Internazionale Main Thread III

[Lombardiamia]

For some reason I have hope in Leonardo. It's kinda strange. Maybe it's because we dont need a revolutionary but someone who helps the players move in the right direction. Benitez wanted to change everything a little too much and maybe Leo understands that that is not what we need. How he handles pressure, injuries, tactical movements....as Briz said, he is an unknown quantity.

[Totally FRANK]

The fact that Leonardo recognizes this,"I feel this team has its own identity, so there's no need to invent anything", is the most important thing IMO. Benitez tried to change things, to move away from the Mou regime and that failed. Leo needs to carry on the work Mou has done and he needs to find a way to motivate the players.

[Totally FRANK]

Mancini has finally left the club and joined Atletico Mineiro. I thought this day would never come.

[Messinterista]

[Messinterista]

Leo to deliver Ganso to Inter

Leonardo will look to work the same magic as he did at Milan in the Brazilian transfer market by luring Ganso to Inter, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

It's no secret that Leonardo played a major role in the signings of Kaka, Thiago Silva and Alexandre Pato during his time at Milanello.

La Gazzetta understands Inter are very keen to use Leonardo's know-how as well as his contacts in Brazil to uncover the best of the country's up and coming talent.

Santos' 21-year-old playmaker Ganso is widely regarded as one of the world's most exciting prospects and had been called up to represent Brazil before a serious knee injury hampered his progress.

However, he is expected to return to action in the spring and then leave for Europe in the summer.

Reports suggest Leonardo is already working towards signing Ganso, although he has already experienced competition from Real Madrid.

This is where Massimo Moratti's relationship with Jose Mourinho would supposedly come into play, as Inter apparently wouldn't block Real Madrid's efforts to sign Neymar as long as they backed off Ganso.

Source: http://football-italia.net/jan06k.html
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I've heard nothing but good things about "teh goose". I don't think it will all be down to Leo. I am pretty sure that there was talks regarding him last season and that we were in line to get him?

[Messinterista]

Inter 3 - 1 Napoli
Thiago Motta 3, 55 (I), Pazienza 25 (N), Cambiasso 37 (I)
Stadio Meazza

Leonardo got off to the best possible start in his Inter career, defeating second place Napoli 3-1 with Thiago Motta bagging a brace.

San Siro was out in force to see Leonardo's debut on the Nerazzurri bench and the team that won the Club World Cup. They had to focus on Serie A now and making up lost ground on leaders Milan. Leo did not change too much from Rafa Benitez's vision, though he had to do without Wesley Sneijder, Coutinho, Walter Samuel, Julio Cesar and the suspended Samuel Eto’o. Napoli welcomed back Ezequiel Lavezzi from injury, while Hugo Campagnaro was picked ahead of Gianluca Grava.

It took precisely two minutes and 38 seconds for the Nerazzurri to score the first goal of the Leonardo era! Thiago Motta gathered from Goran Pandev and burst through the middle thanks to a quick one-two with Dejan Stankovic, smashing in the finish on the volley just inside the box.

Napoli thought they had equalised with a sensational strike on six minutes, but Andrea Dossena was offside when he met Walter Gargano's free kick to side-foot it into the far top corner.

A promising counter was wasted when Thiago Motta's flick back found nobody there to finish it off.

Napoli struggled to make an impact, but equalised from a set play. Lavezzi whipped the corner to the near post, where Michele Pazienza nodded in after a late run caught defenders napping.

Javier Zanetti had to get back to stop Edinson Cavani going clear on the counter. Some more clumsy defending allowed Cavani to prod towards Christian Maggio, whose angled drive flashed across the face of goal.

Milito somehow failed to score at the other end, as he got in front of his defender to meet Chivu's cross, but incredibly ballooned it over the bar from six yards.

Inter did restore their advantage soon after. Esteban Cambiasso snuck in between defenders to get a powerful header at the near post to Douglas Maicon's cross from the right.

In first half stoppages Inter threatened again on the counter, while Cavani's audacious attempt at an overhead kick was charged down.

Straight after the restart Cavani got to the by-line and pulled back for Marek Hamsik to prod inches wide of the near post from close range after getting in front of Ivan Cordoba.

Lavezzi blasted over from distance, while Milito's ball across the six-yard box found nobody to tap in. However, from the resulting corner kick, Thiago Motta got his second goal of the game with a precise header from 12 yards.

A combination of Lucio and Luca Castellazzi bravely dived at Hamsik's feet to stop him getting the crucial tap-in. Javier Zanetti threatened to make it 4-1 when he stormed forward from the centre-circle, shrugged off two players and placed the angled drive past the far bottom corner.

Maggio wasted a free header from a corner by nodding it wide, one of several aerial threats in the closing stages, but Chivu's sliding tackle stopped Lavezzi completing a move from Cavani's assist.

Inter: Castellazzi; Maicon, Lucio, Cordoba, Chivu; Zanetti, Cambiasso, Thiago Motta (Muntari 86); Stankovic (Mariga 79); Pandev (Biabiany 83), Milito

Napoli: De Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica; Maggio, Gargano (Yebda 58), Pazienza (Sosa 75), Dossena (Zuniga 65); Hamsik, Lavezzi; Cavani

Ref: Rocchi

Source: http://football-italia.net/sa1011/int-nap.html
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Nice to see that we managed a good win. I wonder how far this honey moon period will take us. Shame that Ranocchia didn't get a run. Maybe not worth the gamble against a decent Napoli side, but i'd prefer to start him than Cordoba.

[zafferano]

Good start for LEO ,why PERDITEZ could not do the same ?

how about cassano ,how long before start problems for BBILAN

http://www.corrieredellosport.it/foto/c ... -Strasser+

[Lombardiamia]

As I had hoped, Leo has gone back to basics for us. 4-3-1-2 Mancini/1st Mourinho style, each man in his natural position, low defence and better covered by a 3 man midfield. Sure the strikers didn't shine much, but it's not like anyone could expect Pandev & Milito to get back to their best physical condition all of a sudden. It's important that the players feel Leo as their rightful manager....as I had hoped, now there is no scapegoat and the players are given full responsability for their actions. This is the way to motivate this group. Give them responsability.

[Totally FRANK]

Zanetti was brilliant yesterday. Its really amazing how he seamlessly re-invents himself in whichever position he plays.

[RomaShield27]

Do you lads think you need a new striker? You have, what, Eto, Milito and Pandev, is that all? I read somewhere that you won't be doing any business this mercato, but if you're gonna play a 4-3-1-2 then surely you're a bit shorta strikers?

[Totally FRANK]

We do need a striker. We are very intent on Sanchez but Udine don't want to sell him in January. We don't seem to be interested in anyone else.

[Messinterista]

[Messinterista]

Mourinho 'back seat' driver to Leo

Jose Mourinho reveals he “talks to Leonardo often and is in the back seat,” wishing the new Inter Coach every success at San Siro.
The Special One was notoriously critical of Rafa Benitez, but has a very different view on his replacement.

“I just want Inter to win, for the players, my President Massimo Moratti and the fans to win and be happy,” said the Real Madrid manager.

“I am out of the club now and can no longer contribute. I am just one more supporter following their progress and hoping all goes well,” continued Mourinho.

“I already had a good rapport with Leonardo when he was in charge of Milan and we were adversaries, so imagine how we get along now that he is in charge of one of my favourite clubs.

“I talk to Leonardo often and he knows I am in the back seat, sending positive thoughts. He is there, with the capacity and experience necessary to do well.

“I am calm and hope he and Inter can have another positive season like the one I had last term.”

Source: http://football-italia.net/jan09a.html

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In other News, Motta set to be the next newbie for the Azzurri. He will debut in Feb in a friendly with Germany.

[zafferano]

Hey boys looks like moratti is serius about getting Sachez ,
what a buy that will be .he is a player of the futura ,
we are heading in the right direction

[Lombardiamia]

[Totally FRANK]

So are we going to give it a shot in Jan or only in June? We could really do with a striker now.

[Lombardiamia]

[RomaShield27]

I hope you boys sign Sanchez. Purely because if you don't, he will more than likely leave Italy and head to the Premiershit, and another promising young player leaving would not be good for the league.

[Messinterista]

Probably to one of the Manchester sides if we don't get him.

[Bagg10]

Hey Lomba ( or anyone else) can you find me the clip where that little kid does the "ti faccio un culo cosi" gesture next to his mom at the Inter-liverpool game?