By Adam Digby (@Adz77)

A Serie A title winner with Inter during his playing days and now Coach of their cross-town rivals, Siniša Mihajlović is arguably better placed than most to analyse what the prestigious Milan derby means to its two clubs. “It's like an elevator,” he surmised during the build up to last week's clash, “you go to the top floor or head straight for the basement!”

Now, having notched a comprehensive 3-0 victory, the Rossoneri boss can relax somewhat and admire the view, while his opposite number Roberto Mancini is left surveying the wreckage of what once looked to be a side that would challenge for the title. “We threw away some of the good work we’d done up until three weeks ago, wasting the advantage we had,” the former Manchester City Coach said as he reflected on a hugely disappointing string of recent results.

Yet even that appraisal of Inter is arguably not harsh enough. In reality, their poor form stretches back to a mid-December loss to Lazio, since when they have collected just eleven points and suffered another three league defeats. That sequence includes frustrating draws with Atalanta and Carpi, as well as a heavy 3-0 Coppa Italia loss to Juventus which, alongside the Derby performance, highlighted some key deficiencies. 

These were most notable in the central area of the field where their opponents simply dominated on both occasions, taking advantage of a unit consisting solely of destructive players after Inter sold Mateo Kovačić and Hernanes last summer. The loss of that duo means Geoffrey Kondogbia – an energetic and willing runner, but a man who has ultimately scored just seven career goals – is routinely the most attack-minded midfielder in the side.

Mancini has also marginalised youth team product Assane Gnoukouri, a player who shot to prominence during an April 2015 meeting with Milan. Handed his full debut in that tie, the teenager turned in a consummate display, running the show as he seemed able to always pick the right pass and found team-mates with ease while also looking solid without the ball. 

Yet so far this term he has featured just once, with statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com showing the team now ranks just sixth in the league in terms of possession, an issue that staggeringly went unaddressed in the January transfer window.

However, while the last six games have clearly brought these issues to the fore, a closer look at their previous form uncovers a much deeper problem. Inter won eleven of their opening sixteen games of 2015/16 – losing just twice in the process – and were widely lauded for their defensive prowess. But, while Samir Handanović's current tally of twelve clean sheets is three more than any other goalkeeper in Serie A, he has had to be in incredible form to do so.

Only Juventus (15) have conceded fewer goals than the Nerazzurri (17), but while Gigi Buffon has made just 31 saves, Handanović has been called upon to make a staggering total of 71 in 22 appearances, the second highest total in the division. That – combined with the fact that eight of those eleven early wins came via a single goal margin – was clearly unsustainable, and it should be no surprise that they have regressed back into the chasing pack.

At the other end of the field, goals have been incredibly hard to come by and – a former striker himself – Mancini has not held back in his criticism of the club’s attacking players. “I'm 51 years old and even I would have scored some of those goals”, the Coach said after watching his side inexplicably blow a string of opportunities in the 1-1 draw with Carpi. 

Indeed, Inter have scored just 26 times in 22 games, meaning that despite sitting on top of the table for the majority of 2015/16, only seven teams have found the net on fewer occasions. Largely due to the aforementioned makeup of Mancini’s midfield, the Nerazzurri have struggled to supply chances for their struggling front men and clearly lack balance. 

All too often, the attacking trio find themselves isolated against the well organised defences Italian football is famous for, leading to inevitable frustration. That has manifested itself most clearly Mauro Icardi, last season’s league-leading scorer publically slamming the club’s style back in October. “When we play I don’t get much service,” he said back in October. “It’s a shame, as I am a striker and I can only score if the ball gets to me. In ten games I received four decent passes and scored three goals!”

The statistics back that up as Icardi’s shots per game have dropped from 3.4 per game in 2014/15 to an average of just 1.8 in the current campaign. Things have grown strained between player and Coach, with the Argentinean left on the bench for Sunday’s Milan derby, then coming on as a second-half substitute and missing a penalty. 

That came with the score at just 1-0, the Rossoneri immediately doubling their advantage after the miss to pour salt in the wound.  Mancini was sent off during the game and insulted fans as he left the field, with later reports of yet another spat with Icardi that prompted talk of a deadline day move to Liverpool.

While that never materialised, it is just the latest addition to the myriad problems which plague the club and which Mancini, owner Erick Thohir and the players themselves must quickly come together to solve. The elevator has left them at the bottom, and Inter must now work to find their own way back to the summit.