José Mourinho once again surprised with his selection and tactics in Inter-Roma, and his gamble fully paid off. While everybody was wondering whether Paulo Dybala would be available after missing the previous game and the two Argentina friendlies due to a small injury, he never had any doubt. And concocted the scheme with him as a false-nine, with Tammy Abraham on the bench.
As per Corriere dello Sport, the Special One wanted a more mobile and unpredictable frontline without impacting their defensive solidity. The poor form of the English striker made the call easier. The gaffer will continue using their four stars together as much as he can. He added such solution to his armory for the most challenging tilts.
The cameras long searched for the suspended Mourinho on the San Siro stands during Inter-Roma, but he wasn’t actually in the stadium. He followed the game from the bus and reached the locker room to congratulate his players after the final whistle.
It’s not the first time the Portuguese coach has come up with innovative solutions that have staying power. He turned Nicola Zalewski, who used to be an attacking midfielder, into a menacing wing-back last season. Plus, he abruptly abandoned his beloved 4-2-3-1 for the three-man defense because it fit better. In addition, he progressively lowered Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s position on the pitch, but he stayed effective. He’s trying to replicate the move with Lorenzo Pellegrini.
One of his most drastic calls was to basically freeze most of the backups after the collapse versus Bodo/Glimt. Only Marash Kumbulla, and partially Carles Perez, managed to find their way back into the squad afterward. The boss has a firm grip on the roster and complete carte blanche from the club.
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