It is said that in Serie A it is usually the team with the best defence that wins the Scudetto, and Inter are putting a serious claim to the title having built a true defensive wall.
Diego Godin, Milan Skriniar and Stefan De Vrij, in front of goalkeeper Samir Handanovic, form an almost unbeatable defensive block, and the Nerazzurri have made the most of it so far, winning five games in five and being top of the table.
Only another two times in their history had Inter won the opening five games of a Serie A season. And to do so having conceded just one goal makes the run even more remarkable.
Having conceded just once so far, Inter have done better than any other club in Europe’s top five leagues in 2019/20.
A MOVING WALL
It didn’t take a genius to know that Godin, De Vrij and Skriniar are three individually great defenders, nor did it take a genius to predict they would do well under Antonio Conte.
What was harder to predict is that the Nerazzurri would be doing so well, and that Handanovic would also be in such glittering form.
Not only is this wall defensively pristine. It also gives the rest of the team the chance to play constantly up front, giving the opponents no chance to breath. Lazio – like other teams before them – struggled to get out of their own half at times.
The Biancocelesti did have some counter attacks and created some chances, but in general, Godin and the others would quickly win the ball back high up the pitch, making life impossible for the Lazio backline.
A constant pressure, made possible by the efficiency of the back three. A wall that moves forward and helps the strikers.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
Having praised Inter’s wall, it must also be said that Lazio had many chances and could have of course been more clinical. This would have made Inter’s stats worse, but not the overall judgement of how effective the defence is in both stopping the opponents and doing it quickly in order to fuel the attack.
Right now, this happens at times, with the Nerazzurri still giving the opponents space and time to attack in some moments. Lazio had opportunities, attacked for chunks of the game and were dangerous. Of course, we’re talking about one of the best teams in the league, especially up front. To not concede is remarkable.
Conte can be happy – the defence is working, and it can grow into an even better one. A more solid wall, a more consistent one, that gives the opponent no space to move and breath. The wall is built, now it can grow taller, stronger and long lasting.
