A day where Massimo Moratti unexpectedly resigned from his post as honorary president and his son and Ghelfi followed suit is even for Inter a chaotic and messy one. And when this happens the day of a game with a coach that is well, not exactly on top of things lately you as a fan get worried.
Mazzarri was booed and met with whistles when the team was called up, and during the first 45 minutes that was probably the most intense part of the game. The first half was agonizingly slow with a slow and easily readable home team. St Etienne didn’t have a hard time of shutting Inter down. Fredy Guarin started the game well, if he can continue like this he’ll be an important asset for the team. Unfortunately Mateo Kovacic had his worst performance since joining Inter, this time there was no Hernanes on the pitch so in theory he should have found better spaces for himself.
What is most baffling is the lack of intensity (a part from M’vila who is running down the French all over the pitch). The intensity seen on the pitch against Napoli was nowhere to be found against st Etienne and we had to wait until the 63rd minute to see an Inter shot on goal. Guarin assisted Kuzmanovic who saw his shot being saved by the keeper. Over an hour to get a shot on goal. Against st Etienne. That is just embarrassing. Icardi was one of few players to make the right movements and take the right runs but the few balls he got delivered he didn’t make anything decent of.
The second half offered more open play but the players still rarely made any movements without the ball. They all seemed to wait for it to come at their feet, and when they did get it there was not one of them who would pass it after one touch. It is just baffling to see a team this clueless and without the balls to go out and try and win a game at home. I don’t think anybody needs to be reminded that the team that wins the EL is qualified for the CL next season, would be nice to actually see some aspirations for glory. Or pride. The game finished 0-0 and offered about as many emotions as the score line.
Now some will say that the team was disturbed by all the drama before the game, that Moratti resigning threw the team off. I don’t buy it. The players on this squad don’t have that kind of relationship with Moratti. Had it happened say two years ago that excuse would have been valid because many of the players were close to him. The ones in the squad tonight are not.
Slow, predictable and impotent; that is our Inter at the moment. I was hopeful after the Napoli game, but right now not so much. There are so many things missing, and I am not talking about all the injured wingers. The team lacks identity and leaders. Hoping that Kovacic just had a one off stinker of a game and that Hernanes will take on a leader role in the coming games.
By the way for those of you wondering; Bonazzoli was going to be subbed on but since Kuzmanovic got injured Khrin came on instead.
