Inter have re-opened the title race and qualified for the Champions League last 16 for the first time in ten years and Richard Hall explains how Simone Inzaghi has managed to turn the page at San Siro after Antonio Conte’s exit.
Antonio Conte brought Inter the Scudetto in a Wagner-like style. The back tune to their success could well have been ‘Ride of the Valkyries’, it was powerful and devastating. Since he left Milan for London, Inter have turned to Simone Inzaghi and have rewarded as he has rewarded them with a more cultured tune.
More Verdi than Wagner, the new Inter ‘mister’ has not been found wanting in the big games and recent wins against a dominant Napoli and against Shakhtar have seen them put themselves closer in the race for the Scudetto and they have qualified for the Champions League for the first time in ten years.
One has to remember, that the circumstances were not perfect when the new coach arrived. The financial situation that befell the Sunning group could not be helped and has been well documented. That meant that foreign clubs circled San Siro like vultures as they knew that after Conte had gone, Inter would need to raise capital. The sale of Achraf Hakimi was difficult for the club and the fans to swallow, he had been electric the season prior but it was stomached as it was seen as essential. The sale of Romelu Lukaku however, raised eyebrows and broke hearts making Inzaghi’s task even harder.
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Inzaghi can be praised but should be Beppe Marotta. Their good relationship and understanding of the situation saw them get to work and bring in the likes of Edin Dzeko, Denzel Dumfries, Joaquin Correa, Hakan Calhanoglu and others. The squad didn’t look to be strengthened but was it enough to fill the voids. Fast forward to this week and the answer to the question on everyone’s lips was simply, yes. Inter’s squad so far does look strong enough to challenge domestically and they have already surpassed the first milestone.
On this journey so far Inter have looked a different side. Less rigid, they play with more possession, more freedom and yet they haven’t lost that tenacious side that earned them such plaudits last term. Their pressing is as intense and they are working for each other just as much but they are simply a little bit more fun. Whether this wins them silverware is still to be seen but Inzaghi’s approach is working.
Gone are the days of Conte micromanaging every kick of the ball from the sidelines. Inzaghi has taken a more relaxed approach and has allowed them to express themselves a little bit more. He is certainly getting the best out of the squad so far but he is intelligent enough to understand that his predecessor had built a very well-drilled unit.
He is keeping so much of the good that he sees and his ego can handle appreciating those parts of the squad. Much like when Max Allegri took over from Conte, he slowly tweaked areas over time until his Juventus team eventually could play two systems.
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The squad almost look like a Conte team out of possession and an Inzaghi team in it. This freedom within a structure seems to suit all of the squad and players like Nicolo Barella and Lautaro Martinez are in their element. Ivan Perisic has been phenomenal as this seems to suit him more than most.
His athletic frame has no issues with hard pressing but the fact that he can use his own intelligence when on the ball is paying dividends. This is also why you are seeing Inter ‘go long’ more this season as a second option. Note Perisic again with the long throws and the fact that the players look to Edin Dzeko who also is having a superlative campaign. It is less rigid, more fluid and more unpredictable which is why perhaps, European qualification came, they are not that easy to read.
Whether this brings success is still up for debate. What Conte achieved domestically was fantastic and this should never be forgotten. He left a solid team with principles and he killed the ‘Pazza’. Perhaps it was the worry that when he left it would fall apart but instead, Inter fans are being treated to a much more enlightened period.
Perhaps there is a warning however of whether this can be successful. Eight years ago ‘La Scala’ in Milan had to pick between Verdi and Wagner to open their 200th birthday celebrations. Everyone expected it to be the more elegant Verdi as it was more enjoyable. They were gobsmacked when Wagner came out the winner.
@RichHall80