Milan - Inter (21 Sep 19) [0-2]

[.h.]

It's the midfield that is truly incredible tbh. If sensi and barella can keep it up this season it's the first time I'm hopeful for our midfield since 2010

 

[firmino]

What this team needs the most, imho: a proper SS, unless Sanchez can reach his best level again; and at least a great player on one of the flanks, as Asamoah and Candreva are both average (I don't know much about Lazaro tbh).

The defense is super, the midfield looks very good, though a Milinkovic-savic would improve it.

Add two players in January, and we have a scudetto team.

It isn't even just a matter of quality, but also quantity.

Also someone who can take lukaku's place when he needs some rest wouldn't be bad.

The season will be ass long.

 

[.h.]

this is not a league winning season for us. We should view this only as a building season. Next year, I expect us to take a serious run for the league and a good run in the CL.

 

[dynasty27]

What about Conte?

slightly more km than Piontek



Great club ambassador
https://www.fcinter1908.it/video/vi...derby-vinto-al-gala-scatta-il-coro-da-stadio/

 

[brehme1989]

It's the midfield that is truly incredible tbh. If sensi and barella can keep it up this season it's the first time I'm hopeful for our midfield since 2010

It's a functional midfield, something we haven't had since 2012 or so. But don't be fooled by that, it's not up to the standards that Inter needs. They can outplay most weaker sides which is something expected at this club, but against top level midfields or very physical ones we'll have a rough time.

 

[.h.]

It's a functional midfield, something we haven't had since 2012 or so. But don't be fooled by that, it's not up to the standards that Inter needs. They can outplay most weaker sides which is something expected at this club, but against top level midfields or very physical ones we'll have a rough time.

well, we're not a top level team yet...

glad you've come to terms with that though.

 

[brehme1989]

well, we're not a top level team yet...

glad you've come to terms with that though.

Well, we were one step away and now it feels that we're an even bigger step away from that. That's my main issue.

 

[.h.]

You think our team last year was better than our team this year?

 

[Dogen]

We got exactly what we needed after Tuesday: a clear win in a one-sided derby.
And the team looked “contiano” in its solid display (like a unit, far from spectacular but extremely driven to get the result).

I know, Milan are currently a depressed and nonsensical reboot of Gattuso's mediocre team from last season, while Giampaolo doesn't know what to do with the summer signings provided by Maldini (between a flight to Ibiza and a tennis game) and Zorro Boban, but we're still talking about the Derby which is always a tough and impredictable game, despite everything. The tension was palpable hours before the kick-off.

Too bad Monza President Berlusco-Li kinda ruined the atmosphere. He was attending some event in the morning, when he started bragging about his Serie C side and taking digs as usual: "When you watch Monza you see beautiful games, the tactics and plays are studied by me, Brocchi and Galliani. I spoke to Milan President Scaroni and I asked him to organise a friendly. I wanna exaggerate, we'll win 3-0.”

Savage by Silvio, but he put things in the right perspective. Milano è nerazzurra and it feels so good.

That's sarcasm. There's no question about it.

What wasn't sarcasm though, was another post where a guy actually said "Leao toyed with Godin today." Like, fuck. I genuinely feel sorry for that guy.

Just for fun, speaking of biases and agendas, that guy has some serious and prestigious competition in Italian journalists.

Gazzetta dello Sport (journalist Vernazza, who had to write an article to try and justify the original comment, but made things worse):
“Godin 6
Leao's 20 years vs Godin's 33 years: it's an anagraphic move made by Giampaolo.
The Uruguayan survives with experience and a few fouls, but Inter suffers on its right side."

Corriere della Sera (De Carolis, the same journalist and morattiano who did the controversial interview with Wanda after Icardi's loan):
“Godin 6
Not a good showing by Godin against Leao, and his teammates don't protect him.
In the end the Portuguese loses intensity, so Godin can finally catch a break."

Move aside, The Red & Black Forums.

 

[brehme1989]

You think our team last year was better than our team this year?

Don't be so linear.

Our team has improved some facets of it and theoretically is a well enough structured one, at least for a 3-5-2.

But our roster ommissions are quite big.

Sensi was never meant to be this impactful, so that's a great plus and we must thank Orialli and Ausilio for pushing for his transfer.
Barella is a great talent that we've been after for so long, but he's not a direct improvement over Nainggolan, even if Radja wasn't at his best here.

Our forward line may seem nice to some, but as with the last couple of seasons, it's quite thin. We're using 2 up front so having just 4 forwards is not really ideal, especially since 2/4 cannot really be slotted together (ie. Politano + Sanchez).

Our defence has Godin now but the 3 man defence is making Skriniar at the left side look like an amateur some times.

And our wing backs cannot contain teams with good wingers so our defence is going to be quite exposed against 'tricky' teams. Neither can defend well and offensively they can offer something against crap teams but we cannot expect Candreva, Asamoah, Lazaro or Biraghi to be effective against top teams. And don't ignore that they'll be out there by thsemselves, facing two guys on their flank.

So far the only team with wingers that we faced was Slavia Praha. We'll have 6 games in the CL against such competition, vastly superior to Slavia. And our main rivals in Serie A also use that type of football.

Don't forget that the 4-2-3-1 was perfected (by the Danes) as a way to kill the 3-5-2, diamond 4-4-2 and the 4-4-1-1 formations back in the early 90s. And Trapattoni tried to use it in Euro 2004 (he was heavily criticized for this) which saw its re-emergence in European football when Mourinho came along and the rest is history. Everyone wants a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 system now and 3 man defences are considered (wrongly) obsolete. But as a norm, the 3-5-2 will be in a disadvantage against a flat 4-4-2 and especially a 4-2-3-1.
And since our 3-5-2 isn't really optimal for our squad, I cannot really say that we stepped up in quality since last season. Our team was not made for a 4-2-3-1 either (it was under Mancini in 2015 when he started it with Icardi, Ljajic, Jovetic, Perisic etc) but we didn't give up on it in time so we got stuck with it. We were slightly improving on it and had a chance with this 300m expensive summer to have a top team and all we have now is a disappointing opportunity lost and the hope that shit doesn't hit the fan in the next 5-6 months.

I honestly prefer the 3-5-2 to the 4-2-3-1 but I cannot ignore that it kind of is its kryptonite.

 

[.h.]

I think its a fairly simple question, do you think our team this year is stronger or not than last years?

Your previous statement makes it sound like we're not as good as we were last year, so I'm just clarifying.

 

[brehme1989]

Again, you're being too linear.

We could be worse than last season but our competition could be even worse so that gives us better chances.
We could be better than last season but our competition could be even better so that gives us lesser chances.

It doesn't matter how we look compared to last season, what matters is if we took advantage of the transfer window and the coach change. And for over 300m committed, I cannot confidently say that I have higher expectations than what I had last season.

And last season I expected a light Scudetto challenge, a proper challenge for the Coppa and a good turn out in Europe heading for the last 16 and see how it goes from there.
I can safely say that last season we failed to reach our targets, mostly for non-sporting reasons. Locker room clashes, bad mentality issues, change of management in the middle of the season had its effect (with Marotta coming in December). For this season my expectations based on the club's spending should have been higher, with a serious scudetto challenge being one, aiming for at least the CL quarters and reaching the Coppa final. But after the end of the mercato I can safely say that my expectations are the same as last season. I'd be surprised if we reach the last 16 in the CL and I'd be (pleasantly) surprised if we can still challenge for the Scudetto come April. That is assuming we don't invest further in the squad in winter.

 

[Puma]

I woke up at close to 4:00am to watch this match. Although we did not play beautifully, we still played football. I loved our pressing game and the way the team just kept playing knowing they had to get a result. I loved how even when we missed chances and there was disappointment, how the team just kept playing. I also loved how when passes were misplaced or things did not go according to plan, how the players still encouraged and continued to play for each other. I loved how Handanovic did not have much to do and how Godin used his experience to be an absolute presence at the back. I loved how Asamoah, seemed to pop up at vital times when Milan were attacking and make an intercept or break up their play. I loved the hustle and the effort. I never thought that I would ever write anything like this but I loved Candreva's dribble and his shot that hit post. I absolutely loved Barella's pass to Lukaku to make it 2-0: it was perfect and left me in awe.

I understand that we were not perfect or spectacular but I feel encouraged. This is how I have always wanted us to play: with effort, hustle and hunger and for a full 90 plus minutes.

Forza Inter!

 

[Ronaldo]

It's the midfield that is truly incredible tbh. If sensi and barella can keep it up this season it's the first time I'm hopeful for our midfield since 2010

I was hopeful of Gagliardini + Kondogbia under Pioli, let's hope the samescenario doesn't happen here...

 

[syrus]

You think our team last year was better than our team this year?

Lol I think Brehme has either overdosed on caffeine or is hitting the harder stuff , as he is blabbing on a bit.

I think on paper ,(regarding personnel) we are slightly better off than last season.
Yes we have lost our talisman ! Perisic and N9 but we have replaced them with adequate players and made good improvements in midfield.
The above along with a coach who appears to have a winning mentality , puts us (on paper ) in a better position than last year. All of that is acedemic should we fail to follow game plans and loose our mental game though .

 

[Anne Marie]

Being better is being understood in a linear fashion. If Inter is standing alone on an Island, then yes, we got better players. While Icardi vs. Lukaku is contested, Sensi, Barella and Godin are upgrades. Brehme’s position is relational as he puts Inter in comparative views. But its a very difficult question coz you need to measure multiple gaps: between Inter and other last year and this year. Doing so certainly involves a lot of personal bias.

 

[Universe]

Stop being so linear, Anne Marie

 

[Rimpel]

Milan are so bad, this ended up being one of the easier games we'll play this season, but still nice to see the team bounce back after that miserable CL game.

 

[Sassuolu]

What a match by the boys, we never had the result in doubt and brushed Milan aside.

My only doubt is whether the team has really matured or Milan have just become awful (considering they've had about four shots on target all season I think it's very likely).