Inter - tomorrow night - attitude and selection

[matty]

“Liverpool has the advantage of being in form and having got a few players back from injury around now, while we aren’t in the best of shape and have players who are still short of fitness.” Roberto Mancini’s theory is objective, anchored in reality. The problem is that following this line logically, you arrive at a worrying conclusion: the English will go through. Fortunately, football can be irrational, unpredictable. In one evening forces can be overturned, and the team that walked can start to run, the favourites can lose confidence and become beatable. If there were no precedents for Inter to hope for, it would be useless to turn up to the match, because Liverpool are in better form both physically and psychologically.

 

Important help can come from the stands. Many of yesterday’s champions, Mario Corso, Sandro Mazzola, Luis Suarez have underlined it. 43 years ago they were at the San Siro in a whirlwind of enthusiasm, every spectator had something luminous in their hand, which transmitted to the players a simple message: we believe in you. But those of the ‘Great Inter’ have spoken of the work done by the ‘Wizard’ in the days leading up to the match. Those one on one talks in which Helenio Herrera convinced the players to be stronger than the adversary that he would be facing. A dated way to do it? No, the paths of the mind do not change over time. In any sport self-belief remains a fundamental element of competition.

 

Even without following Herrera’s methods, Mancini must be excellent in these last hours, not allowing worry, uncertainty, doubt. He has to make his choices and can’t make any of them bad. He must do this for every game, you might say, but no, this is the Champions League and they begin with a grave disadvantage. He has to manage everything perfectly – starting with the formation.

 

In defence, there is little to think about. Chivu will be available, Maxwell won’t, he still has still pain in his calf. Mancini can choose Maicon-Burdisso-Chivu-Zanetti or put Zanetti in midfield. In which case Chivu would go to left back and Rivas would play centre back. There are no other possibilities.

 

So the key decisions are those regarding midfield. Cambiasso is fine, but he is alone. It isn’t a mystery that Stankovic, Figo and Vieira represent a large question mark. They are talked about as the foundations, those who must assure quality and quantity, giving protection to the back, and providing ball for the forwards. If it were based on the recent games, Mancini should leave out Vieira and Figo, and put Stankovic and Zanetti on the flanks of Cambiasso, with Jimenez as ‘trequartista’. But the feeling is that Vieira will play and not picking Figo would be difficult, as experience is crucial. Crespo has recovered, but it isn’t sure that he’ll play with Ibrahimovic, there is still Cruz.

 

 

MILANO, 10 marzo 2008 - "Il Liverpool ha il vantaggio di essere entrato in forma e aver recuperato diversi infortunati proprio adesso, mentre noi arriviamo a questa partita con uno stato generale non ottimo e alcuni giocatori rientrati da poco". La sintesi fatta da Roberto Mancini è obbiettiva, saldamente ancorata alla realtà. Il problema è che seguendone il filo logico, si arriva a una conclusione sconfortante: passano gli inglesi. Per fortuna, il calcio sa essere irrazionale, imprevedibile, folle. E può capitare che in una serata i rapporti di forza si capovolgano, quelli che fino a ieri passeggiavano si mettano a correre, la squadra superfavorita entri in una spirale negativa che progressivamente la rende fragile e perciò battibile. Non ci fossero tanti precedenti del genere a tener su l’Inter, sarebbe persino inutile andare alla sfida: il Liverpool sta molto meglio sul piano della forma atletica e della condizione psicologica.

SAN SIRO - Un aiuto, importante, può venire dagli spalti. Lo hanno sottolineato molti campioni di ieri: Corso, Mazzola, Suarez. Quarantatrè anni fa si ritrovarono in un San Siro traboccante di entusiasmo, ogni spettatore aveva in mano qualcosa di luminoso. E trasmetteva ai suoi giocatori un messaggio semplice e al tempo stesso elettrico: guarda che noi ci crediamo. Ma quelli della Grande Inter hanno pure evidenziato il lavoro psicologico compiuto dal Mago nei giorni della vigilia, quei colloqui a quattr’occhi nei quali Herrera convinceva il giocatore di turno di essere più forte dell’avversario che avrebbe avuto di fronte. Un sistema datato? Mah, i percorsi della mente non hanno età. In qualsiasi sport la convinzione in se stessi resta un elemento fondamentale della competizione.

IL TECNICO - Anche senza seguire il metodo Herrera, Roberto Mancini dev’essere bravo, in queste ore, anzitutto a non far trasparire preoccupazione, incertezze, dubbi. Deve fare delle scelte e non può permettersi il lusso di sbagliarle. Compito di ogni partita, direte: beh, no, qui si gioca la Champions partendo da un grave svantaggio. Deve filare proprio tutto alla perfezione, per potercela fare. A cominciare appunto dalla formazione.

NEL MEZZO - Sull’assetto difensivo c’è poco da mettersi a ragionare. Chivu ce la fa ("La soglia di sopportazione del dolore si è alzata, sono a disposizione"), Maxwell no, avverte ancora fastidio alla caviglia. Mancini può decidere per Maicon-Burdisso-Chivu-Zanetti oppure può sfruttare Zanetti a metà campo. In tal caso Chivu slitta a sinistra e nel mezzo trova posto Rivas. Non ci sono altre possibilità. Pertanto la decisione chiave riguarda le pedine del centrocampo. Cambiasso sta bene, ma è il solo. Non è un mistero che Stankovic, Figo e Vieira rappresentano un grosso punto interrogativo. Si tratta degli uomini-base, quelli che devono assicurare la quantità e la qualità, ovvero una protezione costante alla linea arretrata e i palloni per le punte. Se dovesse decidere sulla base delle risposte avute nelle ultime partite, Mancini dovrebbe lasciare fuori Vieira e Figo. Per piazzare Stankovic e Zanetti ai fianchi di Cambiasso con Jimenez trequartista. Ma la sensazione è che Vieira giochi e tenere fuori Figo è difficile: l’esperienza pesa. Crespo è recuperato, non è detto però che sia lui a far coppia con Ibra: c’è pure Cruz.

[Frosty Jack]

my friend, biggest inter fan i know said the same thing, half the team is out, & they don't expect to keep a clean sheet.

i told him they should have a whip around and pay off the ref.

[Mike]

have that matty

[John am Rhein]

We'll batter these...0-0

[Lee W]

i told him they should have a whip around and pay off the ref.

 

What, with their reputation ?

[Andy Mac]

Agenda for tomorrow. Go to the Cheltenham festival win loads of cash, find a boozer with the game on and watch Liverpool progress to the next round of the European Cup.

 

If only the latter comes to fruition, I'll be happy. (as long as I don't lose too much at the races)

[Stevie H]

that jiminez looks a handy little player. be happy if they don't start him.

[Lee W]

Is that the same Jimenez that used to play for Basle ?

 

He was a pain.

[matty]

have that matty

 

It was all Hungarians I tell ye.

[Bootle Buck]

They had a MasterPlan in the 60's......................... Bribe the Ref

 

Let's hope they don't try the same tommorow.

[Guest Prongsy]

We'll batter these...0-0

 

I'd settle for that right now.

[Hassony]

I'd settle for that right now.

I'd settle for a 1-0 defeat or even a 4-2 defeat right now!

[SkippyjonJones]

I hope its 0-0 until about the 70th minute when we get a totally unjustified penalty and score it to completely crush the cheating inter b******s.

[Ronnie Whelan]

Torres to score tomorrow night.

[matty]

I'd settle for a 1-0 defeat or even a 4-2 defeat right now!

Better than a 0-0.

[magneto]

1 goal and they'd need 4 to win.

[honourablegeorge]

I hope its 0-0 until about the 70th minute when we get a totally unjustified penalty and score it to completely crush the cheating inter b******s.

 

 

Could we not have a compeltely unjustified penalty in the first minute, score the b*****d, and get on with enjoying a few beers?

[Extraordinary Swindle]

They had a MasterPlan in the 60's......................... Bribe the Ref

 

Let's hope they don't try the same tommorow.

Or better still - we have a whip round and bribe the ref to say that Inter tried to bribe him!

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

I hope its 0-0 until about the 70th minute when we get a totally unjustified penalty and score it to completely crush the cheating inter b******s.

and then the ref reveals they tried to bribe him & they're shut-down as a football club

[Rory Fitzgerald]

1 goal and they'd need 4 to win.

 

Assuming Torres doesnt get his hat-trick

[Gary Wolf]

You can never trust what these b******s write. When so much is at stake they'll do everything to deceive the opponents. They will give you all the compliments and say they're done for and can hope only for their fan's support, but they still posess some top players and are dangerous.

[Guest Kaizer]

They had a MasterPlan in the 60's......................... Bribe the Ref

 

Let's hope they don't try the same tommorow.

 

The ref is Norwegian, he wont need the money.

 

and I`m not sure how wise it would be to try to bribe this man either.

 

Edited March 10, 2008 by Kaizer

[Guest Prongsy]

Ray Wilkins is Refereeing now?

[Reds4Life]

Did that Italian rag get Glen Hoddle and his Mystic Meg sidekick to write some of that?

[matty]

Inter looking likely to line up like this:

 

Cesar

Maicon - Burdisso - Rivas - Chivu

Zanetti - Cambiasso - Vieira - Stankovic

Ibrahimovic - - Cruz

 

Subs: Toldo, Esposito, Figo, Jimenez, Maniche, Crespo, Suazo