The full-back's starting position tells you everything

Watch the first ten minutes of the new Serie A season. Inter hosting Monza on August 22. I will be looking at Denzel Dumfries on the right side for Inter.

If he starts high and wide, Monza's left winger has to decide: track him or stay compact. If the winger tucks in, Dumfries receives in space. If the winger stays wide, the space between Monza's left-back and centre-back opens for Inter's right-sided midfielder to drift into.

One player's starting position creates a knock-on effect across the whole defensive shape. The distance between units shifts. The passing lane into that half-space either appears or disappears within the first few minutes.

The first ten minutes often expose a bad pre-match read. Watch where the full-back stands before the ball even moves.

Question: What is the first structural detail you check in the opening minutes of a match?