Maybe angry is too strong a word but I’d certainly describe my feelings at the final whistle in Genoa as frustrated. That frustration emanates from watching this team struggle so badly through the winter and early spring months. Barely able to string consecutive results together against the likes of Catania, Chievo, Cagliari, Atalanta, Udinese and Bologna, watching this team had become quite frankly torturous. After last Saturday’s draw with Bologna I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the Nerazzurri this afternoon, although seeing a midfield with Hernanes, Cambiasso and Kovacic starting gave me hope. After a tepid opening ten minutes or so the game burst into life, Mauro Icardi gave Inter the lead, baited the crowd and got a yellow card for his troubles. Ranocchia pulled a Ranocchia and gave Maxi Lopez the chance to level the score from the spot, Handanovic saved his defenders blushes with a fine save. At that point you couldn’t help thinking this could be Walter Mazzarri’s sides day (finally) and that feeling was confirmed when Sampdoria were reduced to ten men just two minutes after the penalty miss.
With Inter up by a man and a goal it would be plain sailing from here right? RIGHT? Wrong……. Samir Handanovic was forced into save after save as Inter struggled to string more than four passes together for the remainder of the first half. Lopez, Sansone and Soriano all saw efforts brilliantly saved by the Slovenian international. I couldn’t help think at half time: Where has THIS Handanovic been for the majority of the season? After what I can only assume was a good old fashioned rant by Mazzarri at the break, the real Inter emerged for the second period. An Inter with Kovacic and Cambiasso controlling the midfield, Rolando and Samuel dominant at the back. Add to this the constant threat of Palacio and Icardi with use of the wingers and a much improved performance was delivered. Walter Samuel doubled Inter’s lead and Mauro Icardi added a third with his second of the game. The final nail in the coffin was delivered by the irresistible Rodrigo Palacio with a calmly dispatched fourth.
Now comes the anger, why has Kovacic been left out for so long? Where has this fight been in the majority of games this season? Why did it take half time for these players to grab control of a match they could clearly win? Why is the team still incapable of delivering a ninety minute performance? For now though I’ll settle for remembering Samir’s saves, Maurito’s goals, Rodrigo’s industry and finishes, together with the reemergence of a potential star (Kova). Grande Samir, Grande Mauro & Rodrigo and Grande Mateo. Welcome back to the Inter I expect to see for the rest of the season.
Even without looking at the Author’s name, after bitching about Rannochio and praising other defenders, I instantly figured it’s Nima!
Kovacic deffintly learns to defend, Against Sampdoria He is Inter player who won the most duel & made the most tackles. He’s bad at the first half, like all Inter player except Handa. But really impressed me in the 2nd half especially his Defending ability and Who ask him to defend ? Mazzari of course.
seeing kova i just to want see, how about using 3-4-1-2 if mazza resist to use 3 def. with hernanes and cambiasso who can read the game well, more reliable in defending and create chances from the back being put in front of def. and then kova can be put like riquelme behind the strikers, so he orchestrate the attacking play and support our 2 strikers
if only the team could finish chances at least as good as in this game, there won’t be any of those previous bad results. and it’s funny how you guys praise kovacic so high though he was as bad as the rest of the team in the first half and the fact that he wasn’t as good as he is tonight on some other games this season. not to mention his improvement which, like it or not, are also due to mazzarri. and that same accusing for not playing him before just because he is a young players while mazzarri had (again) shown how pretty fair he was by grounding guarin and ricky for their dropping form plus giving more chance and time for kovacic as he is getting better
If only we played Kovacic as starters from longer time, its gonna be a different story I’m sure.
Read this sempreinter.com,mazzarri! Bookmark this in your honorable mind!!!
Can someone bookmark this sempreinter.com on his nokia 3310 phone? Because he was too late to move on with the line up, strategy, and 3-5-2. Too late to move on just like his phone. LOL
Smart words. Maybe, mazzarri counts the whole season just in last six games. With sampdoria game,then it is just five games left. Then,so many questions came up. Why the good games started at the second half? Why does the performance in away games,always better in home games? Why dont you play kovacic -like in sampdoria game- since some months ago,mazzarri? Is it because our opinion as fans means nothing for you as the best coach in italy,mazzarri?
You could say that again. Kovacic is very reliable. It is Mazzari who has never put his faith on this golden boy. Kovacic is by nature a creative midfielder who is designed for setting goals not to defend like what Mazzari always keep on grumbling. If only Mazzari started Kova, Hernanes and Cambiasso from January, we might be on our way to the third spot. But let me put this one then, ‘it’s better late than never’. The realistic target for now is the fourth spot which ensure us to directly compete in the European league which surely allows us to hold the tours to gain financial benefits. However, the rest of this season is really frightening, next week Parma will certainly do their utmost to prevent us from being ‘happy’ in the fifth spot, after that, Napoli, Lazio and Milan might cause some troubles. Let us hope that this victory will break the curse of ‘two consecutive winnings’. Rano will be suspended next week, we must be careful be because we already miss Juan Jesus, not to mention the yellow cards that some of our key players get. But whatever it is, we will always support our Internazionale, won’t we?
For the rest of season,I beg for cambiasso,mateo,and hernanes from the first minute,let them more solid in this short time. Dont dare screw this things up with fredy,kuz and alvarez. I dont care 89 minute we are under attack,win is a win,simeone did it right now to get la liga and UCL winne,just like mou do. But Inter must learn from theis mistake today Lazio, Parma, Napoli, Milan was ready to simply bully Inter if we are can not 90 good at attack or hood at deffend. In Rome we can controlled last 30 minutes,with this mauro and handa performance and mateo hernanes combination,there is now way to lose or draw.
Totally agreed with you bro. Guarin, Kuz, and Alvarez are killing our passing game every single game on this year. That’s why, Mazzarri never found the golden formula that is Cambiasso – Hernanes – Kovacic on the midfield. Until now..
Spot on, Ben!