Inter coach Simone Inzaghi can no longer point to successes in cup competitions if he wants to prove himself as Nerazzurri boss, and must start to show his mettle in Serie A as well.
This is the view in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, who argue that the coach must improve the team’s form significantly over the second half of this season in the league compared to the first.
Over his first season and a half at Inter, Inzaghi has shown a real knack for proving his doubters wrong with statement wins, which have more often than not come in cup competitions.
Last season the coach guided the Nerazzurri to glory in the Supercoppa Italiana and the Coppa Italia for the first time in over a decade.
Moreover, Inter also reached the quarterfinals for the first time in eleven seasons under Inzaghi, with the former Lazio coach also earning plaudits for how the team performed against eventual finalists Liverpool in the round of sixteen despite elimination.
This time around, Inter have already reached the round of sixteen in Europe’s top competition with four points against Barcelona in the group stage, whilst Inzaghi has made it two Supercoppa wins on the bounce.
However, in the view of the Gazzetta, at a certain point these sorts of results are only papering over real problems that have become evident in the team’s erratic form in the league.
Inter have picked up just 37 points after half a season played in Serie A, and the coach bears at least a significant chunk of responsibility for this, the newspaper argues.
The Gazzetta notes that it was Inzaghi’s choice to sign Romelu Lukaku over Paulo Dybala in the summer, whilst the perception that stubborn tactics and an overreliance on the most experienced and trusted players has worn the team out remains.
The 46-year-old coach certainly has every opportunity of proving himself if he and the team turn things out over the second half of the campaign compared to the first.
However, the Gazzetta argues, if they cannot do so, more serious questions will have to be asked about Inzaghi’s suitability in his post than ever, regardless of what they do in the knockout competitions.
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