Javier Mascherano shows growth as Inter Miami regains momentum in the MLS race | OneFootball

Inter Miami achieves its main objective: beating the Seattle Sounders in the rematch. Almost 15 days ago, the Herons lost the Leagues Cup final against this team by a score of 3-0. So yesterday’s matchup was special.

Some reporters and commentators suggest that the Sounders coach put a reserve team to take care of his starters, but that doesn’t matter; Inter Miami needed the win.

In some essential news, Javier Mascherano has finally learned from his mistakes. Maybe we could see a different manager from now on.

One that changes tactics and formations based on the rival.

Javier Mascherano learned, and Inter Miami has hope.

Since his arrival as the Herons' coach, Javier Mascherano has been criticized by fans, myself included, for not learning from previous matches and for not being prepared to lead the team in crucial moments.

However, some of that statement is true. The Argentine coach often hesitates during crucial matches, a fact evident every time the camera captures his uncertain demeanor on the sidelines.

But why does he doubt? It’s because he is not capable, no. It’s because he always uses the same system and the same tactics for every game, thinking all the rivals are going to play against the Herons the same way.

That’s where Mascheron’s problems began. For example, the Charlotte game. The former football player deployed Inter Miami in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation against a team that bypassed the midfield entirely, opting instead to play directly to their strikers.

Guess what, Las Garzas suffered that game. Why, because the Crown played the same way against the New England Revolution, and Mascherano should have prepared a better scheme, like the one they played against Seattle yesterday.

Despite the anger about Saturday, when Msahcerano does the right things, one needs to appreciate it. On Tuesday night, Inter Miami played at Chase Stadium with a line of five.

Don’t be fooled, Alba was part of the defending scheme. And that isn’t bad, it means Mascherano thought this rematch to the detail.

He knew Rothrock and Minoungou were a problem. He doubled the mark on them. On one side, he put Alba and Allen, and on the other, he put Fray and Lujan.

With that simple change, both of the Sounders' most dangerous players were neutralized. And another thing Inter Miami’s coach did, and I personally loved it, was the fact that he took out Ian Fray and Jordi Alba, a big responsibility on defense.

By establishing the line of five, the fullbacks could focus on attacking rather than defending, knowing that they needed to return and help the center-backs, but not always, since with three center-backs, their backs were always covered.

This happened against Charlotte, where both fullbacks pushed forward, leaving spaces behind them that the wingers fully exploited.