Inter - Liverpool (11 Mar 08)

[Cro Nerazzurro]

We just need 11 houngry man out there.
Dont bother too much about them cause they will defend and I am not scared of their counter attacks.
Just need to push them, have lots of bodies near their goal and I bet we can get thru.
Cambiasso coming from deep to score, Ibra doing stuff to serve whole team, Zanetti runs, fullbacks attack...it wil lwork if they are motivated and play offensive.

 

[alvaro]

Depressing is the word of today's, and for many days still to come. Hopefully it will fade away soon and I can still appreciate the Serie A, right know I don't give a ****. I just don't have any hope left that we will qualify, Pool will get the away goal which will make it hard if not impossible for us. All I want is a good performance after one of the most dissappointing results lately, quality- and resultwise. If the second leg were to be 3-1 for us, then let it be. I just want a win. If it won't be enough there's only Inter to be blamed for not showing up at Anfield, in an important European cup game. Yet phucking again.

 

[Ziyad]

I say fuk it..Just bring in the most offensive lineup from the start and go all out...That way we ensure that we gave it our best shot.They will be in a defensive mode so it will be hard for them to come back at us if we score the 2 or 3 goals we need.If not,what the hell we tried our best.

 

[Luka]

As always, it's nice talking to you XL.

Well, I don't think his absence is serious. It's never good to lose a backup player but when we have Jimenez or Stankovic it's not that big of a deal. It's not as if Figo dribbles players and provides our forwards with good balls consistently. If he ups his game, then yes: Figo is an incredible asset. But if he plays like he has for the past two years he's just good to have as an option, sometimes.

This is a point where I guess we have both agree to the fact, we have different opinions. To me, Figo is essential, Jimenez cannot dictate the tempo of play the way Figo can, he is not as effective there. We played a lot different with Figo behind the strikers, his injury was a big blow, but even before that we still played 4-4-2, so that wouldn't help much.

If you mean atitude like in "why aren't we playing 4312 and thus play our own game". If that's what you mean by attitude then I completely agree.

By attitue I mean, the way we played. We played completely with a picture in mind, not to conceed, instead of how to score.

But just to clarify something. Just because we played the 442 yesterday doesn't mean Mancini sent us to Liverpool to draw. Just that he was more cautious. When we have our own capain and players saying we are going there to win, it means they really did believe they were going to win. Whether they were actually good enough to do it we won't know becuase of Materazzi's red.

Yes. We won't. But what we do know is the way we played before his sent off, which was a shame for an italian champions, it really was. And I don't want to repeat myself, just take a look at my other posts. We are italian champions, and we didn't do anything, nothing, not a zip during those 30 minutes. I mean, are we some beat-up side, who are destined for last place in its league, or are we the champions of one of the most difficult leagues in euorpe for crying out loud ?

"When we have our own capain and players saying we are going there to win, it means they really did believe they were going to win." If that was the case, why Mancini didn't shout at anybody, why he didn't stand from the bench. If I told my team to play to win, I would be screaming my ass of from anger to the team, for the way they got themselves pushed back. He didn't, so I guess he though, it is going according to his plan. They were deffending, and he thought they are doing what he told them to.

And as for this 4-4-2 thing. I don't agree with you. I don't agree from my point of view on the 4-4-2 tactic. So it is tactical thing to me. Let me try to explain.

4-4-2 tactic, and the factor if you are better at it or worse, how you attack, lays a lot in the wingers. That's where more of an attack should be provided in this tactic. Now our captain with all due respect is no winger, he isn't. He can't dribble anyone with the way a winger usually dribbles, and that is one on one, coming on the deffender. Our beloved captain is using his strength to dribble most of the time, with a deffender being on his back etc. As for the other side you have maxwell, who is nominal a side deffender, I don't consider him winger in the first place. Now... how can you play this formation with the lack of 2 players you need for the team to pose any real threat ? You can't.

Javier is a deffensive player, Maxwell is a deffensive player, Cambiasso is a deffensive player, and these are 3 players in the midfield. I don't think anybody would be able to convince me we weren't there to defend.

 

[Azzkikr]

Play the reserves here, we cant afford more injuries.

No point riskin our starters in this lost cause.

 

[shahz_nerazzurri]

Play the reserves here, we cant afford more injuries.

No point riskin our starters in this lost cause.

Injuries for what?? SERIEA is completely wrapped up. What do our first team have to play for? Coppa Italia? They can all get injured, it would hardly matter.
But I do think we should go with our reserves, as they can use the experience.

 

[shahz_nerazzurri]

Guys dont worry, I have hope now. Mancini said we will never give up, and fight till the end.
Mancini Refuses To Give Up On Improbable Comeback

Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini is convinced that Inter have what it takes to turn around a two goal deficit against Liverpool when the two sides lock horn again at the Giuseppe Meazza in a fortnight's time.


You guys should be ashamed for doubting us, we will win the second leg 3-0 or something. Its all better now.

 

[Adam]

As always, it's nice talking to you XL.

This is a point where I guess we have both agree to the fact, we have different opinions. To me, Figo is essential, Jimenez cannot dictate the tempo of play the way Figo can, he is not as effective there. We played a lot different with Figo behind the strikers, his injury was a big blow, but even before that we still played 4-4-2, so that wouldn't help much.

I guess we can agree to disagree.

By attitue I mean, the way we played. We played completely with a picture in mind, not to conceed, instead of how to score.

Well ok, then I don't agree. There's is no way you could know that. You can only guess. I think we did try to impose our game on the match but we were unsuccesfull because of our midfields inabilty to pass the ball quickly. If you put aside the fact that we played some weird formation in Valencia due to injuries there can be no doubt that our objective in that macth was to score atleast one goal, so our approach t the game was offensive minded. And again our midfielders failed to create enough for our strikers so one have to wonder if we're simply not good enough in that department.

"When we have our own capain and players saying we are going there to win, it means they really did believe they were going to win." If that was the case, why Mancini didn't shout at anybody, why he didn't stand from the bench. If I told my team to play to win, I would be screaming my ass of from anger to the team, for the way they got themselves pushed back. He didn't, so I guess he though, it is going according to his plan. They were deffending, and he thought they are doing what he told them to.

I suppose you're talking about the first 30 minutes. My guess is there was no reason for Mancini to shout, because he expected Liverpool to dominate the first 20 minutes or so. But he did get up from his chair on a couple of occasions. For instance after we had misplaced some balls a couple of times in a row he told the players to calm down. Atleast that what I gathered from his body language.

And as for this 4-4-2 thing. I don't agree with you.

I'm sorry, I don't follow mate. What is it you don't agree with? I'm not advocating 442 if that's what you think. Never have, never will.

Javier is a deffensive player, Maxwell is a deffensive player, Cambiasso is a deffensive player, and these are 3 players in the midfield. I don't think anybody would be able to convince me we weren't there to defend.

I'm sorry mate, but that's a non argument in regards to our approach to the game since we almost always play three defensive players in midfield regardless of opposition. So that's no different to what we always play.

Also playing Maxwell in midfield instead of Chivu clearly indicates an offensive mentality to the game, since the former despite being a defender is a player that takes risks going forward. If Mancini wanted to defend he would of played Vieira/Chivu in midfield and Burdisso as leftback. He wouldn't of put Maxwell in midifled.


Also consider we had every single player saying "Going there to win" and "Impose our game" and such. Do you think they would be saying that if they thought there was a risk of them looking like fools after the match?
That's why I believe we did try, or was going to try after the initial 25, to impose our game but we simply didn't suceed or have a chance to because of Materazzi's sending off.

 

[Azzkikr]

indeed.

Mancini has a plan for the return game that will ensure victory, he has yet to play his greatest player - Cesar!

 

[M.Adnan]

Mancini clearly said that we're only going for a win in Liverpool and nothing else, yet look what happened then.

I'm not saying that Mancini doesn't want to turn this and win in Meazza, but not everything he says/wishes happens.

That's the way it works in life; it's easy to talk.

I still have 1% hope. Remember that long long long time ago we won 2-0 in Munich, but still lost 3-1 in Milano and couldn't qualify. Everything is possible.

 

[Luka]

If Mancini thinks that Benitez is going to do what he did yesterday, and that is deffending like a sissy girl, than he is delusional.

Benitez will never let us push them back like they did to us, he will be defensive, but he will make it clear to us from time to time, that they pose a threat, thus preventing us to play as offensive as all we are hoping for. It will be either by counter attacks, or something else, but Benitez is not Mancini.

And one more thing. I guess if Mancini is really not to blame here, I guess it is normall for me to accept, that Liverpool will be playing at the Meazza like we did at Anfield right?! I mean, Meazza is like 2 times larger, we will be still supporting our team, Liverpool players should play long balls all the time like we did, they should have no more than 40% of possesion etc. etc.

I mean, if that was really not a Mancinis fault, as many are still saying, than how come they don't believe in the return leg? After all, if this crap football we played for 30 minutes was normall to them, so I expect Liverpool to behave the same.

 

[Adam]

Well, Lukair when you're ten against eleven playing away against a team of Liverpools quailty there's not much you can do but defend and try to counter.

If Liverpool will be down to ten they will play the same way. That I can guanrantee. But at the same time if they are down to ten I'm sure they will crete more then we did yesterday because every single one of our counter attacks was screwed up by one of our players. I doubt Liverpool will be that bad.

 

[Alex de Large]

i'am sorry but i don't have any hope, i expect a 0-0 or maybe 1-1 or 1-0 win for us, nothing more, too bad it's in 3 weeks and not 2... thats more days to be depressed.
i admire people who will go to san siro to help the team. if i was an inter fan living in milan i could't do it, call me a bad fan.

 

[Luka]

Well ok, then I don't agree. There's is no way you could know that. You can only guess. I think we did try to impose our game on the match but we were unsuccesfull because of our midfields inabilty to pass the ball quickly. If you put aside the fact that we played some weird formation in Valencia due to injuries there can be no doubt that our objective in that macth was to score atleast one goal, so our approach t the game was offensive minded. And again our midfielders failed to create enough for our strikers so one have to wonder if we're simply not good enough in that department.

I don't buy it. It would be good explanation if we were a team from the mid Serie A table, not a team who lost 2 games for like a year in Serie A, and a team with so many internationals.

I suppose you're talking about the first 30 minutes. My guess is there was no reason for Mancini to shout, because he expected Liverpool to dominate the first 20 minutes or so. But he did get up from his chair on a couple of occasions. For instance after we had misplaced some balls a couple of times in a row he told the players to calm down. Atleast that what I gathered from his body language.

30 minutes, it's one third of the whole game. I don't know how to express it more clearly, we were as bad as my local team with a budget of 1/1000 what Cambiasso is worth. We showed nothing, we had 36% of possesion in first half, that is absolutely shamefull. We don't have a flair to play like Barcelona, but we have a midfield who with their power, can fight for the domination, instead we were sitting on our asses like a wounded dog.

I'm sorry, I don't follow mate. What is it you don't agree with? I'm not advocating 442 if that's what you think. Never have, never will.

I don't agree with that: "Just because we played the 442 yesterday doesn't mean Mancini sent us to Liverpool to draw." 4-4-2 with no wingers who are suppose to be a weapon in this tactic, whatsoever.

I'm sorry mate, but that's a non argument in regards to our approach to the game since we almost always play three defensive players in midfield regardless of opposition. So that's no different to what we always play.

Yes we do, but with a 4-3-1-2 formation, where you have this extra guy in front of you, who is suppose to be involved very much in attack.

Also playing Maxwell in midfield instead of Chivu clearly indicates an offensive mentality to the game, since the former despite being a defender is a player that takes risks going forward.

Maxwell is no winger. It's like saying when Ivan Helguera was mispositioned from the center back to the deffensive midfielder it indicated they were playing more offenisve. Maxwell is no winger, he shouldn't play there in the first place.

Also consider we had every single player saying "Going there to win" and "Impose our game" and such. Do you think they would be saying that if they thought there was a risk of them looking like fools after the match?
That's why I believe we did try, or was going to try after the initial 25, to impose our game but we simply didn't suceed or have a chance to because of Materazzi's sending off.

I don't know what else I can say. I think the way we played yesterday speaks for itself, but it seems it doesn't. Let me just tell you, that you can watch all the games from now on untill the end of this years CL, and you won't find a team who is playing as dreadfull as we did yesterday. It happened for the third time in the row, and I can't believe people are still buying those excuses.

 

[Luka]

Well, Lukair when you're ten against eleven playing away against a team of Liverpools quailty there's not much you can do but defend and try to counter.

The irony here, is that we were 11 vs 11 and we still didn't even counter, we didn't do anything. I'm focusing in all my posts on the time we were with 11 men.

Real played for win, with this attitude they came on the field, on the Roma stadium, and we all know how passionate they are, and Real scored in 7'th minute. Will I live to a day that we will score so soon away under Mancini? That's how you play.

I mean look at Parma. How would you compare our team to theirs, and they were winning ON OUR STADIUM for 88 minutes! And they were winning it fair and square. That's how you come out on the field, not like a scary chicken.

CSKA came to San Siro, and they were there to win. They scored 2 goals, they were trying to win the game. What we were trying to do yesterday is some propaganda of football, I don't know what else to say, but that I'm ashamed what we showed yesterday. If that would be a boxing match, we would be on the ground in the first round, we were so defensive...

 

[CafeCordoba]

You are too harsh on Mancini (and Inter). Clearly the plan was to play carefully the start of the match and defend. Red card ruined the plan, since Inter was getting at least some control of the game before the sending off.

 

[Luka]

Red card ruined the plan, since Inter was getting at least some control of the game before the sending off.

64% of Posession for Liverpool, to 36% of posession for Inter in the first half. And I don't believe it changed so drasticaly after the red card and those 15 minutes changed it that much. Before that it was probably something like 60-40. I don't think that's control.

 

[Adam]

I don't buy it. It would be good explanation if we were a team from the mid Serie A table, not a team who lost 2 games for like a year in Serie A, and a team with so many internationals.

The difference is English teams put you under a lot more pressure and give you a less time and space to control and pass.

30 minutes, it's one third of the whole game.

The part where we were 11 vs 11. And for your information Mancini was up on his feet screaming and shouting in the second half, right next to Benitez. It was actually a realy cool shot.

I don't agree with that: "Just because we played the 442 yesterday doesn't mean Mancini sent us to Liverpool to draw." 4-4-2 with no wingers who are suppose to be a weapon in this tactic, whatsoever.

Aha, that's the "442 thing". Gotcha.

Maxwell is no winger. It's like saying when Ivan Helguera was mispositioned from the center back to the deffensive midfielder it indicated they were playing more offenisve. Maxwell is no winger, he shouldn't play there in the first place.

Maxwell is one of our best dribblers and one of our most offensive players so that's a false analogy, and he's known to be weak in defence so it's a clear indication of offensive mentality. Like I said if we wanted to play defensively we would of started with different players and wouldn't of played both Chivu and Maxwell. And our players wouldn't of made fools of themselves before the match.

I don't know what else I can say. I think the way we played yesterday speaks for itself, but it seems it doesn't.

Well, to each his own. Personally I find your conclusion to be way too simplistic. To me it doesnt make sense because even if a team plays defensively they should still be able to keep some possession. It almost seems like you're saying our players didn't keep possession or counter attack because they were only interested in defending, because that's what Mancini told them to do, when to me it's obvious they tried to do both those things but failed.

 

[snake]

shahz wtf are you talking about? We lost 2-0 do you know anything about soccer?

There's still a HUGE chance that we can still advance, we have one of the best goal scoring ratios in the world.

****ing idiots him and azzkikr. belong together.

they scored 2 goals in 5 minutes. We have over 90 to do it. Situations may be different but ive seen it many a time.

Giving up hope and not supporting the team is just a cowards way out.

not true fans at all.

 

[mexican_azzurri]

****ing idiots him and azzkikr. belong together.

they scored 2 goals in 5 minutes. We have over 90 to do it. Situations may be different but ive seen it many a time.

Giving up hope and not supporting the team is just a cowards way out.

not true fans at all.

True:star: