are badly underperforming however due to lack of cover in their respective positions Ranieri will be forced to persist with them, all though a change of formation may help to sure up their performances.
While Inter has certainly looked more assured since switching to a four man defence under Ranieri, they have looked bereft of attacking flair and are struggling to accumulate goals. Added to this is they have looked particularly susceptible to counter attacks and opposition who possess class on the flanks. One possible solution, and certainly one I would like to see given a trial is a return to the 4-2-1-3 or 4-2-3-1 that was employed under Jose Mourinho.
While this formation relies on discipline and hard work from the wingers, it would provide extra cover on the flanks and allows the fullbacks the chance to overlap more freely into the forward half utilising the attacking skills of Nagatomo and Maicon.
The formation also allows the two holding midfielders to sit in front of the defence and shield against attacks such as Juve’s second goal last night were they simply passed their way through to the Inter goal. In addition it would provide the space going forward for Giampaolo Pazzini and Wesley Sneijder to better utilise their movement and creativity to become a greater attacking presence.
Whatever action Ranieri takes he will need to be seen to be doing everything he can to turn the ship around, for himself, the club and for the Inter faithful who are desperately looking for a reason to smile.
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