Three Observations from Inter Miami's Last Two Matches vs. the Union and CF Montreal
Patterns repeat themselves, but Miami get out of as slump.
photo credit: Inter Miami CF
Inter Miami has started showing signs of life again during its last two MLS regular-season matches.
Though a draw against an excellent Philadelphia Union side and a win over CF Montreal would make any team happy, the Herons are still far from perfect.
The club’s last two games have been chaotic in a couple of different ways. First, a wild 3-3 draw versus the Union saw them climb back from a 3-1 deficit, but they looked shaky throughout the match.
Then a solid 4-2 home win against Montreal saw the Javier Mascherano-led side return to winning ways.
Despite the positive results, there were a few red flags to worry about as the season progresses.
Midfield Gaps Causing Defensive Stress
The biggest concern right now?
The lack of numerical superiority for the Herons through the middle of the field.
Against both the Union and Montreal, Mascherano’s 4-4-2 system leaves Miami with just two midfielders, compared to most teams that deploy three in the center of the park.
With the lack of midfield numbers, the opposition will create an overload, making it easy to break on the counter.
On the offensive side, the lack of bodies through the middle forces Miami to play out wide, with either fullback overlapping to provide consistent width.
Additionally, the scarcity of players in midfield requires Messi to drop deep, which isn’t something you want a player of his caliber doing.
What’s a quick fix? Simply play in a 4-3-3 or a 3-5-2 to make up for the lack of penetration through the central areas.
Midfield Troubles Lead to Defensive Errors
Continuing the trend of midfield gaps, the lack of numbers in the middle will ultimately lead to teams winning the ball back in dangerous areas and punishing Miami in transition.
We saw it against the Union and a couple of times during the Montreal match, and it continues to be a persistent issue for Miami.
Take the above screenshot during Miami’s game in Chester.
There were several instances where the Union’s high-tempo style made the Herons uncomfortable during their attacking buildup phases.
Although they managed to secure a 3-3 draw in the end, the midfield exposure puts Miami’s center backs in a demanding position where they are constantly required to defend one-on-one attacks far more than what should be tolerated.
Glad to See the Attack Score Again
photo credit: Inter Miami CF
Lastly, it was nice to see Miami’s main strike force get on the scoresheet once again. Messi and Suarez had a combined amount of 7 G/A in these last two games, which is a welcome sight.
As the Herons head into a rough patch of their schedule that sees them take on the Columbus Crew, then begin their Club World Cup campaign, it’s better late than never for Miami’s attack.
Thoughts on these last two matches?
Sorry for the late analysis, I was at Disney World for the last five days and didn’t have access to my laptop! Thanks for reading.
I thought they looked much better. I’m pretty optimistic generally but they needed these games for their confidence.