Inter Miami have been told it could be ‘time to worry’ about their fortunes in MLS after the last two results in the league.
The Herons dropped points in back-to-back home games as Atlanta United ended Inter Miami’s ten-match unbeaten streak with a 3-1 win as St. Louis City SC came away with a point in a dramatic 3-3 draw on Saturday night.
Whilst Inter Miami still sit top of the Supporters’ Shield standings, the last two games coupled with Nicolas Freire’s injury and Lionel Messi leaving for the Copa America could spell trouble for the Florida franchise.
And an expert now thinks it could be high time for Inter Miami to start worrying.
Inter Miami yet to solve defensive issues from the start of the season
Writing for MLS’s official website, expert Matt Doyle pointed out that Inter Miami’s pattern of play in the last two games have shown they still haven’t improved at the back, a factor that could get worse this summer.
The pundit wrote: “When they actually get the ball to their attackers, they string together some of the prettiest sequences in the league and score goals for fun – 42 in 18 games puts them on pace for one of the highest-scoring seasons in MLS history.
“But their center-backs (especially with Nico Freire out for the year) are too hit-and-miss with their distribution; their structure before they get into attack is wildly aggressive and forces those center-backs to defend on an island (which they do relatively well, given the degree of difficulty); and they are always vulnerable in the air.
“They are both good and bad in eye-catching ways. In a vacuum that’d be fine, but given they haven’t really improved the bad parts since the start of the season, it’s probably time to worry a bit.”
Inter Miami simply have to sign new defenders this summer
With Freire out for the season and Inter Miami having just two senior center-backs in the roster, it’s clear that the Herons have to invest in the defense when the summer transfer window opens for business.
The Florida franchise, whilst electric in the attack, have conceded far too many goals to be considered true Supporters’ Shield contenders in the long run, with Inter Miami’s record a worrying read.
Indeed, a solid foundation at the back is an easy pathway to success in MLS, and Inter Miami need to add to their defense if they’re to go as far as they can this season in the playoffs and in the Supporters’ Shield race.