Weaknesses Still Impact Inter Miami Despite Run of Success

Inter Miami may be the bottom team n the Eastern Conference, but it's now a significant contender for the Leagues Cup.

The fans are more excited about their team than ever before. To fulfill the fans' demands, Inter Miami still needs to address some loopholes in their team.

Let's discuss a few of them.

Inter Miami's Off the Ball Movement

Off-the-ball movement forms a vital component of a game's strategy. Whenever possession of the ball is yours, the aim is to surge forward or seek out a teammate to distribute the ball.

In such instances, the other players must shift to forge a clear passing path or initiate a forward advance, allowing the player holding possession to execute an advance pass.

Equally important is comprehending the actions of the current possessor of the ball. Understand their innate movement tendencies, typical passing inclinations, and whether to approach or distance oneself to receive the pass. This is commonly referred to as positional awareness.

For Inter Miami, Lionel Messi operates as the playmaker.

He constructs the offensive plays from the midfield, crafting opportunities. Hence, it becomes imperative to grasp Messi's instinctive movements, establish visual contact, and generate space.

Messi enjoys the presence of a few of his former teammates at Inter Miami who possess a deeper understanding of Messi's style, enabling them to engage in one-on-one exchanges, thereby constructing and culminating in an offensive maneuver.

The initial goal against FC Dallas serves as a prime illustration of positional awareness. When Alba positioned himself adjacent to the opponent's penalty area touchline, Messi embarked on a sprint toward the penalty area, fully confident that Alba would execute a backward pass. The outcome, as we witnessed, was a resounding success.

Johan Cruyff eloquently elucidated the significance of off the ball movement.

"During the course of a match, statistical analysis reveals that players typically retain possession of the ball for approximately 3 minutes on average... Thus, the paramount query is: How do you utilize those 87 minutes when the ball is not under your control? This, ultimately, defines whether you qualify as a commendable player."

- Johan Cruyff

Inter Miami Struggles with Man Marking

Another pivotal aspect of gameplay is man-marking.

The defenders of Inter Miami, namely Miller and Serhiy, shoulder a substantial responsibility in the realm of man-marking.

In line with the tactical approach of the Herons' coach, Tata Martino, a preference for an aggressive defensive line is evident, aimed at exerting pressure on adversary attackers and employing the offside trap. In such scenarios, defenders must employ astute marking tactics against opposition forwards.

The objective is to isolate them and constrict the passing avenues. Regrettably, there have been instances where this strategy faltered. A closer examination of Dallas's opening goal reveals a lapse in Inter Miami's defensive line, allowing Facundo Farias to remain unmarked within the penalty area. Facundo faced minimal resistance from defenders and effortlessly capitalized on the opportunity to take a shot from inside the box.

Inter Miami Still Needs Speedy Full-Back Play

In contemporary soccer, the presence of speedy full backs assumes paramount importance for any team.

Fullbacks seamlessly transition into attacking roles during the team's offensive phases, while swiftly reverting to defensive postures to constitute a four-man backline during opponent counterattacks.

Jordi Alba, a seasoned left back, retains his prowess in contributing to attacking transitions, albeit occasionally experiencing sluggishness in reverting from attack to defense.

Conversely, DeAndre Yedlin's swiftness is found wanting, impeding his ability to deliver precise crosses into the penalty area.

In addition to these factors, numerous challenges obstruct Inter Miami's path to securing the championship.

A detailed discussion of these impediments will be undertaken progressively.

Martino, undeniably an adept and seasoned tactician, holds promise in uncovering effective solutions to surmount these challenges in the near future.