The mercato is closed and it’s time to sum up your thoughts on the January transfer window. Our editors Nima, Sia and Joey answered questions about the mercato:
Inter started aggressively by signing Shaqiri and Podolski, what are your thoughts on these two signings?
Sia: I think these signings were of great importance for the fans. It showed that Inter can be relied on when it comes to signing big names from big clubs. Unfortunately the effect hasn’t fully been seen yet as the whole team is struggling and the midfield is missing quality. I truely believe that Shaqiri is already a great player and has great possibilities to become even better. Podolski doesn’t have me as excited, but his experience and goal scoring abilities will be of huge importance for Inter.
Joey: I think that Podolski and Shaqiri are both good signings but for different reasons. The Shaqiri signing is positive because he will bring quality to the Inter attack and is probably one of a few players on Inter who can take a defender on 1v1 with pace. Podolski is a good signing because he was cheap and he is versatile in his position. Of the two I have not been particularly impressed with Podolski thus far but he will become more valuable as time goes on if Osvaldo remains out of the team and Palacio continues in decline. Ausilio did well to get both these players with limited immediate financial cost.
Nima: Lukas Podolski is the German national team’s third most capped and third most prolific goalscorer of all time. Xherdan Shaqiri is one of the most exciting players in Europe under the age of 25. Given that the combined transfer fee of both players in January was € 2.6 million nothing more can be said other than fantastic work by Ausilio and Inter.
There were talks about everyone from Lucas Leiva to Thiago Motta and Lassana Diarra. On deadline day the most concrete option seemed to be Lazio’s Ledesma. Mancini really wanted and needed a midfielder, should Inter have done better in this area and what would you have done?
Sia: Inter’s mercato depends on occasions and I really think we were close to get at least two of the previously mentioned players. For a deal to be done, a player has to want to leave, his club has to let him leave and there needs to be a club that wants to buy the player. When these three scenario’s connect, a transfer is done and I have most reasons to think that Liverpool for example didn’t want to let go of Leiva and that Inter in the end didn’t want to get Diarra. I think Inter should’ve had other options for the midfield and they could’ve tried to make an offer for Inler who is on the bench for Napoli. Though we got Brozovic who I think will be very interesting for the team.
Joey: I think Inter could have done better in bringing in someone to play beside Medel in the middle. I have always said that Guarin is not intelligent enough and does not have the passing range to play beside a ball winning midfielder. Although Guarin has his moments, that is all they are, movements of brilliance in a sea of mediocre play. I wish Hernanes could show some of his Lazio form and play beside Medel because I think he would do well to link the play with Kovacic and the other attackers, plus he can be responsible defensively. With the loss of M’Vila we are severely lacking a deep lying playmaker to accompany Medel.
Nima: Since Inter turned down offers for both Guarin and Kuzmanovic during this transfer window the club must have felt that there wasn’t anything better out there than what was already available. Whether or not that’s true is debatable to say the very least, as Guarin and Kuzmanovic have been enfuriating to watch since joining the club.
Seeing the situation with Osvaldo and Palacio’s fitness problems, should Inter have considered another signing for the attack?
Sia: Yes absolutely. I could totally have seen us, instead of Milan, getting Cerci or Destro on loan-deals. Now we have to do without these players and reinforcements in the attack which I hope means Bonazzoli and Puskas will get more playing time. Hopefully and the best thing that could happen is that Palacio starts delivering and becomes like a new signing.
Joey: Instead of singing a new attacker I would prefer to see Puscas or Bonazzoli given more opportunities to play. Puscas did very well in a short cameo against Sassuolo and both of them will offer the energy that Palacio is severely lacking on the pitch. Neither could be much worse than Rodrigo has been thus far.
Nima: Palacio looks completely over the hill and Osvaldo is a loose cannon that can go off at any time. Now that Osvaldo has remained at the club it’s time to mend fences and get him back into the squad because with Icardi’s contract situation and altercation with the fans coupled with the Palacio decline, Inter are in deep trouble.
During the last few years Inter has had huge problems in selling players. Was there any player who should’ve been sold in your opinion and are you happy about the sales that have been made?
Sia: Inter should’ve found solutions for Osvaldo and M’Vila. Though I’m happy we got rid of players like Krhin and Mbaye. There were talks about a good offer coming in from Hamburg for Kuzmanovic but in my opinion Inter did the right thing in keeping the Serbian. For the rest I hope that Mancini can raise the value of some players like Guarin and then sell him for good price. After all, this was what Mazzarri failed miserably in doing and this is what Mancini should succeed in doing for Inter to be able to finance the deals the coach wants to make.
Joey: In terms of sales I would have really loved to see Guarin sold. He has a great physique and plays with heart and that seems to trick managers into thinking he can play for Inter. He cannot. Selling Bonazzoli could prove positive if he is to get playing time and improve at Sampdoria. Especially since his buy-back price is set.
Nima: I can’t understand why offers for Kuzmanovic and Guarin were declined. These are two players who have proven time and time again that they aren’t going to be able to carry this Inter in any shape. In fact for 99% of teh time they’ve been liabilities so in my opinion Inter still has a problem with selling players.
Imagine having all players avaialable without injury problems. What eleven players would you have put on the field in what formation if you were Mancini?
Sia: (4-3-1-2) Handanovic; Jonathan-Vidic-Andreolli-Juan; Kovacic-Hernanes-Brozovic; Shaqiri; Podolski-Icardi
Joey: I would love to see the 4-2-3-1 work out with a back four of Santon, Juan, Vidic and D’Ambrosio. Medel in front of the defenders with Hernanes beside him. Kovacic in the trequartista role and Icardi up front with Shaqiri on the right and Puscas on the left. I’m not opposed to a 4-3-3 or the 4-3-1-2 either. I don’t think we have a team that is intelligent enough to switch tactics successfully though so sticking to one might be a safe bet for now.
Nima: The 3-man defense has provedly been a disaster so I’d definitely go with a 4-man backline. The team has no natural trequartista so a 4-3-3 deployed in the following way: Handanovic, D’Ambrosio, Vidic, Juan, Santon; Brozovic, Kovacic, Hernanes; Podolski, Icardi, Shaqiri.
Give the mercato a vote on the scale 1-10 with a short motivation:
Sia: I would give the mercato a strong 6. It is good and we got some big names at great prices, but missing out on what we needed the most(a midfielder) is not good at all.
Joey: My vote on this mercato would be a 6.5. Congratulations to Ausilio for some competent work but we are not guaranteed any massive boost in performance with the team that we have. We are still missing some one to pair with Medel and lack quality depth in almost every position.
Nima: If you only look at transfer in it’s an 8: Santon, Brozovic, Podolski & Shaqiri for practically no money is a feat only a world class Sporting Director can achieve. However, failure AGAIN to sell Kuzmanovic, Guarin etc. as well as M’Vila and Osvaldo despite interest and offers is really poor and can’t warrant anything higher than a 4. Simple matchs dictates that (8 + 4)/2 = 6, so I’ll go with that. The doubts I’ve had as to Ausilio’s ability to sell players aren’t being dispersed, in fact they’re gaining momentum and turning into a real concern.
Do you agree with the guys on SempreInter? Which players would you start with? Disqus with us
