The irony of one of Inter Miami’s first DP ever behaving as dysfunctionally as the club that signed him is probably not lost on supporters.
Since joining the 2020 MLS expansion team from Monterrey for almost $ 12 million, Rodolfo Pizarro has failed to light the league as many had hoped.
With just five goals and five assists in 33 games for the Herons so far (and only one this season), the most striking thing has not been that Pizarro has been particularly “bad”. Rather, he has put in far too many anonymous performances, driven out of play and often barely seen the ball at all.
But the Mexican international took a step in the right direction on Wednesday and made a 93-minute winner when Inter Miami came from 2-1 and beat the Chicago Fire 3-2.
The goal not only lifted the roof from DRV PNK Stadium, but it also showed off everything Pizarro can do well when in shape; ethereal movement to get between opposing defenders unnoticed, supreme calm to take the ball under pressure and dazzling skill to curl the ball into the far corner.
Winner of stop time from @Rpizarrot + Ray Hudson on? ️ = MAGISTERIAL #InterMiamiCF pic.twitter.com/ihRdPZOXcv
– Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) August 19, 2021
So could this be a turning point for Pizarro, rather than just a snapshot of a sparsely populated reel?
After the Chicago game, manager Phil Neville acknowledged that Pizarro may have been unhappy in his environment at this point, but that the environment has not stopped believing in him.
“Rodolfo won us the game and what we said in the locker room after the match is that the boy suffered more than probably any other player in this football club when it comes to not scoring goals, not helping, probably not being completely 100 percent happy with his form or his fitness or myself or whatever, says Neville (via the Miami Herald). “But the team believes in him and I believe in him. I have never doubted my belief in the boy, and his ending was world class. ”
Although he admitted that he suffered from a lack of self-confidence, Pizarro countered by insisting that happiness return to his game.
“I feel very safe, I like to play again. I am happy and I think that is the basis for all players, says Pizarro. “I had one or two months where I lacked self-confidence and did not believe in myself. I feel like I’ve been working hard on it for the last three weeks, believing in myself again, knowing who I am and I think that’s the most important thing. ”
How can Neville get the best out of Pizarro? / Cliff Hawkins / Getty Images
With Neville suggesting that Pizarro has been unhappy with him, it is important that the Englishman plays for his DP’s strengths from now on. Especially considering that the Herons are still in 12th place in the Eastern Conference and eight points during the playoffs, despite Wednesday’s important win.
The problem with Pizarro is that he is a player who struggles when he gets distinct, stiff tactical roles. Defensively, the 27-year-old ranks 10th among Miami players for pressure per 90 minutes (20.5) this season, while fallers Gonzalo Higuain and Robbie Robinson. He also has an average of just 1.46 tackles and 1.05 interceptions per 90. Winning the ball back, or even being part of a cohesive press, is just not his strength.
And in possession, asking Pizarro to play as an out-and-out No. 10 also causes a problem. Higuain is a player who loves to drop deep between the lines to connect, before rushing into the box to speed up the defenders. But just as much, Pizarro has no natural desire to run beyond his Argentine teammate, which often causes the two to occupy the same spaces on the pitch and overrun games. Nor does Pizarro have the pace to be a winger.
Instead, Pizarro is a player who needs space. Putting the Mexican in a free role behind a main striker, with hard workers around him, allows Pizarro to do what he did against Chicago. Things we just otherwise have had full effect this season during Miami’s 3-2 loss to LA Galaxy on opening day.
That day, Pizarro was given the freedom to slide horizontally across the pitch and set up camps in the half-rooms where he could make quick, pass passes or drive the ball into slower midfielders.
The result was that Pizarro completed a match-high four dribbles, while no player created more than his three chances of the day. The 34-time Mexico international also assisted Robinson’s opening with a glorious loft ball over the top of Higuain and won the penalty that ultimately gave Miami 2-1 on the day.
Although it takes a lot for Neville to structure his side to receive a player, he himself has often illustrated how important Pizarro is to Inter Miami.
“He’s a big part, a big player in this football club,” Neville said in May.
When he looks at Pizarro’s latest successful spell, won the Concacaf Champions League 2018/19 and Liga MX Apertura 2018/19 with Monterrey, he has a history of reversing his form just when it’s most important.
In the Champions League, he did not make a single direct goal contribution until the semifinals before scoring a point and giving two assists when Rayados beat Sporting Kansas City 10-2 overall. The same goes for Apertura, where Pizarro fired topics all the way until he scored two goals in the last four matches of the campaign.
As the end of the regular season quickly approaches and the MLS Cup playoffs await on the horizon, it’s time for Neville to loosen Pizarro’s shackles, allowing the Mexican to make truly seasonal performances for Inter Miami.
