The Josef Martínez honeymoon phase at Inter Miami CF is fading.
The 2018 Landon Donovan MLS MVP made a much-ballyhooed move from Atlanta United before the season after a contract buyout, a move that to this point has yielded zero goals from six starts.
“He needs to play better,” Miami head coach Phil Neville said of the Venezuelan international after a 1-0 defeat to FC Dallas Saturday night. “It’s the first time today we played with two strikers. Gotta say, I don’t think in the first half either had a shot on goal. Did we get him the service? Probably not. … We need more from Josef, that’s without a shadow of a doubt.”
On Saturday, Martínez partnered with Leonardo Campana, who made his first appearance this season after missing the first six matches due to a calf injury. Both were off by the 70-minute mark, failing to make much of an impact at DRV PNK Stadium. After Gonzalo Higuaín's retirement last fall, Martínez and Campana are expected to carry the load up top.
“We’ve played seven games and our center forwards haven’t scored a goal apart from Shanyder \[Borgelin\],” Neville said. “That’s a concern.”
Martínez has 11 shots in 483 minutes this year, but just three are on frame. There were high expectations entering the season after Martínez scored 98 goals over the course of six seasons with Atlanta, including 31 in 2018 when he helped lead the Five Stripes to an MLS Cup title.
Now, although not mentioning Martínez by name, Neville promised changes when Inter Miami return to play on April 22 at Houston Dynamo FC. They have a bye next weekend during Matchday 8.
“I think what we’ve got in the team, we’ve got some players that are comfortable and from now on those players won't be comfortable anymore because they're not playing to the levels I expect,” Neville said. “We’ve got players that have not had opportunities that I think now deserve an opportunity. So in two weeks' time, I think we'll see that.”
In 2022, Neville memorably called out Higuaín during a similar slump. The Argentine legend responded with a 2022 MLS Comeback Player of the Year campaign, providing 16 goals and three assists in 1,750 minutes.
Callender: A bright spot
One player Neville lauded from the 1-0 defeat was goalkeeper Drake Callender, who made seven saves despite Miami losing a fifth straight game. This poor run of form also coincides with captain and Brazilian midfielder Gregore suffering a foot injury that'll keep him out through September.
“What you've seen from Drake Callender today is probably the best 'keeper in the league, without a shadow of a doubt. Some of them saves and the quality of the saves in terms of he made them look so easy, some difficult saves that he made looks so easy,” Neville said after Callender was only beaten in the 27th minute by FC Dallas striker Jesús Ferreira.
The 25-year-old has been a consistent bright spot in what has been a disappointing start to the season for a Miami side coming off an Audi MLS Cup Playoffs appearance last year, albeit a Round One exit at New York City FC.
“I played with an American 'keeper called Tim Howard, who I thought was a really good 'keeper,” Neville said. “Drake Calendar’s got better qualities in terms of shot-stopping, in the commanding of the area. He just needs to get the levels of consistency that probably Tim got his move to Man[chester] United and Everton.”
Huge stretch ahead
Miami sit 12th in the Eastern Conference table with six points from their first seven matches, slumping hard after two straight home wins to start the year. Neville said “the buck stops with me,” when it comes to the current run of form and a first-half performance against FC Dallas he said was the “poorest 45 minutes of the season.”
“We’ve got a three-game week coming up – Houston, US Open Cup against Miami FC\] and then [Columbus away – two away games where we have to pick up points,” Neville said. “That’s the non-negotiable.”
