Inter Milan Wins Without Superstars or Breakthroughs: What's Their Secret?
Inter Milan secured a remarkable 3-0 victory away against Cagliari, concluding their year with an impressive performance. The win on Sardinia was not without its challenges; the Nerazzurri struggled to break the deadlock in the first half, only managing to do so after the break through a goal from Bastoni. This decisive moment occurred in the 53rd minute, once again highlighting the crucial "golden 15 minutes" where Inzaghi's team has scored a total of 12 goals between the 45th and 60th minutes of matches, significantly outperforming other Serie A teams.
Given the squad's older average age, Inter Milan has only managed to score 7 goals in the final 15 minutes of games, necessitating a quick resolution to matches. The 15 minutes following halftime become particularly critical. In the cerebral world of Italian football management, effectively utilizing the 15-minute halftime break for adjustments is a key measure of a coach's abilities, and Inzaghi has undoubtedly excelled in this area.
Beyond pressing and increasing tempo, Inter Milan consistently exploits vulnerabilities in the opposition's defense to deliver decisive blows, often breaking the stalemate through set-piece opportunities. Teams like Torino, Roma, and Juventus have all felt the impact of this strategy, and now Cagliari can relate to their experience.
Lacking absolute superstars and explosive speedsters, Inter Milan's offense relies entirely on precise passing and organization. Since last season, the team's passing and control network has become increasingly rigorous, with well-designed third and fourth players often making early runs to support the primary passers and receivers, requiring a high level of synergy. To cope with a congested schedule, Inzaghi is now promoting deep rotation, changing the lineup combinations for each match, with a norm of 2/3 starters playing alongside 1/3 substitutes. Players need time to adapt to these changes, which explains the slow start in the first half of matches.
Through seamless passing combinations, a tight rotational system, and precise utilization of different match phases, Inter Milan has forged an unconventional path to success. Despite an older squad and absence of explosive players, Inzaghi leads his team to compete with their "intellect," beautifully interpreting the essence of attacking football from a higher dimension.