One of the earliest experiments took place at the Stadio Olimpico. In January 2019, on the eve of the Juventus vs. Lazio match, the team held a final training session, but Martin Caceres was set to leave and Marusic was unavailable. So, who would play as the right winger? “No problem, we have Parolo,” was the solution. This demonstrates how Simone Inzaghi has never been afraid to try new things. He transformed Calhanoglu’s career, turned Mkhitaryan into a thoughtful and talented midfielder, and previously changed Luis Alberto into a key playmaker. This season, he seems ready to unveil some more innovative ideas.
The first move involves the Armenian midfielder. In the last two friendly matches, Mkhitaryan played as a second striker, operating between his previous role as a playmaker and a potential new position due to recent injuries. Taremi is dealing with a suspected muscle strain, Arnautovic is on the transfer market, Carboni will be heading to Marseille, and Thuram has just returned. Mkhitaryan could step up to play behind the captain, who returned early from vacation to reassure the team ahead of the upcoming match against Genoa. This is not new for him; the former Dortmund player has played in attacking roles at every club he has been at, including a hat-trick performance at Roma. Inzaghi is familiar with him—he’s converted Mkhitaryan into a creative midfielder, and now he could utilize him as a forward. With the recent arrival of Zielinski, Inzaghi’s midfield is sufficiently covered.
Speaking of the midfield, Nicolò Barella has taken on a new role as a deep-lying playmaker against Pisa. He impressed the crowd at Arena Garibaldi with a rabona cross and a cheeky backheel in the second half. His performance earned praise from higher-ups. After Italy’s match against Albania, Beppe Marotta commented, “He can play in Calhanoglu’s position; he has all the qualities. He has vision, passing ability, and can launch attacks. He is an eclectic player.” Barella is more than just a midfielder who covers a lot of ground. It’s worth noting that there are two players in that regista role, with the Turk being the primary one and Asllani as his backup. Thus, Barella would only fill that position on occasion. Nonetheless, knowing he can perform there is a plus, especially as Nicolò has a history of playing as a deep-lying playmaker; he was deployed there by Gigi Di Biagio. “He was born to play in front of the defense, and now he is a complete player,” Di Biagio remarked, which hasn’t gone unnoticed by anyone.
Lastly, there’s a note about the defense. Bastoni might swap his role from a left center-back to play at the heart of the defense. This provides additional options for Inzaghi. The former Atalanta player is crucial for building from the back on the left side. With the passing ability of a midfielder and the vision of a playmaker, this remains a backup plan. Furthermore, Inter is still in search of a left-footed center-back to compete in their defensive line. Ausilio and Marotta have kept an eye on Brazilian Renan and Croatian Perkovic, along with Leoni from Sampdoria (a right-footed option). Bastoni is essential, but with Inzaghi, even he may be given a chance to adapt.
