Inter's Scudetto?

Subject: Inter's Scudetto? Sun Dec 09, 2007 8:40 am

seems more and more like they're gonna win this again.. inter are playing football out of this world

you think they deserve it this time? or not?

Subject: Re: Inter's Scudetto? Sun Dec 09, 2007 11:02 am

NOT

Subject: Re: Inter's Scudetto? Mon Dec 10, 2007 7:59 am

The
last seven days have been like heaven for Inter boss Roberto Mancini.
Three successive Serie A victories over Fiorentina (2-0), Lazio (3-0)
and Torino (4-0) have seen them open up a five point lead at the top over second-placed Roma.

The
Italian press are virtually unanimous in agreeing that the still
unbeaten Inter, who have scored 33 goals and conceded just eight in 15
games, will comfortably retain the championship they won so
convincingly last season.

Now
you can argue forever about the reason why a team who had not won a
Scudetto since 1989 have become so dominant – in this I am speaking
specifically about the Calciopoli crisis.

However I want to steer way clear of that subject.

The parallels between this Inter side and the Fabio Capello squad from 2004/05 and 2005/06 are striking.

Let’s look at the first-choice starting XI’s of the two teams.

Inter 2007/08: Julio Cesar, Maicon, Materazzi, Cordoba, Maxwell (Chivu), Stankovic, Cambiasso, Vieira (Zanetti), Figo, Ibrahimovic, Cruz (Crespo)

Juventus
2005/06: Buffon, Zebina, Cannavaro, Thuram, Zambrotta, Nedved, Vieira,
Emerson, Camoranesi, Ibrahimovic (Del Piero), Trezeguet

The
first parallel is that both teams placed physicality and efficiency
above technical qualities. If you take Ibrahimovic and Figo out of the
Inter line-up and remove Ibrahimovic and Camoranesi from the Juve XI,
you are left with very little creativity.

This perhaps explains why both teams (and I am talking up until the present) struggled in the Champions League.

In Europe
technique is the name of the game – indeed it is the reason why AC
Milan have been so successful in the competition in recent years. The
likes of Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf and Kaka are tailor made for
the Champions League.

The
technical deficiencies in the Juventus and Inter squads explains why
the Bianconeri were knocked out in the quarter-final stage in both of
Capello’s seasons, and why Mancini’s men were so disappointing in their
second round loss to Valencia last campaign.

Domestically
it is a completely different kettle of fish. The efficient nature of
these two squads helped both completely dominate the Italian league.

In
2004/05 Juventus won the league by seven points, while the next year
they lost just once all term and had chalked up a record points tally
by the mid-season break.

Although
both of these Scudetti were eventually revoked, no true football fan
can argue that Juve were by far the strongest team domestically in
Serie A during those two seasons.

Similarly
Inter also lost just once last season, winning an incredible 30 of
their 38 games and finishing 22 points clear of second-placed Roma.

A
few weeks ago current Bianconeri boss Claudio Ranieri described Inter
as “like a machine” and I can distinctly remember the same words being
used to describe Capello’s Juventus a few years back.

Both
squads have a powerful backbone through the middle of the team.
Juventus had the world-class Cannavaro and Thuram in defence, the
powerhouses Vieira and Emerson in the middle-of-the-park, with
Ibrahimovic and Trezeguet up-front.

Inter meanwhile have the likes of Materazzi, Chivu and Cordoba
protecting the backline, Vieira (although he has often been injured)
and Cambiasso in the centre of midfield, and once again the brilliant
Ibrahimovic up-front.

Capello’s Juventus were incredibly hard to beat and they fought like lions to the last minute, often scoring late goals.

Mancini’s Inter also have fantastic mental qualities – the fact they have lost just one Serie A match in 18 months proves this.

Another striking parallel is something that possibly comes with being the number one team in Italy – controversy.

When
Juventus were dominating under Capello they were often accused of
getting favourable refereeing decisions – some of the time these
charges were correct and often they were not.

Inter are currently suffering the same treatment this time around. The likes of Juventus and Milan
have complained that they are suffering at the hands of the referees,
with the Bianconeri it seems particularly hard done by during the games
against Napoli and Parma.

What are your views on this topic? Are Inter the ‘New Juventus’? Goal.com wants to know what YOU think

Subject: Re: Inter's Scudetto? Tue Mar 25, 2008 5:58 pm

Only four points separate Roma from Inter, and Roma's next four games are much easier than Inter's. We might have a race after all...

Subject: Re: Inter's Scudetto? Tue Mar 25, 2008 7:49 pm

i dont see inter throwing this away... not when roma are playing in the CL .. and inter got no other competition

Subject: Re: Inter's Scudetto? Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:57 pm

You're right, Roma's lack of depth could be their undoing.

Subject: Re: Inter's Scudetto? Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:23 am

one week to go.... if manU draw or win.. i think thats the end of it. i dont see roma making a comeback in old trafford