Italian journalist Mario Sconcerti feels that Inter strikers Edin Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez do not function well as a pair when they play together.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster SportMediaset after yesterday’s Serie A loss to Sassuolo, Sconcerti highlighted the duo’s lack of chemistry up front as one of the Nerazzurri’s major issues this season, and for their toothless second half display.
Dzeko hadn’t started yesterday as Alexis Sanchez was instead handed the start alongside Martinez, but with the team 2-0 down at halftime the Bosnian was thrown on to increase the firepower as they chased a goal.
However, for all the Nerazzurri’s possession and chances they seemed to lack the incisiveness to really break down the Neroverdi to create more than half-chances in front of goal.
In the view of Sconcerti, the partnership between Dzeko and Martinez has had this issue all season even if it hasn’t always been punished.
“Lautaro and Dzeko are an ineffective pair,” he said, “they don’t mesh well together. Out of 26 matches, they have only scored in the same match twice. Lautaro is not a centre-forward.”
Speaking to the Nerazzurri’s struggles overall, he said that “It’s understandable that the Nerazzurri are tired. There’s no doubt that there are problems.”
“Inter don’t have that much depth and not any of great quality,” he added. “Vidal, Vecino, Ranocchia, and Dimarco are not players who belong in a a great team, and you pay for that.”
