Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi appeared to have been testing out a new tactical idea with his use of versatile defender Federico Dimarco in the starting eleven to face Lecce yesterday evening.

This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, who note that the 24-year-old positioned himself higher than Alessandro Bastoni typically would have, and that at times the coach seemed to have the team attack in an unusual 2-4-4 shape.

Dimarco was a surprise selection on the left of the back three ahead of Bastoni, and immediately it was clear that the 24-year-old wasn’t just filling in for an unfit Bastoni but rather had a specific job to do for his coach.

Both Bastoni and Dimarco often pressed forward from their defensive position last season to try and create numerical advantages higher up the pitch, but even by this standard it was notable how much freedom Dimarco was given to run forward against Lecce.

The 24-year-old underlapped wingback Robin Gosens in what looked to be a ploy to cause havoc among the man-marking scheme of Lecce’s interior players, a gambit which the Gazzetta notes is similar to how AC Milan coach has increasingly used his fullbacks Theo Hernandez and Davide Calabria.

Inzaghi’s idea immediately paid off as Dimarco was able to send in the ball that resulted in Romelu Lukaku’s second-minute opener from an advanced position.

It will remain to be seen if and when the coach will continue to turn to this tactical tweak, but it did appear to demonstrate that Dimarco will not be restricted from joining the attack by his nominal position as a defender when that’s where he plays.