Inter look to have made something of a tactical mistake by asking Lautaro Martinez to play as an out-and-out Number Nine this season after the departure of Romelu Lukaku.
This according to Italian news outlet Calciomercato.com,who argue that the Argentine has not been played in his strongest position this season and both his and the team’s form have suffered as a result.
Lukaku’s blockbuster sale to Chelsea during last summer’s transfer window broke up an effective partnership between the Belgian and Martinez which saw Lukaku lead the line and Martinez play as more of a second striker.
Neither of the players who Inter brought in to reinforce the attack in the wake of Lukaku’s departure, Edin Dzeko and Joaquin Correa, were really direct stylistic replacements for what the Belgian brought.
Part of Inter’s plans for the season appeared to be based around having Martinez act as more of an out-and-out goalscorer and penalty area threat to mitigate the loss of Lukaku, and to combine with the qualities of the other attackers.
The Argentine has had a decent season from a goalscoring perspective, though his goals have also tended to come in bursts and he has endured some long periods of poor form for which he has received significant criticism.
In the view of Calciomercato, this is the consequence of a mistake by the Nerazzurri in betting on Martinez to play as a true striker when this was in fact never a role for which he is suited.
