Inter have started the season strong in attack, but have also shown glaring defensive vulnerabilities, which coach Simone Inzaghi will have to find a solution to soon.

This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, who highlight the issues in personnel and in approach which have left the Nerazzurri conceding goals, especially the lack of top-quality rotation options.

So far this season, Inter have conceded at least once in six of their seven Serie A matches, with only the opener against Genoa having seen Samir Handanovic keep a clean sheet.

This is a far cry from the solidity shown by the team last season, when the likes of Milan Skriniar, Stefan de Vrij, and Alessandro Bastoni formed the most reliable defensive unit in the Italian top flight ahead of Handanovic and the team worked as a whole to prevent goals.

In the view of the Gazzetta, the fist-choice trio has not looked up to the same standard that it showed last season, while Denzel Dumfries has not yet slotted in as an assured defensive piece on the right, Hakan Calhanoglu has not provided adequate defensive cover centrally, and captain Handanovic has appeared error-prone.

Meanwhile, Hellas Verona loan returnee Federico Dimarco appears to be the only rotation option that Inzaghi particularly trusts, with the 23-year-old being regularly played either in the left-centre-back or left-wing-back roles.

The coach will have to find solutions to prevent fatigue in a first-choice trio who have looked some way from their best, while he must also re-balance the overall team approach to give his defenders more protection.