There’s a fine thin line in football. Score and people will hail you as a worthy champion, miss a sitter and the same people will say you got the tactic all wrong. That’s how I feel about this game. If by any chance Bojan capitalized Lucio’s and Samuel’s mistakes and put his header into the net, or Pedro’s shot didn’t went out wide, then probably we will be gloating over Pep’s strategy and we will be saying how Jose is just another man-motivator.
But it didn’t happen. Inter won. Barcelona failed to go through. And Jose is apparently a genius. For me the answer is somewhere in between.
First I want to take a look at Jose’s Inter. Of course they will sit back and defend. They face the world champion, who needed 2 goals to go trough, and who’s playing in front of their 90 thousand deafening supporters. Which side will go there and go all gung ho? Hardly a surprise and is not something to condemn for (at least for me). But what most people seem easy to forget is that lots of team went to Camp Nou and sit back, and didn’t get the result they wanted. But Inter got it.
I’m not going to credit Mourinho for him inventing the “revolutionary defensive tactic”. I’m going to praise him for creating an organized-defensive side. The key-word is organized. Diego Milito, Samuel Eto’o, Thiago Motta, Lucio, and Wesley Sneijder were brought last summer and somehow last night Inter looks like a team that has been playing for years. Lucio and Samuel partnership is extraordinary, Eto’o did his chore in defending, Motta (for 28 minutes) and Cambiasso refused to give Messi and Xavi any spaces, and, up before his substitution, Sneijder did his bit of pressing and harassing too.
For me, to defend brilliantly is not as simple as planting 10 players in front of your box, but to have the ability to read your opponent and to react before them. To have the same wave length with your team mates and know which one is your duty. Inter show this last night. And by God, I didn’t know how they do it. I can’t even begin to imagine what kind of training Jose conducted prior to this game.
(Lest we forget that Jose is a meticulous manager. He watched Chelsea’s video 7 times (maybe more) and moulds his team well to contain Chelsea’s formation. So I think it’s safe to bet that Jose studied Barca’s movement and choked his team to death with his idea of how to defend for your life).
Now onto Pep. To be honest, for the first 45 minutes I kept thinking that Pep didn’t do his homework and I get a little bit irritated. Zlatan against Lucio/Samuel is a no contest. The pair of center backs is a monster and they will win every header under the sun and Zlatan couldn’t match that. But then when I look at Inter defensive play I think what else could Barca possibly do? Pep’s plan A is to send Zlatan and his plan B is to play 4 quick attacking players. He did everything he could, and lose by a really fine margin. When the referee blows his whistle at the end of the match I instantly remember this quote from Zlatan:
“In Italy they give you three or four chances in one game and you have to be ready not to make a mistake.
“You can go 80 minutes without touching the ball, but you know that in the end a chance will arrive. And you can’t miss it because they will judge you on that chance. For this reason, Italians hold strikers like Inzaghi and Trezeguet in high regard because they are people capable of scoring with only one goal scoring chance.”
Last night Bojan missed a header, Messi’s incredible shot was blocked, and Pedro missed a chance too. If you are playing an Italian team, any Italian team, well…you just can’t have that luxury.
Some random thoughts
Bojan disallowed goal: The referee blow his whistle before the goal. It’s not his fault Bojan didn’t hear that. Fine margin, etc, etc..
I actually laugh when I remember Inter’s brilliant business this summer: Zlatan + Maxwell + 5 mill net spend = Eto’o + Sneijder + Motta + Lucio + Millito. All hail Marco Branca!
Mourinho is arrogant, Rafa is cold, Fergie is snidey, and Arsene is a whiner. Jajajajaja, whatever. I don’t really care about character assassination.
Credit to Gaby Marcotti. I believed he’s the first journo who said Inter could go all the way.
*hearts* Zanetti *hearts* I.Will.Cry if Inter won the Champions Legue, and Zanetti lift the big old ears.
Surely Maicon’s, Lucio’s, and Cesar’s performances this season shows that Brazil is the strongest contender for World Cup.
Kinell! What a game.
But it didn’t happen. Inter won. Barcelona failed to go through. And Jose is apparently a genius. For me the answer is somewhere in between.
First I want to take a look at Jose’s Inter. Of course they will sit back and defend. They face the world champion, who needed 2 goals to go trough, and who’s playing in front of their 90 thousand deafening supporters. Which side will go there and go all gung ho? Hardly a surprise and is not something to condemn for (at least for me). But what most people seem easy to forget is that lots of team went to Camp Nou and sit back, and didn’t get the result they wanted. But Inter got it.
I’m not going to credit Mourinho for him inventing the “revolutionary defensive tactic”. I’m going to praise him for creating an organized-defensive side. The key-word is organized. Diego Milito, Samuel Eto’o, Thiago Motta, Lucio, and Wesley Sneijder were brought last summer and somehow last night Inter looks like a team that has been playing for years. Lucio and Samuel partnership is extraordinary, Eto’o did his chore in defending, Motta (for 28 minutes) and Cambiasso refused to give Messi and Xavi any spaces, and, up before his substitution, Sneijder did his bit of pressing and harassing too.
For me, to defend brilliantly is not as simple as planting 10 players in front of your box, but to have the ability to read your opponent and to react before them. To have the same wave length with your team mates and know which one is your duty. Inter show this last night. And by God, I didn’t know how they do it. I can’t even begin to imagine what kind of training Jose conducted prior to this game.
(Lest we forget that Jose is a meticulous manager. He watched Chelsea’s video 7 times (maybe more) and moulds his team well to contain Chelsea’s formation. So I think it’s safe to bet that Jose studied Barca’s movement and choked his team to death with his idea of how to defend for your life).
Now onto Pep. To be honest, for the first 45 minutes I kept thinking that Pep didn’t do his homework and I get a little bit irritated. Zlatan against Lucio/Samuel is a no contest. The pair of center backs is a monster and they will win every header under the sun and Zlatan couldn’t match that. But then when I look at Inter defensive play I think what else could Barca possibly do? Pep’s plan A is to send Zlatan and his plan B is to play 4 quick attacking players. He did everything he could, and lose by a really fine margin. When the referee blows his whistle at the end of the match I instantly remember this quote from Zlatan:
“In Italy they give you three or four chances in one game and you have to be ready not to make a mistake.
“You can go 80 minutes without touching the ball, but you know that in the end a chance will arrive. And you can’t miss it because they will judge you on that chance. For this reason, Italians hold strikers like Inzaghi and Trezeguet in high regard because they are people capable of scoring with only one goal scoring chance.”
Last night Bojan missed a header, Messi’s incredible shot was blocked, and Pedro missed a chance too. If you are playing an Italian team, any Italian team, well…you just can’t have that luxury.
Some random thoughts
Bojan disallowed goal: The referee blow his whistle before the goal. It’s not his fault Bojan didn’t hear that. Fine margin, etc, etc..
I actually laugh when I remember Inter’s brilliant business this summer: Zlatan + Maxwell + 5 mill net spend = Eto’o + Sneijder + Motta + Lucio + Millito. All hail Marco Branca!
Mourinho is arrogant, Rafa is cold, Fergie is snidey, and Arsene is a whiner. Jajajajaja, whatever. I don’t really care about character assassination.
Credit to Gaby Marcotti. I believed he’s the first journo who said Inter could go all the way.
*hearts* Zanetti *hearts* I.Will.Cry if Inter won the Champions Legue, and Zanetti lift the big old ears.
Surely Maicon’s, Lucio’s, and Cesar’s performances this season shows that Brazil is the strongest contender for World Cup.
Kinell! What a game.
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