Inter Miami's Achilles heel: Herons' defense already threatening to ruin Lionel Messi's chances of silverware in 2024

The signs were there relatively early this season. Throughout preseason, it became clear that Miami would have plenty to sort out on the backline.

Their first two games were okay enough: a 0-0 draw with El Salvador and a 1-0 loss to FC Dallas. The attack struggled in those games but the world knew that wouldn't last long. There was too much talent there.

In Saudi Arabia, though, Miami's Achilles heel began to show itself. They were battered 6-0 by Al Nassr in an embarrassing defeat that came just days after a 4-3 loss to Al-Hilal. 10 goals conceded in two games? Even in preseason, that's inexcusable.

They settled down after and, in the month-and-a-half since, have largely looked strong. However, there have been moments, of calamity, headlined by the recent loss to CF Montreal.

Inter Miami came out flying to start the MLS season. Solid results against Real Salt Lake and the LA Galaxy gave them four points from their first two games, a good haul all things considered.

It was their match against Orlando City, though, that got everyone excited. That's what happens when you win a game in that way.

Led by superstar performances from Messi and Suarez, the Herons blew out their local rivals 5-0. It was a comprehensive and dominant performance from a team that totally exposed the opposition in what should have been a relatively even game.

For some time, the tactics have been there to beat Inter Miami. You have to be physical with them and, when you get the ball, you have to run, run and run some more. Make their old legs battle and fight all game long. You can't let Messi and Co develop a rhythm, which is exactly what Orlando did.

Nashville was up next, and they nearly shocked Miami in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Two fantastic goals from Jacob Shaffelburg put Nashville ahead, but the Herons clawed their way back to seal a 2-2 draw. Messi and Suarez, of course, were the catalysts, with the Uruguayan scoring in the 92nd minute to equalize.

Messi, though, wasn't available in the club's next game against CF Montreal, and it was in that contest that the wheels fell off as Inter Miami crashed back down to earth.

It started off with a near-disaster. Rushing off his line to clear, goalkeeper Drake Callender faltered, allowing CF Montreal clear through on goal. Some scrambling from Serhiy Kryvtsov prevented a goal, but it didn't get any better after that.

Montreal scored from the ensuing corner kick due to some poor marking from the Inter Miami defense. Then, just a few minutes later, it was Kryvtsov's turn to miss a header, leaving Callender to bail him out. Within the first 30 minutes, Miami made several catastrophic errors and were lucky to only be down a goal because of them.

Inter Miami leveled it in the 71st minute, but the good vibes didn't last long. They were soon undone by another set piece, as Matias Coccaro was held onside for a close-range header. Three minutes later, Sanusi Ibrahim made it 3-1 and, although Jordi Alba scored in the 80th minute to give Miami hope, the match went Montreal's way.

Given the fact that Messi and Suarez didn't start, nor did midfield star Sergio Busquets, it would be easy to write it off as one bad game. That side of the ball, though, largely held its own, with Leonardo Campana getting that 71st-minute equalizer. The defensive issues were not a one-off, though, not in the slightest.

Former MLS star Taylor Twellman, a commentator on Apple TV, was particularly frustrated by Miami's set-piece defending. Those are the basics, after all. All good teams, particularly the best ones, make the most of set-pieces, not concede because of them.

Inter Miami will get theirs from dead-ball situations this season, particularly with Messi taking them. However, conceding on set pieces in the way they did against Montreal is something that can't be excused.

“You have to defend set-pieces. I couldn’t care less what anybody says about Inter Miami," Twellman said on AppleTV.

“They have not figured this out since the beginning of last year to now. These are simple defending set-pieces, the goalkeeper isn’t coming off his line quick enough, and defenders aren’t man-marking.”

Throughout preseason, it looked clear that Miami had two very different problems with their primary central defenders.

Tomas Aviles, the 19-year-old Argentinian, needs more experience. He's still young, a bit unsure of himself, perhaps even naive. He needs seasoning if he wants to be a go-to reliable defender, even in MLS.

His partner, Serhiy Kryvtsov, is at the other end of his career. The 32-year-old Ukraine international isn't blessed with pace and, in a team constructed like Miami's there are times where that's exposed. He's generally smart and was reliable last season but, so far this campaign, he hasn't quite reached the level Miami needs.

Having shipped out MLS All-Star Kamal Miller, that's what the club was left with at the centerback position. To address that, they brought in Nicolas Freire, who hasn't quite taken control in his few matches. He may very well be the answer but, having joined late in preseason, he's still adjusting to his new surroundings.

When you add in the trade of DeAndre Yedlin, there's a hole at right wing-back, too. Julian Gressel will likely play there long-term, while David Ruiz deputized decently against Montreal, but there are issues there as well.

It's up to Martino to figure out those issues tactically and, right now, the answer to these conundrums is up for debate.

So far this season, Inter Miami has shown us two different looks: a traditional 4-3-3 and a 5-3-2.

Both have their positives and it's clear that Martino is still figuring out which setup best fits his team. The inclusion of Federico Redondo has added another real presence to the midfield, as has Gressel, who could fit either centrally or out wide.

Throughout the first few matches, Miami looked strong in that 4-3-3, with Robert Taylor joining Messi and Suarez in attack. However, there are legitimate concerns about the central defenders, which means tossing a third one into the fray could be beneficial.

“For me, it’s not really important to play three defenders centrally or two”," Kryvtstov told Lemon City Live after the loss to Montreal. “Maybe one is played high, the line was really high, and of course it’s difficult for central defenders but it’s part of football so it's okay for us."

The fact is that there's one big problem, though, and it's one that formations and tactics may not be able to fix.

Modern soccer has changed. There's no room for passengers anymore. There are no more luxury players that don't function as part of a team. Everyone has to do some heavy lifting.

The fact is that Inter Miami has several players that cannot and do not do heavy lifting defensively. Messi hasn't for quite a while. Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe offered nothing defensively during the Argentine's time at PSG, which led to their undoing at times.

Suarez, too, offers nothing in defense. For years, he was one of the game's most tenacious forwards, but knee issues have forced him to turn into a pure finisher.

Because of that, Miami are always playing with two fewer in defense. Sergio Busquets, meanwhile, can't cover ground like he used to. He adds so much to this team, so Miami will be fine with that, but the fact is that there are moments where he doesn't have the speed to get back when the opposition gets going in transition.

It all puts so much pressure on Miami's defense to hold firm and, at times, that pressure has proven too much. Individually, Miami's defensive players are solid enough to survive, but it's hard to survive in those moments when they get overwhelmed by numbers.

Miami's first trophy chase is ongoing, and they have an advantage. A 2-2 result in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup clash with Nashville SC has them slightly ahead due to away goals.

After missing out over the weekend, it appears Messi will be back. He trained this week and, given the magnitude of the match, it seems he'll be involved. A cup run would get Miami into the Club World Cup, giving them a real opportunity to match up with the world's best in legitimately competitive fixtures.

After that, Miami face a short turnaround before facing D.C. United. It'll be Messi's last game for some time, as he'll head off to join Argentina after that.

Over the next few weeks, we'll see more of what Miami's defense is made of. We'll see what Freire looks like once fit and comfortable. We'll see what kind of protection Redondo can add to the midfield. We'll see if the club makes another move after trading Yedlin, having freed up a bunch of money with that transaction.

More trophies will be on the line later this year. Miami will have to defend their Leagues Cup crown and, of course, MLS Cup remains the end goal. This CONCACAF Champions Cup is the first test, though. We'll see if their defense is up for it.