A first goalless performance in 18 European games might immediately catch the eye when it comes to Manchester City, who were held goalless by Inter at the Etihad Stadium, but Pep Guardiola will know his biggest worries are less about what happens in the final third happened than what could have happened. at the other end.
There were flashes of control and threat from City, even if they were somewhat off their best. Jack Grealish looked atypically lively, at times even a throwback to the days when he stole the hearts of the football world in an Aston Villa shirt. Erling Haaland had touches, Phil Foden had the best opening of the night and towards the end even a defense as impressive as Inter’s was stretched to breaking point. Had Ilkay Gunodgan placed his late headers elsewhere after the death, City’s perfect start to the season would have continued.
However, it would have had a sense of false gold. The team that started at the Etihad will certainly have to be re-formed when Arsenal come to town on Sunday, and not just because of the injury suffered by Kevin De Bruyne late in the first half. The balance is completely lost. With the ball, City had to deploy so many bodies so high up the pitch that at times it looked like a line of six close to Haaland. That inevitably created openings for Inter off the ball, enough so that Guardiola’s men were indeed fortunate to finish with a clean sheet on the night.
That might not be a problem at all if the same weaknesses that Inter exploited so effectively had not previously been identified by West Ham, Brentford and even Ipswich Town. Even in a reasonably favorable schedule to start the league season, the counter-attacking vulnerabilities have become apparent to those keeping a close eye on City. Simone Inzaghi was certainly one of them. His strange decision to go without Lautaro Martinez from the start was justified, in both Mehdi Taremi and Marcus Thuram he had attackers who could act as outball and then play the pass to keep the counters moving.
Stadsrecht was an area that Inter enjoyed very early on. Rico Lewis learns what is perhaps one of the most complicated roles in modern football; The likes of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Trent Alexander-Arnold barely go a week without taking the blame when the zone from which they have turned is punctured by an opponent. Inter planned to do the same.
That Taremi did not get at least one assist is something only Matteo Darmian, the former Manchester United man who chose not to follow anyone in particular, knows when he finished Ederson’s goal. Add to that Thuram’s tribute to his boss’s older brother Pippo – the man they said was born sidelined – and you had a wasteful display from the Italian champions. The late introduction of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Martinez in particular added further spice to Inter’s attack, the latter could have really tested Ederson in the 84th minute had the ball to him been truer. Only better execution stood between them and at least one goal at the Etihad.
There are of course fairly simple solutions, at least for now. Gundogan’s introduction for De Bruyne at the break brought a little more balance to this side, not only through good shots, but also providing some muscle to the back four when Inter had possession in the final third.
The other solution is even simpler. Add Kyle Walker to this back line, get Rodri to get his midfield support from one of the centre-backs and you’ll be fine. The 34-year-old Walker has been as effective at suppressing opposition rifts as any player in the world for more than half a decade. Where Manuel Akanji could often get second with balls to the right back, Walker would certainly have gobbled them up. In the long term, City will have to figure out who will be the afterburner defender they need. Before then, bringing in Walker to suppress Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka seems like a smart move.
