Inter Milan Coach Hoping For A Defensive Turning Point After International Break | OneFootball

Simone Inzaghi is hoping that the international break can mark a turning point for Inter Milan in defense after a poor start to the season.

Today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, note that the coach has had the chance to work on the defense a lot over the last two weeks.

Last season, Inter’s stellar defensive record had been the bedrock of their march to the Serie A title.

The Nerazzurri kept the most clean sheets in the league, and conceded the fewest goals.

And as a matter of fact, Inter kept a clean sheet more often than not in Serie A last time around.

This campaign has been a very different story.

Inter have conceded nine goals already, from just seven matches.

A defensive record like that over the course of the entire season would make it very difficult for Inter to successfully defend their league title.

There is a certain sense that old bad habits are creeping back in after Inzaghi had gotten rid of them last campaign.

The problem for Inter has been a lot of lapses. Individual defenders have switched off at key moments, while the team has lost its defensive shape at times.

And these switch-offs have always gotten punished.

Inzaghi Hoping International Break Marks Defensive Turning Point For Inter Milan

Considering that scoring goals has not been a problem for Inter so far this season, Inzaghi has chosen to really focus on the defense during the international break.

And in that respect, the Inter coach has had the right personnel available to him.

Federico Dimarco and Alessandro Bastoni were away with Italy.

But all of Francesco Acerbi, Stefan de Vrij, Benjamin Pavard, Yann Bisseck, Carlos Augusto, and Matteo Darmian stayed back to train with Inzaghi.

As did goalkeeper Yann Sommer.

Therefore, Inzaghi has really focused on working to tighten up Inter as a defensive unit over the break.

That means two weeks worth of work.

And this weekend, Inter will put that work to the test. They take on Roma in their return to Serie A action.

The Giallorossi will certainly be able to put Inter’s defense under pressure.

But Inzaghi is hopeful that he has tightened up the Nerazzurri defense sufficiently.