Loading ...Jul 18 2008
Return of Adriano Adds to Striker Logjam, Imbalance for Mourinho at Inter Milan
One of the lingering questions surrounding Inter Milan in the wake of Jose Mourinho’s arrival is whether he will implement the same system he used with Chelsea, and if so to what extent.
Mourinho deployed what’s alternately been described as a 4-5-1 and a 4-3-3 depending on how you view the role of the wingers. A more straight-forward explanation: Mourinho wants to play with a center forward and two attackers support, with those supporting expected to drop back, help in defense, and link-up. That job description lends many to think of those supporters as more midfielders than forwards; hence, the 4-5-1.
With Zlatan Ibrahmovic, Julio Cruz, and Mario Balotelli in fold, it would be tempted to go with more of a 4-3-3 approach. It would be a tall lineup, dominant in the box, but with enough skill and athleticism around the box to pull it off. The athleticism of both Cruz and Ibrahimovic tend to be underestimated. The advantages of three strikers, though, would be countered by the inability to match midfields like that of AS Roma. If Inter deployed a lineup with three players used to playing that high, Roma may never let Inter see the ball, let alone transition it through midfield should i Giallorossi lose possession.
Inter’s logjam up top has gotten worse with the return of Adriano from Sao Paulo. Having spent the last half-season in Brazil on loan while he rehabilitates from some personal problems, the Brazil international provides another thoroughbred up top for Mourinho. He returns to the San Siro determined to revitalize his career, creating a problem that few coaches would complain about having.
But his return doesn’t change much for Mourinho and Inter. The club can only player three of these four strikers, at most. Many think they should only play one, and the acquisition of Alessandro Mancini from Roma hints at Mourinho’s desire to switch to deploy more of a 4-5-1. He would use Mancini on one side and potentially the newly secured Luis Jimenez (or Ricardo Quaresema) on the other. In the middle, above Patrick Vieira and Esteban Cambiasso, he still aspires to slot in Frank Lampard.
Whether he will be able to do this will be the question of the next month. There are about six weeks to put Mourinho’s system in place, but he needs to adjust his personnel. With Adriano’s return and Balotelli’s development, he is overloaded in strikers while being thin in the midfielder for a Champions League-aspiring side. Mourinho probably knows what he’s doing and may be envisioning Cruz in a more expansive role, but if the acquisition of Mancini tells us anything about how he feels towards his roster, changes may still come.
I have no idea what to think about Inter’s chances in the upcoming Serie A. The transfer season is long from over, but as it stands now, I have a feeling they are going to fall. Still, every time I think that I remember their new coach. There is more than enough talent in this club to make something happens, even if Mourinho has to go outside his comfort zone to make it so. But Roma will again be strong, and the improvements of AC Milan have been duly noted. Juventus, another wild card, I feel much more positively about than Inter.
Links
Adriano Thanks Inter Fans for Support
Adriano Promises Lots of Goals
Adriano returns to Inter in a determined mood
WFP Related Posts
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.