The Nerazzurri coach between a distorted squad and old certainties. And now the challenge is to get Thuram closer to the door
Inzaghi Ter started with no apparent trace of Inzaghi Bis’ flaws: against two provincial teams, at home and away, his Inter ruled with Olympic calm and are now up there with six round points. He won with soft power and the right amount of sweat. In general, he gave the impression of being able to reach the finish line with a trickle of gas and a Bull charging ahead. Beyond the Lautaro-centrism of the attack, this bad habit against provincial teams was not obvious, at least considering the recent past. In 2022-23, the harsh Italian reality was superimposed on the European charm, then broken in the night in Istanbul, since the first season. On their debut in Salento, the Nerazzurri made an exaggerated effort to overcome the humble Lecce only in the confusion of recovery: an underestimated spy at the time, the sign of a fragile soul especially against hungrier rivals. Those difficulties would reappear often, here and there when it was not expected, while this time between Monza and Cagliari there was no signal to suggest the worst. A change in character and mentality was needed to be able to concretely rethink the second star and so it has been until now: two days don’t make spring, but they help in self-esteem.
Sweet change
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Simone’s house has changed fundamentally: he himself gave the ok to the new corporate address while preparing for this new season. We needed to rejuvenate and cut salary space and so it was, starting with the sale of Onana and arriving at the enthusiastic landing of the Inter player Benji (Pavard). In between, more than one vicissitude and some mockery, but what matters is that the squad is Inzaghi-friendly and second-star-friendly: this is how Inzaghi wanted it to aim with renewed energy for Scudetto number 20, a huge regret for these two years. The 11 changes in the squad would suggest a drastic revolution, but the manager takes care of sweetening it with his ancient certainties: the 3-5-2 is a monument engraved in stone, the coach’s loyalists know every detail and this it helps to govern the change. In addition, compared to the past on the bench there is a varied art, scattered options to draw on in order not to lose pace or change it completely during the match. The wings offer new alternatives with Carlos Augusto, who can compete with the neo-centenary Nerazzurri Dimarco, and on the other side Cuadrado, to whom the ultras are starting to join after the preventive skepticism. Pavard heals the wound left by Skriniar and in a department that, already as it is, has left crumbs to rivals: he didn’t have against Man. City’s attack, but Inter won the first two Serie A matches always keeping clean sheet for the first time since 2014-15. Signs of new solidity awaiting more convincing opponents than Petagna and Pavoletti, while Frattesi is pawing as the first change in the middle. The purchase of Arnautovic has made more than one mouth turn up, but from the first signs the Austrian seems to be more the buoy called to float the team in the last stretch of sea.
new challenge
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The owner is more and more Thuram who convinced the staff for his ability to duet well and to use his body in the snatch: a little Dzeko and a little Lukaku, one would say if it weren’t for that 0 so loud in the voice “shoot at the door”. Here, then, is Inzaghi Ter’s biggest challenge: to awaken, enhance or simply ignite Marcus’ senses in front of rival goalkeepers and next to the Lautaro totem. Martinez has scored 8 of the last 14 Nerazzurri goals in each competition, 57% of the total: it’s an Argentinian dominance that extends from last season. Now French help is needed more and more because you can’t chase a star alone.
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