Inter 1-2 Milan, three talking points: Inzaghi, Fonseca and the Cage

Paulo Fonseca found redemption with a 2-1 win over Milan city rivals Inter on Sunday: here are three things we learned in the derby della Madonnina last night.

Fonseca

All eyes were on the Portuguese coach, who surprised Inter with a tactical change that, to be fair, had been anticipated on the eve of the game. Fonseca picked a 4-4-2 formation with Tammy Abraham and Alvaro Motata in attack. On paper, it was opposite to what the Portuguese had said on the eve of the game when he claimed Milan should have kept the ball possession to not be vulnerable in defence. Instead, Fonseca accepted to give the ball to Inter at times, and although there wasn’t a massive gap in ball possession (57% to 43% for Inter), the Rossoneri didn’t want to press high or keep a high line at all costs. It was a tactic that had cost them several defeats against Inter in the past, and Fonseca was wise in changing the Rossoneri approach, saving his job as well. Is it a new start for Milan?

Inzaghi

On the other hand, Inter coach Inzaghi attracted criticism from fans and media for a debatable use of substitutions and for his over-reliance on players who are far from their best shape. Inzaghi replaced Nicolò Barella, Alessandro Bastoni and Hakan Calhanoglu in the second half. Henrikh Mkhitaryan was also subbed off, but the ex-Armenia international has been far from last season’s standards, so in this case, the substitution was not necessarily a problem, but the fact that he’s considered an untouchable player in central midfield must be questioned now. Piotr Zielinski’s dynamism had been a tactical key against Manchester City, and even if the Poland international failed to have a significant impact in the derby, he’s probably a better fit than Mkhitaryan for a starting spot currently. Another substitute, Davide Frattesi, was beaten by Matteo Gabbia for Milan’s late winner, and there’s an unanswered question about the ex-Sassuolo star. Can he start with Nicolò Barella, or is he only his backup?

Gabbia

It had to be him. The Milan academy product had already put in an excellent defensive performance before his late winner, which may be a turning point for the Rossoneri this season. Italian media joked with Gabbia’s surname on Monday, saying that Milan put ‘Inter in the cage‘, which is the literal English translation of Gabbia’s surname. It’s a joke that Fikayo Tomori also made as he wrote to his teammate on Instagram after the game: ‘I love you, Matthew Cage.’ Jokes aside, the Rossoneri defender replaced summer signing Strahinja Pavlović with an outstanding personality and a sense of belonging that is much needed in key games like the derby. Yet again, it was another brave decision from Fonseca and it paid off. Now Milan and their defender have exactly the same target: keep the momentum going and be consistent over the next few months, not to waste a crucial and partially unexpected win.