When Hernanes made his move official for €20 million at the end of January from Lazio to divisional rivals Inter, a few eyebrows were raised. Inter were a team completely out of form, and were signing a player who wasn’t in the greatest nick either for the past campaign, for huge money.
Money that many Inter fans would’ve argued had been better spent on improving the central defence or the striking department, given the Nerazzurri’s woes in both areas for the past two months.
Well, so far many people have been proven wrong, and Inter – for a change – look like they have finally made a great signing. Ironically, their much maligned director Marco Branca’s last bit of business may have been his best for the club, and looking at the recent upturn in form since the Brazilian debuted two weeks ago against Sassuolo, many wouldn’t argue against it.
It has only been two games, but the difference to Inter’s play since Hernanes has been inducted as the ‘trequartista’ (or in the hole behind the strikers), has been hugely positive for the Milan club. No longer does coach Walter Mazzarri have to shoehorn players such as Fredy Guarin or Mateo Kovacic into the attacking midfield positions they are evidently not comfortable with. He finally has a true play-maker, and that has made a huge difference to the way the team plays, especially their efficiency in the final third which has improved tenfold.
Many times this season, Guarin has picked up the ball in advanced positions only to have a wayward shot from distance or pick the wrong pass. Kovacic too, while extremely gifted, is still inexperienced and takes the wrong option too many times in the final third stalling counter attacks and promising situations. Inter fans, and coach Mazzarri must be so happy to finally have a player who has a superb sense of awareness and vision in the final third, whilst also having the composure and class to make players around him play well.
His ability to shoot from distance is also an enticing prospect, one that hasn’t been seen yet by Inter fans in the wins over Sassuolo and Fiorentina, and is another string to his impressive bow. His style of play is reminiscent of another recent fan favourite of the San Siro in Dutchman Wesley Sneijder, who plays the same role. Inter have evidently been missing a player of his ilk and qualities since his downturn in form and consequent departure from the club a couple of years ago.
“Hernanes is a player who knows how to deal with pressure and that’s what we needed. When we lost our sharpness earlier in the season we started dropping points, especially at home like against Chievo and Catania. If we had a player like him [Hernanes], he might have been able to win it for us in a moment” – Inter coach Walter Mazzarri after the 2-1 away wins to Fiorentina.
Mazzarri is obviously a fan of the mercurial Brazilian, and this signing has also allowed him to play Guarin and Kovacic in their regular central midfield position, where their energy and talents are certainly more suited. Marek Hamsik was regarded as the jewel in the crown in Walter Mazzarri’s 3-4-1-2 when he was in charge of Napoli, where he played in the hole to devastating effect. Mazzarri has finally got his own version of Hamsik, and all the signs are pointing towards Hernanes having the same effect on his new side.
So far the signs are good. Two wins from two games for Hernanes at his new club since his debut. Now, how have his former club Lazio fared since his departure? Not so well. Despite beating Chievo two days after Hernanes had left, Lazio then were extremely lucky to draw 0-0 in the derby against Roma, lost to bottom club Catania 3-1, and just embarrassingly lost to Bulgarian minnows Ludogorets Razgrad at home in the Europa League by one goal to nil.
They also scrambled to a 3-2 win over bottom club Sassuolo this past weekend, when it looked as though they would snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Lazio are clearly missing the presence of their former talisman and former hero, meanwhile Inter are reaping the benefits of what is looking like a season-changing signing.
