Each start of Inter’s last few seasons has been greeted with talk of a revitalized side, one that could finally challenge for the scudetto. This year, sitting fourth but just two points back of Roma after 10 Serie A rounds, they’re looking even more likely to be successful.

But despite this proximity to the top, it’s clear Inter have quite a ways to go before they truly dominate again. The majority of the sides they’ve faced sit in the bottom half of the table. In their play, there’s a disconnect within the side, and it feels as though individual effort rather than solid team performances is responsible for their climb. A lack of creativity makes watching them painful, and perhaps most worrying of all, the nerazzurri have a manager who looks mired in the past.

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Roberto Mancini’s biggest problem just might be that he’s Roberto Mancini. You wouldn’t think that’s a flaw for a manager that once won back-to-back titles,* but times have changed since he last won the scudetto. And his failure to adapt to a changed Serie A may be what ultimately sends Mancini packing his bags once more.

*Technically Inter holds the 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08 titles; however, the 2006 scudetto was awarded after it was stripped from Juventus during the Calciopoli scandal.

Perhaps Inter’s statistics tell the story most succinctly. Inter have scored their greatest number of away goals in a 2-1 win at Carpi, their highest number of home goals in various 1-0 wins, and their greatest margin of victory has been one goal.

But that’s how Inter are these days: conservative, cautious, and too nervous about losing to actually pursue a win. In seven of their 10 games, the nerazzurri have entered halftime with the score 0-0. Maybe this sort of prudence is necessary; after all, Inter have struggled dramatically since winning the triple under José Mourinho in 2010.

The method of Inter’s wins should really come as no surprise to anyone who watched the side being assembled in the summer. Mancini has carefully orchestrated his team to do little more than grind out wins; or, failing that, leave with a point in their pockets. Gone is Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovačić, unquestionably the most creative player wearing a nerazzurri shirt before Mancini arrived. As if that weren’t enough, Brazilian playmaker Hernanes got shipped off on loan, to Juventus nonetheless – a sure sign Inter cared not a bit about firing up a creative spark. Instead, the midfield relies on muscle to get its point across, while the only players able to create anything at all play high up the pitch.

In fact, it feels like Mancini has split his squad, putting out seven defensive players and three attackers, with no one able to connect the dots. It’s no wonder, then, that this side struggles to score goals. There’s enough talent there: Mauro Icardi, Rodrigo Palacio, Stevan Jovetić, Adem Ljajić, Ivan Perišić — all should be able to put the ball in the back of the net. But with no one easing the transition from defense to attack, those goals aren’t coming.

SEE MORE: Expect a huge turnaround from Juventus; just don’t expect another scudetto.

To be fair, Mancini’s system is working. In 10 games, his team has scored just 10 goals, yet they’ve lost only one match. The table says they’re fourth, but they’re tied on points with Fiorentina (second) and Napoli (third) – and in Italy, where head-to-head points is the first tiebreaker, goal difference matters little. That’s perfect for Mancini.

But that’s assuming Inter can keep it up. This is how Mancini tends to operate – focusing on defense, pragmatically favoring a 1-0 win rather than emphasizing style. At one point, this was how all soccer was played on the peninsula, and coming away with a goalless draw was considered a point of pride. It worked the last time Mancini was at Inter, when his side notched 10 draws, eight of them finishing 0-0 or 1-1, yet won the 2007-08 title.

Just because it’s worked in the past doesn’t mean it will bring success this season. Italian soccer is moving on, displaying a wider variety of tactics and showcasing a fuller set of talents. These days, you’re far more likely to see an emphasis on possession or consistent pressing from a side than teams buckling down and hoping for a point. That means almost any team is capable of surprising with a goal, as Inter saw with newly-promoted Carpi. And when a team totally catches the nerazzurri off-guard, cutting them open right from the start, the result can be disastrous.

It’s only happened once so far this season, when Fiorentina beat Inter 4-1. After Josip Iličić converted a penalty in the fourth minute, Inter had no choice but to chase the game. However, the viola, under Paulo Sousa, play a quick game that attempts to force opponents into making mistakes. Inter crumbled under such a challenge, conceding three goals by the 24th minute, then going down a man with an hour left. Mancini’s solution to Fiorentina’s dominance? Actually getting more defensive, having his side sit in their own half and hope for a chance to counter.

SEE MORE: Serie A has added some much-needed uncertainty at the top of its table.

That loss to Fiorentina is the only time Inter have faced one of Italy’s top six this season. Next they face Roma, Serie A leaders and lovers of a good goal fest. The giallorossi have scored in every match in every competition this season, and in nine of their 10 league games they’ve netted two or more. In other words, this ain’t your grandma’s Italian soccer, and it’s not a team Mancini has the tools to face. Roma have the advantage, and they’re likely to force Inter to come out of their shell. So while Inter patiently build up their attack, hoping to get that one goal over and done with, Roma will hit hard on the counter, using their speed to disrupt Mancini’s game plan.

Mancini’s yet to prove he has a fallback. There’s no Plan B. He has enough sheer talent in his side that they’ve been able to (mostly) cover for their one-note manager, but it would be foolish to expect that trend to continue. The other teams sitting top of the league all have managers that tend toward certain tactics — high pressure, quick tempo, keeping possession — but each has also shown the ability to adapt when the need arises. If Mancini doesn’t soon learn the art of transformation, he’ll be watching his side slide quickly down the table.

Serie A has changed. Roberto Mancini has not.