Inter Miami is currently back to having the time of its life, thanks to Lionel Messi. Riding high in the Eastern Conference with a string of victories, the Argentinian superstar continues to propel the Herons toward greatness. Yet, even though Messi makes everything pitch-perfect, his record-breaking won’t be able to fix Miami’s ‘lack of pace in their backline.’

Sunday’s five-goal thriller victory for Tata Martino and Co. against Montreal became a topic of discussion on CBS Sports Golazo’s Morning Footy show. Interestingly, pundit Charlie Davies praised Miami’s 5th record straight consecutive victory but remarked a major flaw. “We’ve talked about Inter Miami’s lack of pace in their backline,” he said.

“When they’re facing their own goal, you really question them because they play high lines. And at any team that’s the blueprint; Just stretch them, late runs out of midfield, just playing behind test their speed and I think that’s their real weakness at the moment,” continued the former USMNT star. Others on the panel, including host Susannah Fuller, Nico Cantor, and Alexis Guerreros, echoed Davies’ sentiments, emphasizing that Inter Miami’s backline is indeed ‘shaky.’ However, this didn’t prevent them from securing the crucial three points.

Despite trailing by two goals, Miami managed to mount a remarkable comeback, scoring three goals. Matias Rojas contributed with a goal and an assist, while Luis Suarez and Benjamin Cremaschi scored two crucial strikes. Nevertheless, their victory was somewhat fortunate, as the weakness in Inter Miami’s defense, highlighted by Charlie Davies, remains apparent. The question now is: how can they work to improve this?

How did Lionel Messi and Inter Miami fix their backline issues? 

To highlight Inter Miami’s vulnerable backline, let’s consider their last five games. Despite the David Beckham-owned club securing victories in all matches, not a single clean sheet was achieved. Adding to their concerns, although they are the top scorers in the MLS campaign so far, netting 35 goals precisely, they have managed just two clean sheets in 13 matches. But what’s the solution then?

While goals may flow freely now that Messi and Suarez have found their rhythm up front, Tata Martino needs to focus on shoring up the defensive line. Players like Nicolas Freire and Serhiy Kryvtsov will need to elevate their performance. Some leniency can be granted to Miami due to Jordi Alba’s injury. However, Sergio Busquets and other midfielders must maintain balance to contribute effectively to both attack and defense.

Rest assured, goals will find their way, making Inter Miami an unstoppable force in the MLS.