The Herons deserve credit for coping without their superstar attacker, as well as Luis Suarez, over the past few weeks
Just before Lionel Messi departed for Copa America, Inter Miami boss Tata Martino was asked how his side would fare without their talisman. "If these players find themselves in form, with confidence, secure, and understand the challenges of the five games after St. Louis, it's clear that we'll be able to survive Copa America," he said in response.
The answer was hardly shimmering with confidence, though that was perhaps to be expected. It's said that no player can be bigger than any club, but in Messi's case, this statement is stretched right to the boundaries of reality.
On and off the pitch, the legendary figure Inter Miami, so it's only natural that the Herons approached his extended absence with trepidation – even if they had managed to pick up some results without him last season.
This time around felt a little different, though. Not only were the stakes higher, with Inter Miami sitting atop MLS' Eastern Conference and in pole position to win the Supporters' Shield, Messi has also managed to surpass his maiden season performances in the early part of the current campaign.
GettyDemonstrating his value
By the time he'd headed off for Copa America, La Pulga's goal and assist numbers were already quite incredible. In just 15 games, Messi had racked up 14 goals as well as 11 assists. This run included MLS braces against Orlando City, Nashville SC and New England Revolution.
Then there was his dominant display against New York Red Bulls. Inter Miami were on fire that day, with Messi involved in each of his side's goals in a 6-2 victory (one goal, five assists). All in all, he failed to provide a goal or assist in just two of the 12 MLS games he was featured in to kick off the season.
When he wasn't around, the Herons seemed to miss him too. Muscle problems sidelined Messi for a four-game stretch in March, with Miami winning just one of those matches and losing two. This seemed to underline just how vital the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner was to his side's on-field fortunes in both a playmaking and goal-scoring capacity.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesNot the only absentee
And he wasn't just the only key player that Miami weren't able to call upon once Copa America kicked-off, as Luis Suarez was also called up by Uruguay. There were some fears about the forward's fitness when he arrived in Miami, but he soon put those concerns to bed.
Suarez has instantly reignited his electric partnership with Messi and has racked up a hatful of goal contributions in the process. In the 20 appearances he made before leaving for the tournament, the ex-Liverpool star plundered 14 goals and chipped in with seven assists.
As if the departures of these two icons wasn't bad enough for Inter Miami, Matias Rojas – who has been a very useful cog since arriving in April – was also stolen away from them by Paraguay. It's little wonder that Martino was concerned about how his side would cope.
Getty ImagesGressel steps up
Despite those absences, the Herons initially managed to avoid any drop off – at least in terms of results. Their very first game without Messi and Suarez provided a glimpse into the topsy-turvy weeks that were to come.
Despite being reduced to nine men, with David Ruiz and Tomas Aviles both dismissed in the second half, they somehow managed to escape Philadelphia with a 2-1 victory. Julian Gressel opened the scoring against the Union, hinting at another theme for the Messi-less games.
After that result, Gressel would assist in each of his side's following three matches: all 2-1 wins against Columbus Crew, Nashville SC and Charlotte FC, respectively. With Messi gone, the U.S. interntional was moved from midfield into a more advanced right-wing position. It was a masterstroke from Martino that paid off handsomely, with Gressel repaying the faith placed in him in spades.
“We knew that [Messi] was going to be gone at the Copa America, so the intention was always for me to step into that position. Obviously, I’ll never be able to fill his shoes, but it’s something I can do and do it in my way," he said in June.
Jordi Alba also deserves credit for his displays during this positive run of results. Perhaps the least eulogised of Miami's high-profile former team-mates, he scored and then assisted in the wins over Nashville and Charlotte, grasping the mantle while his former Barcelona colleagues were away with their countries.
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Getty ImagesEmbarrassment in Cincinnati
However, this positive momentum threatened to be derailed when Miami found themselves on the end of their joint-worst defeat in MLS history at the hands of FC Cincinnati. Although Sergio Busquets was dismissed for a second bookable offence just after the hour mark, this was not what swung the game in the hosts' favour.
By that point, the Herons were already 5-1 down, with the defensive problems that were predicted prior to the season rearing their head once again. Speaking after the eventual 6-1 defeat, Martino was honest about his side's shortcomings – and they had little to do with Messi not being available.
"We had a period early in the season where we were vulnerable in back, we started to fix that, the previous five or six games we had done a solid job defending. But this game we reverted defensively to how we played early in the season," he reflected. "Our opponent was better than us. We must take note of this. Cincinnati is one of the top three teams in the league. We are still not there despite our good results and performances. We have to keep working and hoping in the final part of the season we can improve with our full roster."