Analyzing Inter Miami: Penchant for late heroics, Shea shows class, and more
Three takeaways from Inter Miami's 1-0 win over FC Cincinnati
We might need to start calling Inter Miami the Heart-attack Herons.
Inter Miami grabbed its latest dramatic victory of the season on Saturday night after using a late golazo from Brek Shea to edge FC Cincinnati, 1-0. The triumph marked the third time in the last six matches that the South Florida side scored a winner in the 90th minute or later, and the fifth this season in which the team has done so after the 80th minute.
That means that out of the seven wins that Inter Miami has posted in 2021, five have come via heroics in the waning moments.
“The three points is another sign,” said Inter Miami head coach Phil Neville, “it is another signal, it is another little notch on our wall that this team never knows when it is beat, never knows when to give up, never knows when to stop trying to win a game of football.”
Inter Miami’s penchant for exhilarating drama may only now be coming into focus given the continued good run of form — the Herons have lost just once in their last nine games — but nonetheless it should continue to serve the team well during this final stretch of the campaign.
Not only because it will raise the players’ confidence in their abilities to pull out late victories, but also because it will do the same for Neville’s belief in the squad. The Englishman could have easily not risked going for it on Saturday night, especially with how poor Inter Miami had attacked, in order to ensure a result on the road. Setting up shop or playing safer could have been the call.
It was not, however. Neville instructed his team to continue to push forward to search for the three points, with the game-winning goal serving as a byproduct of that. Yes, Nicolas Figal and Brek Shea produced a moment of technical magic to break the deadlock, but Inter Miami had pinned FC Cincinnati back on the sequence by getting numbers into advanced positions.
“At the end when you have got your left wingback high up the pitch and running in behind, it shows the determination of the players to try and win the game,” said Neville. “That does come from me, but ultimately they drive it themselves. They knew it was a big three points for us and they got the win and I am super proud of their attitude.”
There is, of course, still work to do if Inter Miami wishes to make the playoffs. Still, if this habit of winning games late is anything to go by, you may not want to count the team out during this final stretch run of the season.
“When you score late goals, it is another good sign (of a good team),” said Neville. “… The players keep fighting hard. The spirit and togetherness is really good.”
Shea shows class and know-how on decisive goal
Shea’s goal will be discussed plenty in the coming days because it proved decisive, but it should also be talked about because of the know-how and high level of skill that he demonstrated to make it all possible.
Shea did absolutely everything right on the game-winning play. Everything. The left wingback not only recognized the empty space that was available in behind the FC Cincinnati defense, but he also made a perfectly-timed diagonal run that gave Figal the type of passing option that the centerback was looking for.
What followed was a delightful ball from Figal and even more exquisite first touch from Shea. Whereas other players might fail to control the ball as cleanly, either by pushing it too far ahead or mishandling it altogether, Shea killed its momentum and brought it down in stride with a feathery left foot that could have been easily confused for a velvet pillow.
The calmness and composure that ensued was also impressive, as Shea cooly picked out the far post with the type of clinical shot that you might expect of a striker. The goal on its own was always going to be significant because of when it came and what it meant, and it was part of an overall solid showing from Shea in spot duty for injured defender Kieran Gibbs.
Still, that the strike was also a thing of technical beauty and a 101 course in trapping and finishing makes it that much more special and worth watching again and again
Sloppy play led to struggling attack
Inter Miami’s attack struggled for the second consecutive game, but this time it had as much to do with sloppy touches and passing as it did with a lack of quality in the final third.
One shot on target that came in the dying moments was all Inter Miami managed against FC Cincinnati's poor defense, and Neville explained afterwards that the reason for the attacking issues in this one was due to rust. The manager said afterwards that he had given his players three days off in the build-up to the match in order to allow some time for mental and physical rest, which ultimately caused a dip in performance levels that saw the Herons dispossessed a total of nine times while committing 18 turnovers (graphic below).
FC Cincinnati, conversely, was dispossessed just three times with a total of 13 turnovers.
“It takes time to get back up to speed and what happens is you come into a game and it is faster,” said Neville. “It is faster and maybe there is a bit of rustiness from everybody. I could not single out one player that did not have any kind of rustiness.”
That rustiness might have been most evident via steely and reliable captain Gregore, who delivered an atypical shift in which he had some poor touches while also being dispossessed of the ball in dangerous areas on more than one occasion. His timing just seemed to be a bit off.
Of course, other players like attacking catalysts Lewis Morgan and Gonzalo Higuain also had a tough time when in possession. For example, both of them had several bad controls and did not make much of an impact in the final third despite their efforts. Their issues were emblematic of that of the entire team, which had issues progressing the ball forward and thus more often than necessary played safe and horizontally.
Inter Miami will have to get back up to speed very quickly when in possession and on the attack, especially in terms of having more verticality. Bigger tests await, and four points still separate the team from a spot in the playoffs.