Player Ratings From Inter Miami's Early Morning Match in Hong Kong
+ Some an interesting post-game comment from Tata Martino
photo credit: Inter Miami CF
Inter Miami has gotten itself in trouble with the Hong Kong government.
There’s never a dull day with this team!
As you may know, according to several reports floating around on X (formerly known as Twitter), Messi and Suarez were held out by Tata Martino and the team’s medical staff due to minor injuries.
Messi was dealing with some abductor soreness, while Suarez didn’t play with knee discomfort.
That’s normal. Both players have had issues with these injuries in the past.
What is surprising (not really, we know how the media is with Inter Miami, lol) is the outcry due to the pair not playing.
I understand that 40,000 Hong Kong-based fans paid money to see their favorite footballers play, but there was always a risk of Miami’s older players not taking the field because of the tight pre-season schedule.
Furthermore, I do feel bad for the fans who showed such passionate support only to be snubbed.
At the end of the day, regardless of controversy, these men are human too and can only do so much before their bodies require rest.
As that story continues to develop, here are the player ratings from Miami’s win vs. the Hong Kong All-Stars.
*I’ll rate every player on a scale of 1 to 10, with 5 being average.*
Goalkeeping, Defense:
🧤 CJ dos Santos - 7: I like his game. It’s clear he’s far more comfortable on the ball compared to Callendar. Had command of his box and cleared away danger well. Would like to see him get more minutes in 2024.
🏎️ DeAndre Yedlin - 8: He was hustling out there, even until the 90th minute. Probably his best game of pre-season. Active on both attack and defense.
🦌 Tomas Avilés - 6.7: Solid game from the youngster. Martino just needs to find the right center-back partner to pair him with.
🏋️ Serhiy Kryvtsov - 5: Went out due to injury. Still not convinced he’s a starter on this team. Just very unconvincing at the back. For example below, the Ukrainian could’ve just back-passed the ball to dos Santos, but he made life difficult for himself:
🐥 Noah Allen - 7: Another solid game from the 19-year-old. Held down the left-back spot well.
Midfield:
💈 David Ruiz - 6: A decent game from the teenager, will share minutes with Sunderland as Cremaschi continues to recover.
🐺 Gregore - 7.3: Very happy to see him back in action, looks like his 2022 self. Excited to see him pair Busquets in the middle this year.
🦩 Lawson Sunderland - 7.5: Impressed by his performance! Had some giveaways and loose touches, but he used his large frame nicely and was quite mobile for a tall guy. Progressed the ball forward very well.
Attack:
🥨 Julian Gressel - 7.3: His best game in an Inter Miami shirt so far. Showed his versatility, crossing ability, and hustle. Depending on Messi’s availability in 2024, expect him to start at right wing periodically:
🛎️ Leonardo Campana - 8.5: Excellent game from the striker. This is the Campana that burst onto the scene in 2022. Led the line well, nabbed a goal, and assisted during his time out there.
🪽 Robert Taylor - 9: He gets a nine for that goal alone. Love him at left wing.
Substitutes:
💨 Jordi Alba - 6: Had a solid outing. Was active in the final third and linked up play well.
🧮 Sergio Busquets - 6.5: Came on, set the tempo, and rotated the ball well.
⛵ Ryan Sailor - 7: Got a goal and assist. Did well at the back when Kryvtsov came off.
☀️ Yannick Bright - 6: Had a couple of nifty touches that encouraged me! Won’t be surprised if Miami signs the SuperDraft pick to a first-team contract.
💪 Shanyder Borgelin - 6.3: His hold-up play was excellent and made some positive runs into the final third, even though he didn’t score.
🛥️ Israel Boatwright - 6.4: It’s clear that Boatwright has the flair and dribbling ability of a player who will fit into Inter Miami’s squad seamlessly.
🏫 Tyler Hall - N/A: Congratulations on your first team debut!
A Quick Note On… Martino’s Post-Game Comment
So, besides the hubbub regarding injuries, Tata Martino had an interesting post-game comment that I believe should be highlighted.
On the team’s overall performance and formation switch:
“Overall it was a good performance. We decided to switch formations from five in back to a 4-3-3, and it was clear the players seemed much more comfortable on the field.”
I take this as Miami will probably implement the 4-3-3 more often than not going forward. That will undoubtedly leave the Herons more exposed in transition, but the fluidity it allows them to attack is unplayable.
Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment below! Let’s discuss it!
Also yeah for the formation which works much better!
My two cents. I absolutely loved that the young players looked so good out there. This was an amazing win for them. The reaction to Messi being injured just baffles me. He’s a 36 year old man who’s had the same injury for a decade. Of course he can’t play every game, and especially not all the preseason games. He’s actually played more minutes than I would have liked to be honest. I understand the disappointment but the sense of entitlement is a real problem. I also think Messi wanted to play but Tata and the other staff wouldn’t let him and that is their job tbh. Anyway congratulations to the Herons on a well deserved victory.