Inter, with Cagliari Conte, fielded the 4-3-1-2 studied in Coverciano

Inter’s famous plan B is not really a plan B. In fact, it was once plan A, when Antonio Conte was still a former footballer intending to become a coach. That 4-3-1-2 glimpsed in Cagliari on Sunday at lunch to respond to Di Francesco’s tactical twists, was born from far away, from Coverciano’s thesis presented 14 years ago. The title: “Considerations on 4-3-1-2 and didactic use of video”.

The play

–

With Franco Ferrari as a speaker, the Inter coach’s work was above all a job focused on “game analysis”, but applied specifically to that module that he knew closely as De Canio’s assistant coach in Siena. It is with the Tuscans that Conte begins his career on the bench and in that season the 4-3-1-2 is the preferred tactical skeleton of the Matera coach. Actually, as a coach, Conte used this module very little, and soon moved on to 4-2-4 that made his fortune in Siena in Serie B. A couple of months at Juventus with this super offensive and definitive module. I move on to 3-5-2, which has now become his trademark to victory. Without going into specific complex tactics, the gist is, however, that Inter’s infamous Plan B is by no means an improvisation.

The tactical shooting

–

Returning to the Cagliari game, in the second half Eusebio Di Francesco realizes that his team is risking too much and, in the 68th minute, decides to imitate Inter. Faragò comes out in favor of Klavan, who joins Carboni and Walukiewicz to form the defensive trio, while Lykogiannis makes the fifth on the left in midfield and Zappa the equivalent on the right. At that point, Conte opts for the 4-3-1-2 counter-move that will put the game in check. Four minutes later Bastoni actually leaves for Lautaro: the Argentine joins Lukaku, making Sánchez climb as playmaker. Behind are the central De Vrij and Skriniar, while Young and Hakimi (later D’Ambrosio) close the defensive quartet. In the center of the field Brozovic, Sensi and Barella and the 4-3-1-2 is complete. In 5 minutes, Barella grabs the tie and from there the Nerazzurri attack becomes more effective, until the final 1-3.

Instructions for use

–

The 4-3-1-2 is not an unprecedented match in Inter’s season, for example it was a Nerazzurri solution in the start of the season match against Fiorentina. This is clearly a move that so far has served to break the deadlock, especially if the two full-backs are very offensive players like Young and Hakimi. But, considering that Kolarov, Darmian and D’Ambrosio are also on the roster – the first two arrived just this summer – in some cases we could also see a less daring version. Conte knows this module thoroughly and the 3-5-2 variation has all the makings to be a very valuable weapon in the race for the Scudetto. Less predictability and more surprise effects: Conte might have to brush up on his studies a decade and a half ago. A kind of return to the past to change shape towards the future.