After injury layoff and national team duty, Dumfries is back and expected to start for Inter against River Plate tonight.
Inter`s `Flying Dutchman`, Denzel Dumfries, is back. For the first time since Cristian Chivu took over as coach, Denzel Dumfries is available. He is set to return to action tonight at 3 AM Italian time when the Nerazzurri face River Plate at Lumen Field in Seattle. The match is crucial as securing first place in Group E would provide a significant advantage for the remainder of the Club World Cup.
This is a crucial recovery for the former PSV player. After the disappointing Champions League final against PSG, he joined the Dutch national team for two World Cup qualifiers. It was between the match against Malta for his country and the one against Monterrey for Inter that he suffered an adductor fatigue issue. This is the same thigh that bothered him between March and April, a period that coincided with Inter`s most challenging phase of the season.
However, his return in that instance proved dramatically decisive, as he came back just in time for the Barcelona-Inter match. He completely dominated that game, delivering a monstrous performance with 2 goals and 1 assist in the 3-3 draw at Montjuic. Will history repeat itself tonight against River in America? It`s too early to tell, but there`s significant anticipation surrounding how the Dutchman will be deployed in Cristian Chivu`s evolving Inter squad.
Tactical Considerations
In his first two matches as Inter coach, Cristian Chivu has primarily rotated between two systems: the familiar `Inzaghi-esque` 3-5-2, which appears best suited to the current squad structure, and a slightly different 3-4-2-1, utilized more when the team needed to push for greater offensive creativity.
This tactical variation has benefited some players (like Carboni and Pio Esposito) while seeming to penalize others, notably Dimarco. It`s important to note that these are early days under Chivu, and tactical evolution is expected. Furthermore, Dimarco has appeared physically drained for several months. However, playing in a four-man midfield line, Dimarco hasn`t yet found his optimal role, often overlapping with the two forwards behind the main striker and lacking his usual decisive bursts forward.
Will Dumfries face similar challenges? At Inter, Denzel is accustomed to having the entire right flank to himself, whereas for Koeman`s Netherlands, he plays as a pure full-back. Seeing him operate as a wide midfielder in a four-man setup will be new territory, both for the player and for observers. However, versatility has always been a hallmark of Dumfries` game. Perhaps Chivu will be the one to finally pinpoint his ideal, definitive position within the team.
