After a nightmare start to the 2021 season, Inter Miami has finally started to turn it around. Many people are asking how the team that once sat in last place put together a solid run, and more importantly, are the MLS Playoffs still within reach?
Disappointing start
Inter Miami’s start to the season was horrendous. In their first 12 games, Inter Miami came away with just eight points, having two wins, two draws and eight losses (2-2-8). Inter scored just nine goals while conceding 22 in that timeframe. The last straw was a 5-0 loss to first place New England.
The improvement
Since July 25, Inter has shown their capability in their seven matches during that time frame. In these matches, the team has won four games, drawn two and lost one (4-2-1). There are a few glaring reasons as to why the team has shown their potential as of late: new arrivals, quality players showing their skill and a formation change.
New arrivals
Inter Miami’s hot streak didn’t come out of nowhere. Three arrivals have contributed to the team since their debuts. Kieran Gibbs, Nick Marsman and Indy Vassilev made their debuts on July 25, the last game of the terrible start. Gibbs is a player that has over ten years of experience in the Premier League. He’s played just over 63 minutes per game since he arrived and scored one goal for the team thus far. Marsman is a veteran goalkeeper from the Netherlands. He’s played every minute for the team since he arrived in Fort Lauderdale and has vastly improved Inter Miami’s goalkeeping situation. Vassilev is a player on loan from Premier League side Aston Villa. Since his arrival, he’s played about 24 minutes per game and scored two goals.
Formation change
Previously, Coach Phil Neville opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation, but has since changed this. The new formations, 5-4-1 and 3-4-3, have given Inter Miami a new dimension. Gibbs and Kelvin Leerdam on the outside with Leandro Gonzalez-Pirez, Nico Figal and Christian Makoun forming a solid center back trio. World Cup champion Blaise Matuidi forms a scary central midfield duo with Brazilian international Gregore. Inter Miami’s first SuperDraft pick, Robbie Robinson, and Lewis Morgan are dynamic presences on the wings, having a great blend of creativity and speed. The man up top is the one-time Juventus striker, Gonzalo Higuain.
Players showing their quality
Quite possibly the biggest reason for Inter Miami’s hot streak is that their world class players are finally starting to show their class. Miami’s stars aren’t just showing who they are, yet the team is finally beginning to play as a unit.
Despite scoring five goals in 12 games, Higuain wasn’t playing great. He is considered one of the best creators in the entire MLS, but just wasn’t showing it. His performance during the revival has shown his true quality. In that time frame, he has seven total goal contributions, scoring three goals and dishing out four assists. It’s clear that when he has confidence, Inter Miami are near unbeatable.
Pizarro has also taken a large step forward. In the first eight games of the season, the Mexican international failed to score and had just one assist. He has shown his class in the last six matches, having scored three goals and supplying an assist. Robbie Robinson, Miami’s first selection as an expansion team in the MLS SuperDraft, scored just one goal in four matches during the rough start. Since then, he has been a key contributor on the team, scoring three goals in the last six matches.
Are the MLS Playoffs still possible?
Miami currently sits in 11th place in the Eastern Conference. With the MLS Playoffs allowing seven teams from each respective conference to make the playoffs, the 11th place Herons have a great chance at making the cut. 7th place D.C. United are just five points ahead, meaning that Miami can take their spot in as little as two games. With 15 games remaining, Inter Miami seems to have found their form at the right time. The MLS Playoffs are a real possibility for the second-year expansion club.
