With Serie A on a brief hiatus due to the international break, Outside90’s Frank Garrasi takes a look at how Inter Milan have fared so far in 2015-16.
Roberto Mancini’s side sits behind only Fiorentina (on goal difference) in the Serie A standings, however, with Italian top-flight action set to return following the international break, concerns still linger over the Nerazzurri’s style of play and whether the squad can maintain its assault on the title.
What has gone right?
Results. Internazionale have become the masters of grinding out results thus far in the 2015-16 Serie A campaign.
In his second season at the helm of Inter, Mancini was able to utilise the transfer window to bring in players who fitted his philosophy as well as place his own imprint upon the playing group, with the side now boasting muscle and tactical discipline in abundance. This, in turn, has allowed for a much improved set of defensive performances from the Nerazzurri, with the San Siro side possessing Serie A’s tightest defence, having conceded only seven goals and keeping eight clean sheets.
As well as this, the performances of Slovenian goalkeeper Samir Handanovic have ensured, in most cases, Inter have only needed to register a solitary goal throughout the 90 minutes in order to claim maximum points.
This season, Inter Milan is a side that teams do not want to square off against, simply due to the fact that breaking down its structured and resolute defence has become a laborious task. And even if that occurs, finding a way past Handanovic in goal is equally as arduous.
What has gone wrong?
While the defence and goalkeeper have excelled for Inter in 2015-16, the midfield and attack have suffered.
Last season’s joint-Capocannoniere, Mauro Icardi, has regularly been a peripheral figure on matchday for the Nerazzurri, rarely getting involved in the team’s build-up and being forced to come deep when receiving the ball. The 22-year-old has registered just three goals so far this season.
In saying this, however, not a lot of the blame can be placed upon the Argentine’s shoulders. Spark and creativity in Inter’s midfield has been a rarity in 2015-16 following the sale of Mateo Kovacic to Real Madrid, while the side’s style of play is far too slow and predictable.
The lack of service being provided to the likes of Icardi up front has seen Inter score just 12 goals, with those around them in the table netting 24 (Fiorentina in first), 27 (AS Roma in third) and 22 (Napoli in fourth) times respectively.
Best player so far – Samir Handanovic
The fact that a goalkeeper has been Inter’s best player in 2015-16 does not speak just words for the side’s brilliant defence. The 31-year-old has been immense between the sticks for the Nerazzurri.
Man of the match performances such as the one that was provided against an impressive Torino side last time out have been of vital importance for Inter so far this season and the Slovenian has played a prominent role in helping his side keep eight clean sheets in 12 matches.
While Handanovic has not exactly bailed his side out of games, he has been a key feature for the Nerazzurri’s success thus far this campaign as well as being one of the very few mainstays in the starting lineup under Mancini in 2015-16.
With similar performances in the coming rounds, Inter have a chance at steering further away from the rest of the chasing pack.
What is next?
The next couple of months will be a vital period in Inter Milan’s season and determining whether or not the side is able to maintain its positive run of results and be classed as genuine title contenders or pretenders.
A trip to high-flying Napoli in less than a fortnight will be the Nerazzurri’s first test following the international break and may provide a sufficient judgement of how far Inter can go this season in Serie A.
With the defence seemingly all sorted, the task at hand for the Inter Milan manager is discovering a way in which his midfielders are able to link up and create opportunities in which to supply attackers such as the aforementioned Icardi.
Stevan Jovetic and Adem Ljajic may become key figures for Inter in the coming weeks depending on how regularly they are used by Mancini. Their outstanding technical ability and ingenuity in attacking areas could provide the San Siro side with the ability to finally discover its goalscoring touch this season.
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