The last hours that separate theInter from the starting whistle of the away match in Udine, treacherous in itself and because it comes after the lost derby, they will be crucial. The decision of Simone InzaghiHowever, she seems taken and if she isn’t, we’re close. As a former striker, the Nerazzurri coach has a personalized solution, not too sophisticated but that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the point, for Lautaro Martinez: play. The Inter captain will in fact be the starter in the match against the Friulians, the objective is twofold: to repay the trust of his coach and to break the deadlock, a mission he has not succeeded in this Serie A so far.
Last championship’s top scorer and top scorer in the Copa América, Lauti he went back to experiencing one of those blackout periods that characterized his career. Games in hand, the last goal is not even that far away: we only have to go back to the third to last day of last Serie A, a 5-0 against Frosinone enhanced by the signing of the Argentine as a substitute. Considering that he missed – one by choice and the other due to injury – the away match against Verona and Inter-Lecce – the balance is one goal in the last six matchdays. Not much, not a coincidence. Overall, however, the picture is a little less satisfactory: to find a goal prior to the one against the Ciociari in the championship, you have to go back to the calendar as far as February 28th against Atalanta. In other words: even if we extend the analysis to the last thirteen championship matches, Lautaro’s tally stops at one goal. Here the contours of the case are outlined.
What is worrying, goals aside, are also some data. A laid-back old man, often remembered by Inzaghi, suggests not to worry when the attackers don’t score, but when they don’t have opportunities to do it. According to the data WhoScoredLautaro is in fortieth place among Serie A players for expected goals scored so far in this championship: 1.04 total, i.e. 0.3 every ninety minutes. Numbers that do not improve using other industry references: for UnderStatLautaro stops at 1.08 at the start of the season; according to the model of SofaScoreeven drops to 0.77. Only one big missed opportunity and 0.5 shots on target per game on average: last season, to give a reference, he ended it with an average of 1.5 shots on target per game on average. If that doesn’t seem like a big difference, let’s put it this way: it’s triple. Moral? Lautaro is not only not scoring, but he is not having opportunities to do so. Returning to the adage dear to coaches and attackers, it is a reason to worry. As for the treatment, Inzaghi can be trusted.