Inter Miami: Pizarro is not the playmaker the team needs

With the rumor that Rodolfo Pizarro could be on the way out this summer, here’s why the Mexican hasn’t quite settled in Miami.

Rodolfo Pizarro came to Inter Miami looking to make his stamp on the league. A year and $12 million dollars later, however, he’s yet to really make an impact for the Herons.

Yes, he did score the club’s first goal in history and his flashy style seemed to fit the South Florida landscape, but his productivity on the pitch has not lived up to his price tag.

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With the rumor that the Mexican’s time in Miami could end sooner rather than later, let’s break down the numbers as to why he’s struggling.

Not a Playmaker

For all the conversations about where Pizarro should play, Phil Neville has spoken about how he wanted the 27-year-old to get on the ball as much as possible:

In three of Miami’s first four games, Pizarro started as the number 10. But as the season progressed, the team had trouble scoring. There was no one in midfield who could dictate tempo and consistently set up Miami’s attacking front three.  To fix this, Neville started to give 36-year- old Federico Higuain more minutes.

The elder Higuain is more of a playmaker, he wants to get on the ball and set up his teammates.

While Pizarro is a phenomenal dribbler and has the ability to evade defenders, he was lacking that final ball.

Looking at the numbers from fbref, Higuain has 2.08 key passes per 90 compared to Pizarro’s 1.32; key passes are passes that directly lead to a shot on goal. As for passes into the final 3rd per 90, Higuain surpasses Pizarro there too with 6.43 passes to Pizarro’s 3.05.

What these numbers mean that Higuain is by far the more creative and progressive passer of the two. Pizarro isn’t getting the ball into dangerous areas as much as Higuain is.

For Miami’s offensive productivity to hinge on a 36-year-old who is coming off a major knee injury, as time goes on, that isn’t sustainable.

Pizarro is the type of player that loves to dribble and shake off defenders, however, if Miami wants to turn things around, he needs to start looking for his teammates.

What’s Next?

In football, sometimes, players don’t fit the manager’s vision. Neville has spoken about how important Pizarro is to the team, but, his performances haven’t shown it.

In Miami’s last four games, Pizarro only started in one of them. Though Higuain has temporarily fixed the issue, at 36, he’s not a permanent solution.

If the rumors are true about Pizarro potentially leaving, Inter Miami may very well cut their losses and move on. As MLS introduced the U-22 initiative recently, Miami’s front office could bring in a  younger, more productive Designated Player which could see them use three “young money” spots:

The international break provided a much-needed reflection point for the club. If Miami wants to turn things around, they need to start at the number 10 spot.

Follow Alex Windley of ‘MLS Multiplex’ on Twitter @aaw_1998