Lautaro Martinez

[Irequis]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1736487295149105637

This record is sweeter because we have been overseeing Lautaro's development since years ago. Vieri was a top striker in his era. Milito was already a Serie A top scorer when we bought him. Meanwhile, Lautaro was a kid when he came. We saw his transformation from a raw striker, to a energetic but wasteful player, and now he becomes our captain & reliable scorer. Although he came originally from Racing, he spent many years with us since 2018. It is very rare for us to have a worldclass player coming from our nurturing since we often dismiss players after one or two subpar seasons.

 

[thatdude]

The difference between playing with Lukaku and Thuram.

https://x.com/Inter_Xtra/status/1736551343429423518?s=20

 

[wera]

Just remember that we constantly get worried about who is supposed to be our main striker, but this club believed in Lautaro since forever. Him being so good is part natural progression, part being next to another attacker he really fits with (Thuram, before that Lukaku at certain points), part knowing that he can achieve greatness (after winning Serie A, reaching a CL final and winning a World Cup).

He is not shying away from the responsibility of being the main player for Inter.

 

[dax21]

Hate to go against the grain here but I don't buy into this evolution into a clinical finisher just yet, no matter how much I want it to happen. We are not even halfway into the season, it's too early for these sorts of conclusions. I'd say he is enjoying the best streak of his career obviously, as streak is the adequate word here. It's unfair and unrealistic to put that type of pressure on player to keep delivering this for another 20 games in the league alone.

I've seen too many players recently have a fantastic season only to completely disappear the next one - Piatek, Vlahovic, Dybala, Kvaratskhelia, Lukaku... not saying that these players are all alike or the same caliber as Lautaro, but you get the point.

 

[wera]

Agreed. This could be his best season and he'll never reach this numbers again.. but I do think we've all been impressed since the start of the season, so he does deserve the praise. There is something there that can be relied in for the next 5 seasons at least.

Being "on" for the whole season as a striker is hard to do. Harder than any other position. Is crazy how many times he scored from a "half chance". That isn't something that can be relied on, but it is great that we have that kind of striker here, otherwise we'd be fourth at best right now.

Yesterday his tenacity bared fruit yet again.

 

[varmin]

Hate to go against the grain here but I don't buy into this evolution into a clinical finisher just yet, no matter how much I want it to happen. We are not even halfway into the season, it's too early for these sorts of conclusions. I'd say he is enjoying the best streak of his career obviously, as streak is the adequate word here. It's unfair and unrealistic to put that type of pressure on player to keep delivering this for another 20 games in the league alone.

I've seen too many players recently have a fantastic season only to completely disappear the next one - Piatek, Vlahovic, Dybala, Kvaratskhelia, Lukaku... not saying that these players are all alike or the same caliber as Lautaro, but you get the point.

I don't know why you put Dybala amongst the rest, as he had many good seasons, not only one. It's same with Lautaro. His second season with Conte was very good, despite he didn't score so much. In the next two seasons he had 28 and 25 goals respectively in all competitions. Now, he has an exceptional season so far, but this doesn't mean that he is a one season wonder, like Piatek or not live up to the expectations as Vlahovic.

 

[vex]

There is no one in europe right now in his position with the type of tenacity he has. Must be hell for defenders to play against, especially if you are a team that builds their attack from the back.

In that regard, he reminds me of prime rooney, same type of will to just push and pressure all the time.

 

[dax21]

I don't know why you put Dybala amongst the rest, as he had many good seasons, not only one. It's same with Lautaro. His second season with Conte was very good, despite he didn't score so much. In the next two seasons he had 28 and 25 goals respectively in all competitions. Now, he has an exceptional season so far, but this doesn't mean that he is a one season wonder, like Piatek or not live up to the expectations as Vlahovic.

I named Dybala because he had the best season of his career in terms of goals scored followed immediately by one of the weaker ones where he scored only 10 goals. I didn't mean to imply that these names are one-season wonders, which is why I also said how they are not the same caliber but they do have in common struggling to keep up with momentum after their strongest seasons.

Agreed. This could be his best season and he'll never reach this numbers again.. but I do think we've all been impressed since the start of the season, so he does deserve the praise. There is something there that can be relied in for the next 5 seasons at least.

Being "on" for the whole season as a striker is hard to do. Harder than any other position. Is crazy how many times he scored from a "half chance". That isn't something that can be relied on, but it is great that we have that kind of striker here, otherwise we'd be fourth at best right now.

Yesterday his tenacity bared fruit yet again.

I admit that plenty of aspects of his game other than finishing have also been improved and those are not flukes or streak things (mentality, fixed his proclivity for diving, doesn't go to ground as easily anymore, etc). I genuinely believe that Lautaro believes in the second star, alongside the entire team. It's all ours for the taking, as long as we can keep the important players healthy and avoid dumb mistakes. And with every subsequent game that feeling has to be snowballing bigger and bigger.

 

[varmin]

I didn't mean to imply that these names are one-season wonders, which is why I also said how they are not the same caliber but they do have in common struggling to keep up with momentum after their strongest seasons.

But to keep the momentum after an outstanding season is very difficult for most of the players. A decline is expected and normal, it depends how big will be. This is the reason why some clubs are open to sell a player after a stellar season. They know that this will be very difficult to repeat and it's better to get the huge money.
You can put Oshimen in that category as well. He scored 31 goals last season in all competitions, but for now he has only 8. He is still so damn good regardless.

 

[rfU]

I think it's always best to give it a full season and then some, before making that "world class" call. Could be he's coming of age but in my view Toro is thriving in Inzaghis system, alongside a selfless Thuram, and everyone is in good form (even Defry and Dumfries). The real challenge lies ahead. And then to carry this form in to the following seasons, especially in those valley moments, when the whole team is performing poorly... that is what world class players do.

His best trait for me which is rarely mentioned is his fitness and conditioning which has allowed him to maintain a good level of consistency at this level.

He's really taken the captainship like a duck to water, which took by surprise. But again, we're in a good period. Its the tough times that define us.

 

[#NotForMe]

I think it's always best to give it a full season and then some, before making that "world class" call. Could be he's coming of age but in my view Toro is thriving in Inzaghis system, alongside a selfless Thuram, and everyone is in good form (even Defry and Dumfries). The real challenge lies ahead. And then to carry this form in to the following seasons, especially in those valley moments, when the whole team is performing poorly... that is what world class players do.

His best trait for me which is rarely mentioned is his fitness and conditioning which has allowed him to maintain a good level of consistency at this level.

He's really taken the captainship like a duck to water, which took by surprise. But again, we're in a good period. Its the tough times that define us.

He was world class before this season.
It is the moves and plays he makes that defines it, not the form; the biggest differences between him and Eder, Dia etc. kinda one season wonder players (also their wonders are main on stats not the play itself)

Like even when Shevchenko moved to Chelsea and sucked balls, you can still tell by his plays; same with Kaka at Real.
Deigo Milto was world class when he joined us, you don't need a second season to tell that.
Recoba doesn't play much, but do you ever question his class?
The only one that had potential but didn't reach it with us was Balotelli.

Crazy to think someone still question LM's quality when he has the highest scoring record in a Calendar year with Inter.

Not to mention he also has the highest quality in pressing among all the strikers we ever had, and a very top notch play making ability.

 

[#NotForMe]

I don't know how people get the impression that WC strikers score goals more than 20 every year in the league:
First column appearances, second goals
Deigo Milto:

Batistuta:

Shevchenko:

Osimhen:

our beloved Adriano or people even question he is not WC from 2003-2006??:


Finally LM:


You guys are thinking of players like Luca Toni, Icardi, Inzaghi (even he doesn't score as much as you think), but all kinda box players and just scores)

 

[armendsh]

Bro's playing 40games every year tf how can he stay so healthy

 

[CafeCordoba]

Lautaro is sooooo much more than just his goals. He's never going to be true clinical finisher, people need to get that out of their systems. It doesn't mean he cannot be a world class striker.

 

[rfU]

Crazy to think someone still question LM's quality when he has the highest scoring record in a Calendar year with Inter.

I remember I was one of the few saying Kaku was not world class based on his stint here. One season changed all that and didn't take long. Like Kaku before him, Toro is thriving in under the right conditions. No one has ever doubted his quality, but world class is a different tier which is thrown around haphazardly without appropriate context (level of opposition) or clear definition.

Recoba was never world class. Talented? Yes. But never considered among the best in the world. Sheva had back problems at Chelsea and numerous individual accolades to back up his claim as WC including a Ballon dor. Crespo was never committed at Chelsea, Mourinho said as much, but 2x UCL final goals give him some clout as well top goal scorer back when the serie a was the number one league in the world. Milito 2x finals goals on the biggest stage of European football... Ditto Inzaghi (don't think he's world class though), Toro has never reached these moments save for a WC penalty goal in a tournament where he was very subpar. Batigol played his entire prime for a mid table team but was at one time the best striker when the league was the world's best.

Lautaro is sooooo much more than just his goals. He's never going to be true clinical finisher, people need to get that out of their systems. It doesn't mean he cannot be a world class striker.

Pressing and playmaking make him a well rounded striker, not world class. It makes him perfect for our system, much like Muller at Bayern. But Muller has a WC golden boot. Meanwhile, Toro has close to no personal accolades to speak of. And that's ok. He has plenty of time.

 

[wera]

Well the world class striker is what bothers me. We usually reserve that for strikers that are clutch. And as much as I like Lautaro, he wasn't clutch in the World Cup except for that one penalty on the road to the final and also we've been on his ass for not doing more in CL (I loved him last season in CL tbh and he's been good this season too).

As far Serie A goes, Lautaro had drops in form every season, but against some opposition he delivers.

So I don't think he is world class, but he has everything to be a Balon D'or winner, he just needs that one perfect season. Maybe 2023/24?

 

[qb4ever_2k]

Bro's playing 40games every year tf how can he stay so healthy

The answer is minutes, he only started eating up the minutes since last year and he did struggle during the world cup. Before that, we regularly saw him subbed out around 60' mark.

He's also not burdened too much with the NT now (thank Julian, very cool).

 

[CafeCordoba]

It's the pressing, playmaking, positioning, leadership, understanding when to cover which part of the pitch, being willing to absorb all that fouling, offering availability to the coach despite pain, almost never getting injured bad enough. And then all these goals.

It's the whole package.

 

[forzainter257]

You guys will never call him a World Class even he wins the Balon D'or. You will be saying, "let's wait if he can repeat this success next year before we make conclusions" secretly regretting that we don't have Vlahovic or another balkan wardrobe instead. For me he had been a potentially world class since his first year and he has been a world class like 4 years already

 

[PHM1605]

Let me trigger a bomb then run: "Who between peak-Icardi and Lautaro is more world-class?"