Inter - Valencia (21 Feb 07)

[Alex de Large]

here people say ref was favouring inter cause the first goal it's offside.
**** EVERYONE, i want to kill someone now.

Now the boys should concentrate 100% in the return game, too bad it's in 2 weeks.

 

[Adam]

here people say ref was favouring inter cause the first goal it's offside.
**** EVERYONE, i want to kill someone now.

Now the boys should concentrate 100% in the return game, too bad it's in 2 weeks.

Just hit a pillow, see how it feels.

 

[Waleed]

I really dont see what people have to be optimistic about to tell you the truth. It may not be the end of the world but inter played a decent game IMO and even then it was not good enough to beat this Valencia side that was holding back so as not to concede as much.

Those flashes of offensive power we saw near the end are how they are going to be playing all game in two weeks. Plus with both Paddy and prolly Esteban out of the game we have no might in the middle to keep them at bay and possibly get the odd goal.

Yet again even in our best of seasons Inter find a way to disappoint the hell out of you.

It will prolly be the best if we all get over this and hope we can somehow not embarrass ourselves in two weeks.

 

[HDavius]

I think now, the chances are 20% for us, 80% for Freaking Valencia...

LOL. Go bet on Valencia then!

Most accurately, I'd say we have 45% and they have 55%. We just need to win at away and there's nothing so magical about that. I mean, even Liverpool beat Barcelona 2-1 today.

Honestly, I thought we would have trouble today because psychologically, it's very difficult to adjust to a new competition, especially when you score first in the first half. However, I think we'll probably win on the second leg.

I really dont see what people have to be optimistic about to tell you the truth. It may not be the end of the world but inter played a decent game IMO and even then it was not good enough to beat this Valencia side that was holding back so as not to concede as much.

That's the whole point with the randomness. Think about it this way. Without using ourselves as examples, if Liverpool get lucky, then can beat Barca 2-1 away. If Barcelona get lucky then they can beat Liverpool 4-0 away. That's what I mean.

 

[Knightz]

Who thought that our guy got fouled inside the Penalty Area in the 87th minute but the ref gave our guy a card for "Diving" when the Valencian defender CLEARLY went for his knees. Still, the game should have been 4-1, 4-2 at that point.

 

[InterFan]

If we're blown out now, our Scudetti will be laughable and we won't be able to convince anyone otherwise- a shitty serie a with an "ok" leader and nothing more.

It could be the most sad Scudetto I can image us taking in the regular way.

Mancini must concentrate on the 2nd leg and utilize the league matches as good preparations.

 

[darsez]

I didn't see so many "we are out of CLs" posts even after we lost to Milan 2-0 two seasons ago. Some of us were still like "we can beat them 2-0 in the second leg." I mean, do you guys think it's easier to beat Milan 2-0 than to beat Valencia 1-0?

I know it's difficult to beat them at Mestalla, but it's something we have done before and not impossible. Alternatively, we can draw them 3-3

 

[alvaro]

Just dont be too low-spirited about this result, I'll copy this what i posted earlier:

Such a shame we didnt manage to score from those chances in the first half. But if you have to find something positive about this result, I'd say the 2-2 result could be even slightly better than 2-1. Why so? We all know what happened last year when we came to Spain having won the first match 2-1. All we did was sit back and hope for Villarreal not to score. Well eventually they did and we shit in our pants, having no idea whatsoever to come back. Now, with the 2-2 result, we must immediately start attacking and not sit back. It can prove out to be a good result after all, we'll see.

- -

In the return leg, Mancini must find the proper sense to play Maxwell instead of Burdisso, and Adriano instead of Crespo. Crespo scores vital goals but as said he needs the ball offered to him on a silver plate. Adriano can run and keep up the ball while serving some chances to Ibra aswell. Figo once again failed to deliver in the second half as well as Mancini failed to substitute him earlier.

 

[Alex de Large]

If we're blown out now, our Scudetti will be laughable and we won't be able to convince anyone otherwise- a shitty serie a with an "ok" leader and nothing more.

It could be the most sad Scudetto I can image us taking in the regular way.

Mancini must concentrate on the 2nd leg and utilize the league matches as good preparations.

I totally agree with u, i have been listening that crap in the last months, and i told everyone to wait to CL, if valencia beats us in the second game it's going to be very embarassing for me.....

 

[Pi]

We did a good first half, but that second part was Villarreal all over again we just sat and let Valencia take control, that was a big mistake I don't know if it was Valencia that came too strong or if Mancini said something but the attitude for the second half killed us.

I was really hoping to see Adriano in this game and from the beginning, but Mancini thought otherwise, and why on earth don't we use our LB? I mean we bought Maxwell and Grosso just for the Serie A? Also I think Figo did a decent job but this wasn't a game for him, we needed to win the battle in the midfield and when we started losing it (2nd half) we started to struggle.

The result could have been better, but you aren't a true fan if you don't believe we can still get through and what better way to do it then going to Valencia and getting a win.

 

[Enzo]

90% of you blokes are women. what histeria, there is still 90 minutes left and the way footall is played these days, it was always going to be decided over 2 legs and away goals isn't that big of a deal as shown in almost every other tie in the Champions League right now.

Valencia is going to defend @ the Mestalla, as it should and Inter will get chances and they need the right personnel (Dacourt in for Figo this time and Maxwell for Burdisso, everything else is fine) in the right spot and it's game on.

The only thing to come out of this game (because it's still dead even, no matter how you look at it, Valencia aren't ahead, because the scoreline is still 2-2) is that it's just proof how poor the Serie A is this year.

 

[Adam]

The only thing to come out of this game (because it's still dead even, no matter how you look at it, Valencia aren't ahead, because the scoreline is still 2-2) is that it's just proof how poor the Serie A is this year.

Proof my ass. What's the difference between this years Serie A and the last three years?

Milan are weaker and there is no Juventus. But Roma, Fiorentina, Palermo, Lazio, Torino and Empoli are all playing better then the last couple of seasons.

The only proof that you got from this match is that Villa is a Worldclass player, and that luck goes a long way.

 

[Pi]

The only thing to come out of this game (because it's still dead even, no matter how you look at it, Valencia aren't ahead, because the scoreline is still 2-2) is that it's just proof how poor the Serie A is this year.

Well they are ahead because if the game ends like it starts they go through it is Inter that has to fight their way to the next round.

However, I agree that Inter is capable of producing a good attacking football (like the first half of this game), the fact is what will we do if we get the lead at the Mestalla? I surely hope we don't hold nothing back on the return game and do a great effort to show what is our true value to the World.

 

[Enzo]

one team can only get so much luck.

proof because many teams didn't have the ability to buy the players they wanted and thus the level of competition is poor.

just look at Palermo in Europe.

 

[DISCO ZZANG]

Mancini did huge,stupid mistake. not use Adriano,Maxwell and changed formation.

It's very stupid. I really angry. tonight result response totally Mancini. Mancini only thinking about Valencia's wingers. definitely forgot our attacking power and our best formation.

Tonight Mancini most stupid coach.

 

[Soca_Warrior]

I actually didn't think Mancini's original formation was sooo bad, I just thought that he should have brought on Dacourt, Adriano and Maxwell early in the 2nd half and Figo had a great 1st half, but when Cuchu got injured that was kinda messed up I guess.
It would be seriously ironic after the last few years if Valencia came out really defensive at the Mestalla

 

[Knightz]

Mancini did huge,stupid mistake. not use Adriano,Maxwell and changed formation.

It's very stupid. I really angry. tonight result response totally Mancini. Mancini only thinking about Valencia's wingers. definitely forgot our attacking power and our best formation.

Tonight Mancini most stupid coach.

Uhhhh? Right......

 

[Khalifa]

After finally reading all the previous pages, which reminded of our losses to milan and juvy back in the day, as our threads of games is not busy, because we are WINNNING(finally). Never mind that, today we lost and we drew( lost ) in a ugly fashion.

I agree with Waleed about the fact that we didnt see half best of Valencia yet, but i dont agree with the fact that this is a close to over or halfway to over. 90mins and even Getafe can beat Valencia at home, which they did. So Inter can and i think we will. All this nonsense about Inter not holding the pressure and what not, well, is complete bullocks. We won 3 champion leagues when we needed to, we beat MILAN when we were losing and drawing. In addition, we beat Palermo and Roma, when they were RED hot to say the least. That sounds like pressure to me and we passed them.

Im looking forward for the game, with Adriano starting this team. Mancini has to be smart this team and play smart.

 

[Handoyo]

There's definitely a lot of talking points from this match. The biggest one is definitely Mancini. It seems that he has not learnt from the lesson of EuroDerby II 2nd leg, where he suddenly decided to use 4-5-1 after using 4-4-2 throughout the whole season of 04/05, we were trailing Milan 2-0 on aggregate at that time too btw. And now, against Valencia, once again he abandoned the trusted 4-3-1-2 with 3 hard working midfielders and Deki as the trequartista. Not to mention that, he tinkered with the Burdisso - Materazzi combination, using Burdisso on the left in an overly defensive formation. Upfront, it is absolutely stunning how he left Adriano completely out of this match, preferring Crespo and Cruz instead. I really think there is something behind this decision that is unknown to the public.

Next, the 2-2 result. Without a doubt, that is a nightmare result since we have to win in the Mestalla or get a high-scoring draw. Valencia has a 9-1-1 home record in La Liga this season, conceding only 6 goals; certainly this will be a daunting task! However, they will be without their influential captain, Albelda, who's suspended.

I think it is right to think that they have the upper hand. However, it would be very wrong to be overly pessimistic. If you think that this tie is over, I see no difference between that attitude and Mancini's wrongful attitude in fearing Valencia's right flank so much that he ended up messing his formation and tactics up.

The chance to qualify is there. All is not lost and we just have to try our darnest at the Mestalla. You know, in some way, maybe the fact that we are in this difficult position and from the Villarreal lesson last season, this could be a blessing in disguise because at least we know that the Inter of this season will not get complacent and will not get out without giving their best shot in the second leg. We have won so many difficult ties in Serie A this season and we just gotta hope that the team will repeat that feat in Europe.

And I want to talk about this oh-I-wanna-win-the-CL-so-they-don't-mock-us-bullshit. What the hell is it with that attitude? I thought we have agreed all season long that no one can take this joy away from us that we have been so good in Serie A. I say, fuck whatever it is that the neutral think of us. They have no idea of the suffering we had to go through in what was the dirtiest league in the planet. We deserve the title and you shouldn't let any bastards take that pride away from you. Chelsea won the Premier League in a runaway fashion twice and yet nobody said anything about them, despite knowing fully well than Man Utd and Arsenal were in transition period that all clubs had to go through eventually. Only idiots will discredit our achievement in Serie A and I say, ignore those idiots.


Handyo

 

[Choppin Onions]

Just finished watching the game and suffice to say I'm not happy. The way we were playing in the 1st half, we should have buried Valencia quick and early but after Cuchu's goal and getting replaced by Dacourt (who was utter shite btw) we gradually lost control of the game with only sporadic bursts of energy like the Maicon goal.

And what the flying fack was Mancini thinking with playing Nico on the left? He's not a good passer, he doesn't attack and he doesn't defend well out there. We've all seen this numerous times when he's played as a fullback and yet Mancio opts for him instead of Maxwell. Dumb move. Even more so considering Nico should have been starting over Cordoba in the first place.

No we have to go too Spain and the entire team needs to have the game of their lives. I'll pray to the footballing Gods that Vieira and Cuchu will recover in time.