Former Inter striker Hernan Crespo feels that current Nerazzurri striker Lautaro Martinez just needs to wait for opportunities to come and then he will find his form again.
Speaking to Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview published in today’s print edition, the Argentine gave his thoughts on the current Nerazzurri striker’s run of poor form and expressed confidence that it is only temporary.
Martinez has missed a number of chances in recent matches, and his misses have begun to prove costly to the team in an important part of the season.
The 24-year-old’s form has seemingly been at the heart of the dip experienced by the entire team, whilst he himself seems to have suffered from the entire team’s drop-off in confidence and energy.
In the view of Crespo, however, this is just part of life as a striker, and things will turn around quickly for him once he breaks his goal drought.
“In the career of a striker there are always more or less prolific periods,” he said. “There are times when you barely touch the ball but then score a worldie, and then there are times when you can shoot ten times and it won’t go in.”
On the possibility that Martinez is no longer at his best, he suggested “Let’s ask ourselves, rather, if Inter are still the same Inter.”
“A striker, much more than other players, depends on the moves of the entire team, on the movements of his team-mates, on their service,” he said.
“With this Inter, are we sure that they’re playing as they were in the first half of the season?” he posed. “If you lost against Milan, if you drew in Naples, if you lost against Liverpool and Sassuolo, it’s not just Lautaro’s fault, right?”
Crespo gave the view that “He just needs a goal. He’ll score one and then score seven or eight in a row. You’ll see.”
“He’s a top striker, sought after by the biggest European clubs and who made the choice to stay at Inter because he wanted to grow his game,” he added.
“I follow him and, even if at a distance, I give him my affection,” he continued. “In the penalty area he is deadly. He can shoot well with his left and right foot.”
“He’s good with his head and with acrobatic efforts,” he added. “Of course, now he is going through a period where nothing’s going right, but he hasn’t lost his qualities.”
