Inter, the zonal defense on free kicks doesn’t work

At one point Gimenez nodded to Griezmann. As if he wanted to say “lift it and put it here”. On the head. Maybe he had already figured out how to scratch Inter. Chivu has a little problem with corner kicks against him. This year he has already conceded four in 21 matches in all the competitions under his management, including the Club World Cup. Last season Inzaghi stopped at seven in 59 matches. The reason? The way of defending in the set pieces has changed. With the new coach we mark by zone, no longer by man, and Gimenez’s goal comes from here. Question of habit.

Gimenez’s goal

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Small rewind on the corner that led to Atletico’s 2-1. Griezmann serving, ten Inter players inside the penalty area – the whole team -, while Simeone has six. The Nerazzurri have numerical superiority. Gimenez, starting almost from the line of the area, jumps between Akanji and Bastoni and throws it in. Classic question: “Whose was it?”. Competence, being local, is relative, it depends on who goes to jump in that context. Against Kairat however – in the other goal conceded in the Champions League from a corner -, Arat was from Dumfries, but the marking has always been like this and is visible in all the matches.

with inzaghi he marked himself as a man

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The zonal defense leaves some gaps. Inter have already conceded more than half of the goals conceded last year in the same way: one in the Club World Cup, two in the Champions League, one in the championship. Last season he conceded one in the Italian Cup, three in the Champions League and three in Serie A. Inzaghi has built much of his management on favorable corner kicks – see the schemes used and the goals scored – and on man marking. Let’s take the matches against Barcelona and Bayern as a manifesto. In the first match, at Montjuic, Dimarco holds Pedri, stationed outside the area, three players inside the area contain Ferran and finally, in the background, each has their own man to follow. Same thing against the Bavarians. Two players coming out, to limit the short serve, one next to Sommer and then the classic “crowd” inside the area, with each on their own man.

solutions

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There is no right or wrong solution. The data exists. And they tell us that Inter, if we talk about goals conceded from corners, are collecting more than last year. Madrid set an example.