Inter went into the match against Fiorentina on the back of 5 consecutive victories. The Viola were in fine form as well, and trailed the Nerazzurri by only 3 points. Mancini’s side were yet to put in a good performance this season, while Sousa’s side have played some fantastic football. This match had all of the ingredients to be a tight affair.
Inter were without Jeison Murillo, and Stevan Jovetic got injured in the warm-up. Fiorentina were without Khouma Babacar and new signing Mario Suarez. Inter lined up with a 4-3-3 formation with Perisic and Palacio on the wings.
Inter started the match out in the worst possible way. Fiorentina played Inter off the pitch, and kept possession with fantastic passing and control. The first goal came from the spot. Handanovic’s terrible control of the ball led to a heavy touch, and the Slovenian took down Kalinic to give away the penalty in only the 3rd minute. After the first, Inter opened up and began to take more risks. Inter’s strategy was kick and run, as 41 long balls up the pitch were played in the first 45 minutes. The midfield did not support the defense, while the attack was isolated up top. It was ugly. Fiorentina’s second came off of Ilicic’s rebounded shot. Kalinic followed it up to put Inter down a pair. The third goal came from a fantastic run from Marcos Alonso. The full-back’s inch perfect cross was met by Kalinic to make it 3-0 in the 23rd minute. When things could not get even worse, Miranda took down Kalinic, who was through on goal, in the 30th minute and saw a straight red. The rest of the half ended with Fiorentina knocking the ball around, with Inter chasing hopelessly. This was the worst half of football Inter have played since Roberto Mancini took over back in November last year. The movement was lacking, and the team attempted to play a kick and run style, which only works in the lowest of amateur leagues. However, credit must be given to Paulo Sousa’s Fiorentina, who were fantastic. Every touch, pass, and shot was inch perfect, and the Viola all looked in sync with each other.
Inter went into the second half looking distraught. It seemed impossible to come back against such a strong Fiorentina side. However, Inter looked a lot better than they did in the first. Icardi really stood out, and his work-rate was exemplary. Inter finally got on the board in the 60th minute, as Icardi met Telles’s fantastic freekick. The initial header struck the post, but the Argentine followed up and made it 3-1. Inter never really looked like getting the second goal, and Fiorentina came back at the Nerazzurri again, as the fantastic Ilicic squared the ball to Kalinic who easily stroked the ball into an empty net. Inter’s perfect and unbeaten run ended at the hands of Fiorentina. The Viola played Inter off of the pitch, and deserved the victory.
Inter are yet to put in a good performance this season, and this unsustainable style of football has finally proven ineffective. Mancini must recover his players. This match must not destroy the team’s confidence, and the whole squad must pull up their socks and work hard to bounce back again. Hopefully this was just an off day, and the team can get back on their feet.
Excellent article mate. Finally an objective assessment of our side and recognition that despite the early wins, we have not been playing quality football.
Mancini is a man bereft of ideas, and has become too comfortable in his disruption-based anti-football. Watching the Viola play as a team in sync that moved the ball around effortlessly was a joy to watch. I hope Mancini took notes.
First big test and then an off-day? On paper we should kill the likes of Fiorentina. Poor Handa. Not so much Batman about this dreadful display!
Who the fuck said perisic and palacio were playing on the wings?
They did in the second half… after our first goal their possession was amazing XD
wtf is wrong with inter’s preparation?! Icardi was injured during warm-up, now Jovetic?
I’m still waiting for 4-2-3-1 with WINGERS and JoJo as CAM.
What the hell was handanovic doing ? Sleeping ?
It was an OFF night, simply put.
Totally agree with the last paragraph of the article. Honestly, I was never convinced by Mancini as tactician, he should become sporting director.
hank you god to remind Mancini that his tactics and selection of players
were unsustainable. It was inevitable to see this loss. This game will
teach Mancini 3 lessons: (1) Inter needs creativity and more ball
possession, which means his starting midfield should include an
attacking midfielder, (2) His defense needs more solidity and this game
reveals that M&M&M was not always the best choice (remember
before Miranda’s sent off, M&M conceded 3 goals already, (3)
Ranocchia was not a defensive problem at all in Inter. One should not
neglect Serie-A experience especially in defensive experience. Remember
it is the first season for Miranda and Murillo. I hope Mancini to fix
the problems at Inter. Otherwise we may see more losses.
I agree with your first point. For your point (3), it s true that serie A experience is non négligeable, but man Ranocchia is a terrible CB , he surely isnt a sustainable solution to our defensive issues.
Mancini has done a terrible job, I mean why would he want to start with perisic behind the strikers ?
And at 2-0 he switched to a 3-5-2 with perisic in right back, which led to the 3rd goal, I mean wtf ?
First goal was handa’s fault
Second goal was midfield’s (gave too much space for the player to shoot) and handa’s fault
Third goal, santon should have been there not peresic (from the wing)
Fourth goal no miranda present
M&Ms are the only good thing now, I’m more worried about the fact lijajc is a sub and peresic playing as an attacking mid
Totally agree with u… Palacio cannot play 90 min anymore, Ljajic should have started, i m worried that it turns out like the shaquiri situation.
As for perisic, I got no clue why mancini plays him as trequartista , jovetic i can understand coz he got great vision, but perisic is a pure winger and is neither a trequartista nor a right back
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This is because Mancini never asked for Lijajic, he was brought by Auselio who had problems with Mancini, Zanetti and Bolingbroke. Mancini wanted Peresic so badly and will keep playing him over Lijajic to prove himself right and Auselio wrong.