Over the course of this current season, inter have changed its shape in midfield more then any team out there. This is understandable when a new coach has to play around abit before finding the right formula.
At the start of the season mancini wanted the last piece to his jigsaw puzzle, that was Cesar. After failing in gaining the services of the Brazilian, Mancini then set out on finding the best midfield with the current players he had and one that had the right balance. However this would prove harder than initially thought...
He begun with the flat 4 in midfield, with the pair of Veron and Davids in the middle, sadly this didn’t work. Once the season got to the 3rd round, mancini ditched the idea of the pair in the middle, in came Cambiasso and Ze maria was then forced out of the team to make way for VDM.
Cambiasso only had once chance and that was away to Atalanta where he did quite well, but once again (at home to Parma) Mancini went back to the pair of Veron and Davids. The game resulted in another draw and Mancini went back to the drawing board.
After the problems in the midfield Mancini decided to stick with the diamond type midfield with Cambiasso playing the holding role in front of the defensive 4. This continued for most of the games until against Udinese and Fiorentina C.Zanetti came in and played alongside Cambiasso to give stability in midfield, as Inter were giving up so many goals that they had led the league in Goals Allowed.
Since then there has been changes but lately Mancini believes the defensive midfielders have given the right balance for the team. But many argue (including Doctor Moratti himself) that against the smaller teams we need to impose our game more and use the ability of our players as an advantage.
The problem Mancini faces is which midfield to play and when to play it… Too much change and it will unsettle the team.
Many other teams can switch between the shape and position of their midfield but in the end they end up using mostly the same players,
at Inter it’s a different case as when we change the shape of our midfield, so do most the players who get picked.
Mancini must choose now which midfield he wants. He has these choices
Flat midfield (2 DMs, with wingers)
========C.Zanetti===Cambiasso======
VDM========================Deki
Split midfield (2DM's, 2 AM's) no wingers
=======C.Zanetti===Cambiasso======
=====Veron===========Stankovic===
Daimond midfield (DM and AM, with wingers)
===========Camibasso===========
VDM=========Veron=========Stanky
Diamond midfield (1 DM, 3 CM) no wingers
==========Camibasso=========
====Veron====Emre====Stankovic
Certainly a change in formation will result in a player losing his place in the starting 11. If theres no wingers there will be no room for VDM or Kily and with the inclusion of wingers there will be less room for the likes of Emre and Davids.
I personally think, that Mancio must make his decion soon, so that next year the players that don’t fit in his formation should be allowed to leave.
Because with the knowledge of knowing what the coach wants, he keeps the players he needs so he can stick to one set of players to keep people happy, and at the same time, cutting down the size of the squad.
Lately we have been succesful using the 2DM's of Hammer and Chu-Chu and then using the attacking midfielders in Stankovic and Veron. The coach and players have agreed that when a substitution is made during a match that changes the shape of the midfield, they lose their edge for the 'adaption' time.
Another problem that faces Mancio is, his likingness to playing with Wingers. It hasnt been all to succesful with us, but its almsot certain in the off season we will be purchasing a winger. Wether its Cesar, Jankulovski or Taddei. The latter has been confirmed with the management not denying there quest to sign the player.
It seems were starting to find consistency and thats hard to come by at Inter. This seems to have come when we have excluded VDM and wingers from our setup. Most noticable is how our defensce seems more secure without them.
I forsee us having a succesful season with the midfield we have adapted in the last few games. What scares me is, if we leave it like that for the season and it works well, but come transfer market time Mancini buys new wingers and were back to square one, which is...
- New players.
- New midfield.
- Trying all the different combinations of midfield. Which means taking that extra bit of time to find out perfect formula.
Is that where we have been behind Milan and Juve? Have our coaches had to much change which takes to much time to finally find the right balance? Lets hope this year Mancini finds the right balance and then in the market he wont change that.
So come Serie A 05/06 were battling for the scudetto from game one and not at the half way point.