Inter Milan’s Scudetto defence has started off well enough.
They’re joint-top in Serie A having collected 13 points from the opening five matches. The Nerazzurri sit level with capital pair Roma and Lazio. Having gone the distance last season, the Milan giants are again backed to top Serie A come May.
This comes despite a relatively topsy-turvy summer for Inter. Denzel Dumfries was the high-profile departure, while experienced quartet Stefan de Vrij, Francesco Acerbi, Matteo Darmian and Yann Sommer all left.
In came English trio Djed Spence, Curtis Jones and John Stones. Manuel Akanji’s loan move was made permanent. Ivan Provedel signed from Lazio. However, it’s a player who signed last summer that has made arguably the biggest impact.
In this article, we’ll cover:
Diouf capitalising on Dumfries’ exit
Andy Diouf joined Inter from Lens last summer following a two-year stint in France. The Frenchman’s signing flew under the radar, and his impact was, on the whole, minimal. Indeed, the 23-year-old made four league starts for Inter last season. The campaign is five games old, and Diouf has already matched that return.
While Spence was expected to succeed Dumfries as first choice right wing-back, it’s Diouf who has taken over as first-choice in the position. The England international’s fitness issues have contributed towards Diouf consolidating a starting spot. Even so, he’s had the chance to nail down the spot. He’s grabbed it with both hands, and shows no signs of letting go.
Any player replacing Dumfries needs to be willing to bombard upfield to help stretch the play for Inter. The same rings true on the opposite flank, where Federico Dimarco doesn’t need a second invitation to get forward. Unsurprisingly the pair rank highly for chances created in Serie A this season.
Dimarco (14) places third for this metric. Diouf is fourth (13), this despite making one fewer league appearance. Only Paulo Dybala (4) has registered more assists than Diouf (3) in Serie A this season. What’s notable about Diouf, however, is that he’s a midfielder by trade.
Central midfield experience aiding Inter
During his time with Lens, the Frenchman largely played in central midfield, and did so on the left side rather than on the right. This experience in a key area helps Inter naturally dominate in the middle of the park. While tasked with stretching opponents, Diouf’s ability to retain possession with ease enables Christian Chivu’s side to control the tempo.
Inter rank top for possession (63.2%) in Italy’s top tier this term and boast the best pass accuracy (89.8%). They’re Serie A’s dominant force, with Diouf playing his part. A 91.8% pass accuracy may not rank as highly as some of his teammates, but it’s still a commendable return, especially as Dimarco on the opposite flank places far lower for Chivu’s side (85.8%).
This is potentially part of the reason why Inter prefer to attack down the left (38%) rather than the right (33%). Naturally left footed, just as Dimarco is, Diouf’s inclination is to cut infield from the right. While this can at times slow play down, it eases the pressure on Dimarco to carry out his defensive duties. That’s because Inter are able to create overloads in the middle of the park.
It’s a major change to the way Inter attack when the right-footed Dumfries would get forward. The Dutchman’s aim was to hog the touchline and whip the ball into the box. The tactical shift hasn’t impacted Inter in the final third, who have scored more goals (15) than any other Serie A team this season.
International recognition
And his domestic performances haven’t been lost on France heads coach Zinedine Zidane, who called Diouf up for the extended international break. With just two out-and-out full-backs in the squad – Jules Kounde on the right and Adrien Truffert on the left – Diouf offers cover for both sides. Combined with his experience in midfield, France are able to, like Inter, control proceedings.
When Dumfries departed and Inter brought in Spence as his replacement, few expected Diouf to get much of a look in, let alone at wing-back. Yet with the latter struggling due to fitness issues, Chivu turned to Diouf to shoulder the wing-back burden in the wake of the Netherlands international’s Real Madrid move.
Should Inter, again, win the Scudetto, then Diouf’s deployment down the right will be why. He brings a little more to the side than merely breaking forward and whipping the ball into the box. As an extra body in the midfield, there is little chance of Inter being overrun. Combined with his creative capabilities, he’s been a surprise hit in his side’s unbeaten start to the season.