Inter played SPAL away from home and Spalletti took the opportunity to rotate the squad once again by trying out different bodies in a more direct through the middle approach.
Spalletti lined up with Vrsaljko on the right who put in an above average performance, Skriniar, Miranda followed by Asamoah. These wide men are probably Inters best options if they want to really get forward and apply strong pressure to their opposition. The holding midfielders consisted of Borja Valero and Vecino who played very well but they just can’t do what Brozovic does and grab the game by the throat when Inter starts regressing. In front of them in the line of three saw Perisic out on the left, Radja in that attacking midfielder role and finally Keita Balde out wide in his natural position. and finally Mauro Icardi leading his team to a big win.
What’s particularly interesting about these kinds of wins is that although Inter started very strongly, which enabled Icardi to bury a Vrsaljko cross, they kind of reverted to a shut down mentality and played most of the rest of the game, on the back foot, the second goal excluded. This is when a player like Brozovic can truly grab the game by the scruff of the neck and dictate where the balls are going to be worked to. Borja Valero on the other hand acts more passively and takes less risk which meant that SPAL was able to force him into playing certain passes backwards that Brozovic would be able to dribble out of.
In that line of three, Keita looked as if he was nervous, and it’s absolutely understandable considering this was kind of his first real go in his natural position in Spalletti’s starting eleven. He was able to apply good pressure and force a SPAL turnover which led to the 2 v 1 with him and Icardi but he was just a fraction of a second too late on the pass. Radja and Perisic linked up rather nicely especially after the second goal to carry the balls into the corners and just hold the pressure.
Last but not least, the beast himself, Mauro Icardi. Icardi’s level of intelligence in the opposing half of the field is such an incredible gift that contrary to what a lot of people say, he is completely capable of contributing to the build up play and the world was witness to that in the second goal in particular. It was a fantastic brace by the captain and hopefully it truly does mean the awakening of Inter’s goal scoring beast; MI9.
