Internazionale Main Thread III

[Totally FRANK]

One good thing about Chivu playing badly is that if he continues like this we probably won't renew his contract. I would rather see Caldirola play and commit such mistakes than Chivu.

I not too confident about Saturday either.

Lomba, here you go. Julio won't make it this Saturday. http://football-italia.net/oct27m.html

[Lombardiamia]

[Messinterista]

Talks of Chivu going to Man City which is good news albeit on a free transfer. We shouldn't joke about Sneijder, knowing our luck he'd be next to get injured and it'd probably be for the rest of the season lol.

[Messinterista]

Christian Chivu was already a weak link when Inter won the Champions League, now he's an utter disaster

The Romanian allowed German Denis to score one goal and handed him the chance to win the game from the spot as Inter dropped more points away to a determined Atalanta

There were plenty of gifts being handed out on Cristian Chivu’s birthday yesterday, but as the Romanian turned 31, he was the one giving rather than receiving the presents on offer as Inter got away with a 1-1 draw at Atalanta - but only thanks to Luca Castellazzi’s late penalty save.

The day had seemingly started out so well for the former Roma defender. When passed the morning newspapers with his breakfast in bed, he will have seen flattering reports linking him with a summer move to Premiershit leaders Manchester City, but that was to be as good as his birthday would get. By midnight, he’d turned in another shocking defensive display which would have resulted in three points for the Orobici were it not for German Denis’ tame 90th-minute spot-kick.

Claudio Ranieri’s side had looked set to continue their gradual progression under their firefighter of a coach, with the returning Wesley Sneijder getting on the end of a Mauro Zarate pull-back and firing a low effort off Luca Cigarini and into the bottom corner.

It was a deserved goal given the amount of possession and territory Inter had had, but Atalanta continued to look dangerous at the other end, as they have for much of their excellent start to the campaign after a summer points deduction.

Ezequiel Schelotto, in particular, was causing them headaches with his direct running at pace down the right channel, and when the home side switched play away from his wing, Inter – or more specifically Chivu – switched off. Maxi Moralez played a regulation angled ball into the box, and the Romanian reacted far too slowly, allowing Denis to steal the half a yard he needed to get a header in which beat Julio Cesar with ease.

As the visitors searched for an elusive winner, several chances went begging, while some questionable decisions might also have gone their way on another night. The lively Zarate continued to forge space down the right until his somewhat premature substitution, while Giampaolo Pazzini saw a couple of opportunities go begging after replacing Sneijder.

The biggest guilty party in front of goal though was Diego Milito, who somehow managed to chest the most simple of chances from two yards over the bar after Maicon’s excellent volleyed cross from the right. It was the latest example of just what a shadow of his former self the Argentine has become.

But while ‘Il Principe’ has fallen furthest of all the 2010 Champions League-winning squad, Chivu remains the weak link he was two seasons ago. Though he’d done remarkably well to recover from the awful cranial injury he suffered against Chievo earlier that year, it was he who was the 12th man in a largely 12-man effort in the knockout run which would eventually finish in glory.

Back then, it panicked Inter fans when he was asked to start, as happened in the semi-final second leg against Barcelona at Camp Nou due to Goran Pandev’s pull-out in the warm-up. And many spent the run-in to the final worrying about the main connotation of Thiago Motta’s suspension being the potential exposure of Chivu to the threat of Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller.

Last season he was one of Inter’s biggest problem areas once more. Outplayed and sent off in the 3-0 derby defeat to AC Milan, he managed to repeat the feat three days later as they were humiliated by Schalke in the Champions League. He had almost become the symbol for the Nerazzurri’s demise, and all this having only recently returned from a three-match ban for a cowardly punch on Bari’s Marco Rossi in a Serie A fixture.

Last night his coup de grace came in the last couple of minutes, foolishly allowing substitute Guido Marilungo to get in front of him and then running straight into the back of the forward, giving Atalanta a late penalty. That Castellazzi saved Denis’ poor strike down the middle with his legs should not deflect from the fact that Chivu nearly lost them the game.

With resources in the centre of defence and midfield ageing, the opportunity to give the Romanian a spell in the side was always going to be tempting to Ranieri, but surely now he will look elsewhere for defensive cover. Chivu’s contract runs out at the season’s end, and at the current rate it is highly unlikely that the club will find significant justification for offering him another one.

And for as long as Inter’s worst enemies are the ones in their own strip, their hopes of a concerted run for a Champions League spot will continue to fade away.

Source: http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3276/ser ... er-won-the

[Lombardiamia]

[Totally FRANK]

There have been rumors around this Brazilian kid called Juan. Any truth to it or they are just that, rumors.

[Lombardiamia]

[kros]

You can't judge a player on clips ... the more time passes, the more I realize how important personality is, especially in youngsters. For instance, Alvarez has good technique but from what I've seen so far he really lacks personality. When he receives the ball he never tries to dribble or go forward but he always goes backwards instead. Castagnios ... same story. The kid is really fast if he wants, but when I see him receiving the ball on the 85m when he is still fresh, just 19 years old, and instead of just speeding past an old defender he stops and goes backwards, it makes me think that the guy is still very week. On personality the coach has to work a lot ... Mourinho was a master in these things.

[Lombardiamia]

Surely I dont judge a player on clip, otherwise I'd be convinced that Quaresma comes from a different planet. But I'm afraid I dont see the Brazilian league and have never seen Juan playing, therefore the only means of 'seeing' what he can do is youtube, where generally you'd actually see the best moves of a player. These 'best moves' of Juan weren't really impressive but as I said, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.
I agree about personality...not just with youngsters but in general. Once again Quaresma comes to mind. He certainly had everything to become one of the best football players of his generation...but his personality is too fragile and ended up losing all the big chances that came his way. On the contrary, one can see that Lucio isn't that star of a defender..there are dozens better than him out there...but he compensates with character & leadership. He is definately our defesive leader..much more than someone who is defensively much stronger like Samuel.
ALvarez indeed seems to fall under the Quaresma type, but I dont agree that Castaignos does too. He is still much younger than Alvarez and has effectively played less than Alvarez. In Holland he was renown for his personality and I've seen a little bit of that too against Chievo. He isnt the guy who would go dribble past defenders, no matter if he's 19 or 27 years of age. He is a different and more opportunistic kind of forward. Do you imagine Inzaghi going past a couple of defenders? Yet he is considered as one of the best forwards of his generation. He has to go backwards simply because the midfield couldn't accompany the action forward..Give the guy some time and a good team behind him and I'm sure you'd change opinion. Actually, together with Zarate I believe that Castaignos was our best buy.

[Messinterista]

Inter 1 - 2 Juventus
Vucinic 12 (J), Maicon 28 (I), Marchisio 33 (J)
Stadio Meazza

Juventus have beaten arch-rivals Inter 2-1 at San Siro in the Derby d'Italia to stay top of the table.

This fixture is always tense, particularly after the Nerazzurri spent the week claiming "if in doubt, referees whistle against us." Next month Juve are also expecting a result from the tribunal after trying to have the 2004-05 and 2005-06 titles restored. Julio Cesar, Diego Forlan, Thiago Motta, Walter Samuel, Andrea Ranocchia, Philippe Coutinho, Andrea Poli and Emiliano Viviano were out of action. Juve missed Emanuele Giaccherini, but Gigi Buffon recovered from a bruised shoulder to start.

The Inter curva unveiled a huge banner before kick-off that read: 'I don't steal the League and I've never been in Serie B...'

The Nerazzurri had a great chance after four minutes, as a free kick was knocked down for Esteban Cambiasso's volley that flashed across the face of goal.

However, it was Juventus who took the lead. Stephan Lichtsteiner got down the right and rolled across for Alessandro Matri, as Luca Castellazzi performed a save from point-blank range, but only into the path of Mirko Vucinic.

It was almost 2-0 moments later, as Matri sprung the offside trap and flashed his angled drive across the face of goal to skim the back post.

The Bianconeri went on another splendid counter-attack after Wesley Sneijder gave the ball away and Castellazzi had to smother at Matri's feet.

Maicon burst past Giorgio Chiellini, but Buffon did just enough to block him at the by-line. Javier Zanetti's effort was also charged down after Andrea Pirlo gave the ball away on the edge of his own box.

Mauro Zarate fought his way past Andrea Barzagli to fire wide of the near post.

The pressure paid off when Maicon scored a spectacular goal. He gathered from Sneijder's reverse pass on the right side of the box and went to cross, but instead smashed it under the bar from a tight angle to surprise Buffon, aided by a deflection.

It was nearly 2-1 to Inter, as Pazzini's bullet header beat Buffon to crack against the middle of the crossbar from Maicon's cross.

Instead Juventus restored their advantage moments later! Claudio Marchisio went through the middle and exchanged passes with Matri to pass it into the near bottom corner past Castellazzi's outstretched hand.

Marchisio went clear on goal and flicked the ball over the on-rushing Castellazzi, but the referee waved play on as the two collided.

Matri and Vucinic couldn't get their shots away, so it fell to Lichtsteiner to blast wide of the near post.

Luc Castaignos replaced Zarate for the second half. Giorgio Chiellini was booked for holding out an arm to block Pazzini and accidentally hitting him on the side of the head.

Bonucci charged down a Pazzini effort from a free kick, then Lichtsteiner did the same on a Sneijder snapshot, as Inter poured forward.

However, the Nerazzurri struggled with a Pirlo free kick and Vucinic prodded it straight at the goalkeeper from close range.

The tension escalated with Sneijder booked for dissent, then Dejan Stankovic played on with Vidal down injured so Pirlo took down Sneijder and was carded for that.

Sneijder drilled straight at Buffon and was then replaced by Ricky Alvarez so he could have an ice pack applied to his calf.

Marcelo Estigarribia caught Inter on the counter down the left flank and his angled drive was deflected just past the far post by Castellazzi's foot, although the referee only awarded a goal kick.

Pazzini volleyed well wide from an Alvarez assist, but Alessandro The Waterboy scuffed off target when a header back sent him clear on goal.

Another Pazzini attempt was charged down in the box, but Inter could not find a way through.
Inter: Castellazzi; Maicon, Lucio, Chivu, Nagatomo; Zanetti, Cambiasso, Obi (Stankovic 64); Sneijder (Alvarez 78); Zarate (Castaignos 46), Pazzini

Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Barzagli, Chiellini; Pirlo; Pepe, Vidal (Pazienza 88), Marchisio, Vucinic (The Waterboy 84); Matri (Estigarribia 70)

Ref: Rizzoli

Source: http://www.football-italia.net/sa1112/int-juv.html

[Totally FRANK]

3rd place finish? I am wondering if we should be worried about relegation. I have never seen our defense being so porous before. Chivu at fault again, caught out of position.

Raineri has a lot of work to do in the defensive phase of play but it is quite impossible with a game being played every three days. I think we will continue with this poor form at least until the winter break. Then it depends on what players we can get and what Raineri can do during the break.

[Lombardiamia]

Hopefully a year out of European competition can do Moratti some good. He's been accustomed to the CL as if it was a given no matter what we did and who he bought...

[Totally FRANK]

http://www.zonalmarking.net/2011/10/30/ ... s-tactics/

[Messinterista]

[kros]

[Bagg10]

"...ed in Serie B non son stato mai"

There's a first time for everything. Don't jinx yourselves.

[Lombardiamia]

[Totally FRANK]

What I fail is to understand is that only Inter seem to be really doing something to abide by the FFF rules. What have Milan been doing, don't they have operating loses of around 100m? Chelsea are still continuing to buy players like Torres for 50m. Its as if nobody else is concerned other than us.

[Lombardiamia]

[Messinterista]