A disappointing result. That’s how many Interisti felt about their team’s 1-1 ‘away’ draw with Cagliari at Trieste’s soaky pitch. The Nerazzurri were unfortunate as Nainggolan’s equalizer 7 minutes from full time prevented them from winning their 5th Serie A match out of 6 played so far this season. The team played well and created many scoring chances despite resting some regular starters and the difficult playing conditions. The draw felt like a two points lost rather than one gained but it did raise Inter’s tally to 14 points.
However, just over a month ago, many of the same Interisti who were left disappointed by Inter’s slip up at Trieste would’ve accepted the 14 points the team collected so far with open arms and with very little complaints. It seems that they have forgotten that this team was written off by most football pundits and even by a large section of its own fans before the start of the season. So what have changed? Well, the football that this team has been producing since the start of the new campaign has made Interisti think big as only high-flying league leaders Roma scored more goals (17 vs 16) and conceded less (1 vs 3) than Inter in the league so far this season. What also increased Interisti’s belief is how the team stood its ground against Scudetto holders Juventus and champagne football sponsors Fiorentina whom on paper have much better squads than the Nerazzurri.
Walter Mazzarri should be credited for that. He has only been in the job for few months and has managed to create what his predecessors failed to do since since José Mourinho left the club 3 years ago: creating an identity. His Inter is solid in defense, combative in midfield and lethal in attack. The level of discipline and organization is so high and each and every player knows exactly what he has to do on the pitch. Inter play with purpose and personality and that hasn’t been seen from the Nerazzurri for the long time. Moreover, the resurrections of players such as Ricky Álvarez, Jonathan and Yuto Nagatomo by the hands of the new mentor are just sensational.
The Tuscan coach managed to lay the required foundations by establishing a clear tactical shape for the team and quickly identifying his starting lineup. These were the most essential maneuvers he needed to make at the beginning of his stint and the results obtained so far certainly helped the team gain more confidence and belief in its ability to compete.
Therefore, Interisti shouldn’t be too worried or upset about dropping two points against Cagliari. Instead, they need to look at the bigger picture as there’s still a long way to go and also acknowledge how this team is defying the odds and is setting itself up to enjoy a great season. The signs are positive!
