SportItalia transfer market expert Alfredo Pedulla feels that Simone Inzaghi’s work as Inter coach has always deserved a defense from criticism, but that his use of substitutions is something that he must be criticized for.
Writing in his column for SportItalia.com, Pedulla suggested that the coach’s substitutions have frequently been too predictable, have not changed matches, and have cost his team points at times.
Inzaghi has sometimes gotten substitutions right, such as when he introduced the likes of Marcelo Brozovic, Romelu Lukaku, and Robin Gosens in the Champions League last week.
However, in matches such as the team’s 1-0 Serie A loss away to Bologna over the weekend, the coach has simply made the expected formulaic substitutions.
When things are not going the Nerazzurri’s way, these kinds of substitutions can certainly become a problem.
Pedulla gave his views on Inzaghi as a coach, writing that “I’ve always defended Simone Inzaghi, and I certainly don’t abandon him after 72 or 100 hours.”
“I think he’s a good coach with some notable limitations that he must find ways to overcome.”
“The most important one is this,” Pedulla goes on, “he must avoid the substitutions in matches becoming just something done by force of habit, taken for granted.”
“Lukaku comes off, Dzeko comes on, a defender on a yellow is hooked, same for a midfielder on a yellow.”
“These are just the same formulaic substitutions that don’t show any imagination or look like he’s reacting to situations, in the way that Pioli has often done in tight spots for Milan,” he goes on.
“In Bologna it would have been useful to keep Lukaku on in hindsight, even if Orsolini’s goal was not necessarily predicted for, he has to be able to foresee these things as a coach,” Pedulla argues.
“Three attackers being available on the pitch could well have been a useful way to shake up the usual and predictable patterns of play.”
