Cristiano Zanetti

[Noodles]

The hammer is back. After plenty of injuries it now looks like he is ready for some action. But what action are we now talking about? Cristiano Zanetti has been one of our most important players for three years. But when you look closely, the last two of those has been more or less struggling with injuries.

Cristiano is one of the most dynamic defensive midfielder that you can find. It´s not an accident that he was the number one choice for Trap to field in to the national team midfield. And we talk about Italy, the home of the hard-working, irritating, defensive midfielders. He has highly technical abilities and is very disciplined and accurate when playing as well. Cristiano can make the ball-winning and the following pass forward look like a pure art. So beautiful, you are just so damn proud he plays for us. That is when he is in form.

But how is his form nowadays? I dare to claim that Cristiano has played couple of seasons now really inconsistently. His performance has been highly unsteady. He can be very apathetic and unwilling to work hard enough. Is it because of his injuries or what, I don´t know. It was well seen in Euro 2004, for example. Sometimes it looks like he just doesn´t care what happens on the field. I mean it naturally just looks like that, but still..

Now Cristiano has a different situation ahead of him. His been a regular for some time now in both Inter and NT, but things have changed. There are many alternatives how we could play, but it looks like he has to compete with Davids, Cambiasso and maybe Emre. Edgar is just so high-class player by his reputation that it seems to be very hard to not give him playing time. Esteban is playing so well right now and almost everyone want Emre on to pitch.

For me C.Z. & Davids would sound extremely active and effective duo. It just seems that Veron is going to be our maestro and is playing in center. It is interesting to see what plans mister Mancio has with Zanetti. How much is he counting on him?

I really hope Cristiano has finally got his injuries behind and has a marvellous future with Inter. He really belongs to the heart of La Beneamata and there he should always stay.. :heart:

Any thoughts, opinions..

 

[Frisko]

Great post mate, I completely agree. CZ is a invaluable asset for us.

I :heart: Il Martello

 

[Fabio]

Il Martello is a play who I always have more affection to.

Fabio

 

[scutzon]

Maybe Veron will partner Cristiano Zanetti in a flat 4 midfield. But I think Mancini will use Cambiasso more, playing him in front of the defence, and letting Veron more freedom. That's what he's been doing lately, ain't he?

 

[Gismo]

Only by Christmas Mancini would have had a living chance to decide whether to use Davids, Cambiasso or C. Zanetti.

 

[Gaetan]

At this point, Cristiano's still a question mark. Mancio doesn't seem to rate him as much as our past two coaches (Cuper and Zac) and has Cambiasso and Davids in front of him in terms of our depth chart. To be honest, Zanetti has yet to impress me since 2002 but we all know he's a quality player that can be a valuable enforcer in the middle. When on form, he can definately do some good as a ball winner.

He'll have his chances to prove his worth, but at this point i don't count on him to be used unless some injury bug strikes. I doubt that Davids poor form will continue for so long and if Mancini doesn't use him now, then when will he?

 

[Stefan]

IMHO cristiano is 1 of the most over rated players in serie a. No offence to those that actually rate him. I will be horrified if I see hims tarting for Inter.

 

[SB9Dragon]

I also think that Cristiano is overrated and that Gatusso should start with Perrotta in the NT instead. Cristiano is a good player but he isn't consistent, he sometimes is lacking in certain areas, and he isn't that great a passer or shooter.

At the moment I see him as a 3rd place choice for partnering Veron in the middle behind Davids and Cambiasso.

 

[Antti]

How the hell some of you have ended up a conclusion that Mancio doesn't like Cristiano Zanetti or the like? It's not that CZ has been dropped frequently or anything like that since The Hammer has been injured whole Mancini era. Besides it was Roberto Mancini's Lazio which desperately wanted CZ in summer 2002 (when Nesta negotiations were on). Now CZ is back and next weeks will show what kind of role Cristiano will have at Mancio's Inter.

I, for one, think that Cristiano Zanetti is the most underrtated player in this forum and if it was up to me CZ would be a starter regularly. He has characteristics (Noodles described them very well) that none of our other central midfielders have. I have been screaming holding player in midfield whole summer and autumn and I think CZ is the man to do the job. Cambiasso has played very well lately, I must admit, but CZ is better player defensivly anyway. He would form one hell of central midfield tandem with Davids and hopefully they get a change together.

I really appreciate CZ's work rate and I think it would be irreparable advantage to have in our midfield. Hopefully Mancini agrees with me because it would be very sad to see The Hammer who really has heart leaving Inter. Forza Il Martello per sempre!

 

[ILuvInter]

I totally agree with that Antti , I mean this player is very good when in form , i think that him alongside either pitbul or Cambiasso will deliever what we need in Defense and gaining alot of balls .

 

[Stefan]

I totally agree with that Antti , I mean this player is very good when in form , i think that him alongside either pitbul or Cambiasso will deliever what we need in Defense and gaining alot of balls .

When was the last time he was in form?? The only season he has been could at inter was the 1st when we played with 2 dmc's the seasons after that he has been terrible.

 

[Antti]

I'm probably quite alone with my opinion but I honestly think Cristiano Zanetti was our best midfielder after Javier Zanetti last season. Sure he wasn't as great as he can be but no way in hell he was bad, I think. Maybe he sucked in games I didn't see but I base my opinion on games I saw and according to it The Hammer was decent last season.

 

[Stefan]

I'm probably quite alone with my opinion but I honestly think Cristiano Zanetti was our best midfielder after Javier Zanetti last season. Sure he wasn't as great as he can be but no way in hell he was bad, I think. Maybe he sucked in games I didn't see but I base my opinion on games I saw and according to it The Hammer was decent last season.

Stankovic and kily where better than him imho as well as jz.

 

[Frisko]

What do you mean Kily Stefean? He's a LW??

 

[Ziyad]

The problem with CZ work is that it isnt always noticeable...Another thing is that he hasnt been performing at his best game after game. I have to admit though when i saw him play well he was a destroyer,i still remember some of his tackels.In other games however he was invisible sometimes..
With Davids and Cambiasso i think the competition will make him better and make our midfield better..

 

[Gaetan]

What do you mean Kily Stefean? He's a LW??

Antti indicated that Cristiano was our best midfield save Capitano last season. I find that hard to believe since C.Zanetti has yet to regain his best form since 2002, and Stefan disagreed claiming that Kily and Deki were better.

 

[Frisko]

Right Patrick I see. I just don't see how you can compare a DM with a LW, it's just totally different roles. Not saying that you can't do it, just that I don't find it very relevant.

 

[Jake]

I feel sad, when I see this kind of underrating. Il Martello is one of the best players in our squad when he performs 100%. He's underrated everywhere, but Inter fans should know better.

 

[Frisko]

I feel sad, when I see this kind of underrating. Il Martello is one of the best players in our squad when he performs 100%. He's underrated everywhere, but Inter fans should know better.

Amen to that Jake, spot on.

 

[SB9Dragon]

When he performs 100% is the key words here. CZ isn't the type that brings his A game with him all the time and sometimes he lacks being a true presence on the field.

I've seen matches where I barely knew he was on the field at all. And no don't tell me its because he was doing such a good job he went unnoticed.