Inter Club Focus: The prophet arrives

Date: 14th February 2014 at 3:00pm
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Internazionale finally claimed their first win of 2014 as they defeated Sassuolo 1-0 in round 23 of Serie A, courtesy of a headed goal from Argentine stalwart Walter Samuel, after combining with a cross from new Brazilian signing Hernanes.

It is a sign of the times for the once feared Nerazzurri that their fans were desperate for a victory over a newly promoted side and there was a sense of trepidation before this fixture. But it should not have come to this as Walter Mazzarri’s side had more than enough ability to overcome the likes of Sassuolo, and that they relied upon a solitary set-piece goal to scrape a 1-0 win is an alarming indictment upon the side and their coach.

Inter’s starting 11 saw some key changes in personnel as Mazzarri handed a rare start to Samuel in defence and Hernanes was given his debut in midfield. Fredy Guarin’s restoration to central midfield was also noticeable as the Colombian made his first appearance since his transfer switch to Juventus in January collapsed.

Inter’s attack looked much more balanced with Hernanes’ presence in the attacking midfield berth, playing behind the striking pairing of Diego Milito and Rodrigo Palacio. During the fixture, Palacio was left upfront as the main attacking threat with the triumvirate of Milito, Hernanes and Guarin rotating behind and exploiting space in front of Sassuolo’s defence as the home side looked to press their advantage.

Mazzarri appeared to have finally struck up a defensive balance in midfield too with the presence of Zdravko Kuzmanovic masking his back three. The Serbian played in a deeper role, screening Samuel and co. from Sassuolo’s direct attacks and helped to relay possession to Inter’s attackers.

Icardi - interDespite Mazzarri finding the right blend to his midfield, upfront the team struggled to turn their chances into goals. It has been a constant theme throughout the Beneamata’s season as the forwards spurn chance after chance in front of the opposition goal.

Against Sassuolo it was no different as Inter ended up with a total of 16 shots on Sassuolo’s goal, with only seven on target, one having hit the woodwork. Perhaps Mazzarri’s failure to address this trend is something that the coach should be criticised for? How long would a coach in his position be allowed to escape with such alarming statistics on a consistent basis and not receive criticism from his fans? He has run Palacio into the ground and refused to call upon Mauro Icardi when fit thus far, is this a wise decision?

A positive for fans of the Nerazzurri was Hernanes’ debut. The Brazilian playmaker turned in a match winning performance to inspire his side to victory over the opposition. The assist for Walter Samuel in the 48th minute helped break down Sassuolo’s stubborn resistance and provided a rare glimmer of hope of what had otherwise been a wretched day for Inter fans.

Sassuolo allowed Hernanes space and time on the ball to dictate Inter’s attacks and the Brazilian’s 88 touches demonstrate just how influential he was. But what impressed me also was his willingness to track back and work for the team; making four successful tackles and put the Sassuolo players under pressure to recover the ball.

Hernanes - InterWhen Mazzarri has a fully fit squad at his disposal, he will be spoilt for choice when it comes to selecting his starting 11 each round until the end of the season. Whilst a hugely expensive transfer for the club and not necessarily the exact option the team needed, Hernanes’ arrival threatens to revive Inter and remind them of the side they once were.

Recent reports in the Italian press have suggested that the club are set to announce the signing of Nemanja Vidic on a pre-contract agreement from Manchester United. The Gazzetta Dello Sport ran a story stating that Inter could announce the Serbian’s signing as early as this month after a contract thought to be worth €2.6 million per year was agreed with the player. Such news would be a massive boost for morale amongst the Nerazzurri fans following the relative disappointment of the January mercato.

Follow Ryan Ross on Twitter: @rross11

 

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