Inter, attack in crisis: the numbers of Lukaku, Lautaro, Correa and Dzeko

The scarce effectiveness of the Nerazzurri attack is a fact consolidated by the numbers, but the problem is getting worse from week to week. The statistics of the last few months, further magnified by the home match lost against Monza, describe an Inter capable of creating opportunities in industrial quantities but at the same time unable to realize even the simplest chances. To talk about numbers, those that give the real dimension of the crisis into which Inzaghi’s offensive department has plunged, it is enough to start from the 113 conclusions attempted in the last five games, in which the Nerazzurri have collected four knockouts scoring the pittance of two goals (of of which only one on share). Between mistakes and sensational waste, woodwork (already 18 this season between the league and cups) and some miraculous intervention by the opposing goalkeeper on duty, the Nerazzurri forwards seem to have forgotten the art of throwing it inside.

WIDESPREAD SYNDROME

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Against Monza alone, just to dissect just the last slip-up, the Nerazzurri produced 25 attempts, of which six were on target, but it was useless. Of these 25 opportunities, more than three times the amount produced by the Brianza players, at least eight can be classified as clear goal chances. Yet Inter returned home without a single goal to their credit, as happened in three of the last four league days. The most alarming aspect is that the goal crisis seems to have affected all of Inzaghi’s forwards, none excluded, because the result does not change even if the order of the factors is changed. Whether Lautaro or Lukaku, Dzeko or Correa is on the pitch, lately it makes no difference. The goal simply remains a mirage. In the last seven days marked by five defeats, the coach from Piacenza has relied on LuLa three times, once on the Dzeko-Lukaku couple and on three occasions on the Lukaku-Correa formula, with unfortunately always identical results. To find the last goal from open play scored by a forward, we need to go back to last March 5, when Lautaro Martinez signed the final 2-0 win over Lecce, the only success in the last seven league games.

SITTING BULL

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The goal crisis, at this moment, also has the face of Lautaro Martinez, who ran into one of those cyclical bad periods that he seemed to have definitively left behind after the world triumph. Toro’s last center, as we said, dates back to 5 March and the signals sent against Monza weren’t encouraging. Coming on in the 71st minute in place of an impalpable Correa, he became the protagonist of an oversized header and a shot with a sure shot neutralized by Di Gregorio, then that’s it. The Argentine seemed less brilliant and reactive than usual and, apart from the mistakes, he also seemed to be struggling in his movements. What is missing, right now, is probably also that dose of conviction and malice that makes the difference in crucial moments. To be clear, the opportunity given to him on Saturday evening by Calhanoglu and badly wasted in front of De Gregorio, in other circumstances would not have been wasted. The imperative for Taurus now is to shake off the 41 days of abstinence that he has accumulated since the last seal.

LUKAKU HELLO

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The Belgian is no less, unfortunately, despite the efforts and commitment recognized on several occasions even by the fans with constant chants and cheers. The sequence of waste in front of goal by Big Rom in recent weeks has almost assumed the dimensions of the spell. Even when he finishes with a sure shot, the Belgian slams against the opponent’s goalkeeper’s reflexes or against the woodwork (as against Salernitana). The script against the Brianza players hasn’t changed, despite Lukaku being by far the most active in the goal area, but a header from Barella’s cross, another one thwarted by Di Gregorio and an oversized left foot weren’t enough to dispel a taboo that has lasted even since the first day of the championship, the date of the Belgian’s last seal on action. After having regained condition and dynamism in the happy evening at Da Luz, in which he was one of the best on the pitch, Big Rom now needs to find his way back to goal beyond the penalties scored against Spezia, Juventus and Benfica.

REPLACEMENTS LOST

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Only a scant fifteen minutes on the pitch for the Bosnian against Monza, with a single jolt: the missed winning deflection right in the very last stages. For the rest, an evanescent presence and an abstinence that reached 87 days. After the two precious goals at the beginning of the year (decisive goal against Napoli and in the Super Cup against Milan), Dzeko simply disappeared from the radar. The fast in the goal area has now lasted for 17 games, for a total of 786′ on the pitch without inflating the net. If we talk about Correa, the fourth arrow in Inzaghi’s bow, the speech becomes even more depressing. Only a shot on target for Tucu against Monza, with a great chance (the most tempting of the first 45 ‘) badly thrown to the wind before sadly giving way to Lautaro in the poor last half hour. Against Benfica he seemed to be in a clear recovery, but the Argentine again failed the confirmation test. His booty is nailed to three seals in 21 appearances, with the last goal dated 29 October. For him, fasting even reached 168 days. Inzaghi’s forwards must necessarily reverse course as soon as possible, because now the crisis in the goal area is reflecting on the standings with worrying effects.