Edin Dzeko was signed by Inter to be the replacement for star striker Romelu Lukaku following the Belgian’s €113m move to Chelsea, but after a bright start his goals have dried up.
Last season, the Nerazzurri played a vertical counter-attacking system under Antonio Conte, with Lukaku being relied on for his strength, ability to attack the lines and quick powerful bursts forward. Things have changed following both his and Conte’s departure, although this is to be expected.
Inter have transformed a little under Simone Inzaghi and whilst Dzeko’s role is not the same as Lukaku’s was, it’s likely that they hoped he’d be on the scoresheet a little more, especially compared to his predecessor.
After 25 Serie A games last season, Lukaku had scored 18 goals and provided seven assists. This season, Dzeko has 10 goals and three assists after the same amount of time, a noticeable drop.
This is understandable considering the difference in both age and quality between the pair, but it’s not hard to imagine that Inter are a little disappointed with his goal tally. In particular, he has only scored three goals since Halloween.
Unfortunately for Lukaku, his end of the move has not worked out much better. The Belgian has only scored five goals in 17 Premier League appearances this season, and discontent is starting to grow amongst the supporters in West London.
Coach Thomas Tuchel addressed Lukaku’s issues this season earlier today, saying:
“He was not involved in our game [against Crystal Palace], it’s sometimes like this with strikers. If they struggle a bit with self-confidence, if they struggle a little bit to find the space and to get involved against a defensive side, it can be like this.
“It’s of course not what we want and not what Romelu wants, but it’s also not the time to laugh about him, make jokes about him. He’s in the spotlight of course, and we will protect him.”