Former Torino defender Massimo Brambati believes that In
ter have not undergone a drastic stylistic change under Simone Inzaghi, but that the former Lazio coach has thrived by making subtle alterations.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster TMW Radio, Brambati emphasized the importance of Inzaghi’s measured process to shape the team in his image without making any major shocks to the system.
Inter brought in Inzaghi at the beginning of the summer partly because the 45-year-old was trusted to get the best out of the team that had already been built by former coach Antonio Conte.
The loss of the coach, and especially the sales of some key players, meant that Inzaghi would have to rebuild the team and find new solutions to some extent.
However, in Brambatti’s view, a big part of why the job that the former Biancocelesti boss has done has been so successful has been that his changes have not been wholesale.
“Lukaku gave a lot more of a threat in behind and he could play on his own,” Brambatti explained. “Dzeko has another way of playing.”
He went on that “Last year Inter still hadn’t won anything, this year they have players who have won, that’s why they feel less of a mental burden.”
“Last year Darmian had arrived somewhat unfit,” he continued, “then after Conte’s work he was reborn. Inzaghi did not upset the balance, he changed some things given the departures.”
He explained that “Perisic had already been put in at wing-back by Conte. After a victory Conte tells his players ‘Have you tasted the pleasure of winning? Now you have to work to get it back’.”
He also noted that when Conte took over at Inter in the summer of 2019, “He said to Zhang on the conference call, ‘Either sign Lukaku or I’ll walk away’, he knows exactly what to do for a team.”
