Pro Eleven Headlines
Serie A Preview: Inter-Udinese
Inter Searching For Identity
If one had to choose a word to describe Inter’s start to the new season, their first under new coach Jose Mourinho, it would probably be "inconsistent". Whereas certain other teams, such as Roma and Juventus, have gone through moments of real crisis, it has never quite gotten to that point for Inter, but their performances have still been frustratingly uneven.
It’s also hard to say what Inter’s real weakness is. At certain stages, it looked like their defence wasn’t having any problems, while they struggled to score enough goals in relation to the chances they created. In other cases, such as their two most recent games against Reggina in Serie A and Anorthosis Famagusta in the Champions League, they found the net easily but made the most elementary mistakes in defence.
It must be said that the 3-3 draw in the latter game was mostly due to the embarassing performance of defender Nicolas Burdisso, who made a couple of hilarious blunders at crucial moments which led to two of Anorthosis’ goals. Overall, though, there seems to be a general imbalance in the side, which definitely looks like it hasn’t assimilated Mourinho’s new ideas entirely yet.
It also isn’t a good sign that each time it’s almost impossible to guess with what formation and system Inter will play in their next game. Mourinho is known to favor a 4-3-3, but that has failed to work for the team on more than one occasion. Recently he has also tried an ultra-offensive 4-2-4, but considering how vulnerable they looked at the back against Reggina and Anorthosis using that system, it’s probably best to scrap that idea immediately.
In spite of these problems, Inter are still in a pretty good position both domestically and in Europe. They are one point behind Milan in the Serie A table, but before last weekend’s game they were trailing Napoli and Udinese by two points. And in the Champions League, despite their slip-up in Cyprus, they are still 3 points clear on top of their group (which is probably the weakest of the competition), and a win in their next game at home against Panathinaikos will ensure their qualification.
They now face a daunting series of games, as after this match against Udinese, which has often proved a difficult one for Inter, they will face Palermo, Juventus, Napoli, and Lazio in quick succession. Udinese have grown into a bogey team for the Nerazzurri, as they have failed to beat them since the 2005/2006 season.
However, in this match they could really use a convincing victory, as Udinese have the same amount of points as Inter at the moment and a win for Mourinho’s side would allow them to improve their position considerably and gain an important morale boost ahead of a very tough period.
Udinese Looking To Go Top
Pasquale Marino’s Udinese have once again exceeded expectations, even more than last season, when they managed to stay in 4th place for a long time before Christmas, only to suffer a dip in form afterwards and eventually finishing in 7th place.
However, this time they have gone beyond that, as they were top of the table along with Napoli going into last Sunday’s matches, and they are now just one point below leaders Milan. The team have been playing impressive football ever since coach Marino joined from Catania in the summer of 2007, and this season they certainly look solid enough to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since the 2004/2005 season.
According to some, they could even challenge for the title, but that is probably taking it one step too far. There are always a couple of surprising teams in Serie A who manage to stay close to the top sides in the early part of the season, but generally by February-March the real value of each team is reflected in their league position.
Still, that doesn’t mean that Udinese are heading to San Siro with anything less than a victory in their sights. The Bianconeri have shown more than once that they can be just as lethal away from home as in the Friuli stadium, most recently in their Uefa Cup match away to Spartak Moscow, which they won 2-1 thanks to a brace by Fabio Quagliarella. They also recently won 2-0 away from home against Catania, who were previously unbeaten on home soil.
A win against Inter could see Udinese go top of the Serie A table, which is obviously a mouth-watering prospect for them, and it would be the highest point in their history since they finished 3rd in the 1997/1998 season.
Nasri at double as artful Arsenal defy the doubters
Arsenal 2 Manchester United 1: French midfielder plays lead role in resurgent Gunners' unique brand of 'fantasy football' which even draws praise from United manager, who still bemoans missed chances
They are simply not physically equipped for fight-ball, but when it it comes to a football match, Arsène Wenger's young Arsenal braves have few peers. The point was proved again yesterday in a magnificent match that often resembled what Sir Alex Ferguson called "fantasy football, playground stuff – you attack, we'll attack". Unfortunately, the lesson will not be lost on future opponents less committed than Manchester United to the beautiful game, who will inevitably tend towards confrontational and containing football against Arsenal.
A failure to deal with Stoke City's direct approach last weekend brought a third defeat of the season by unfashionable opposition and a rash of media inquisitions earlier in the season than usual about whether Wenger has lost the plot. Admirably, he is not for turning and retains the support for his beliefs of the board and a majority of supporters, as was made clear at the club's annual general meeting a fortnight ago. Yesterday his name was ostentatiously chanted as soon as Arsenal's second goal went in just after half-time.
It was scored by the excellent Samir Nasri, who had also claimed the first, the only concern at that point being whether Arsenal might fall foul of the sort of comeback that Tottenham had mounted here 10 days earlier. Had United pulled one goal back earlier than the 90th minute, it could have happened, but this time Wenger's team kept pushing forward in search of a third goal and fortune favoured the braves.
That entitled them to legitimate feelings of vindication. "Last week we were not rubbish as everyone said," Cesc Fabregas said of the Stoke defeat. "This is maybe the best we've played this season." Wenger had earned his pride at a victory that takes his team two points ahead of the champions, who nevertheless retain a game in hand at home to Fulham.
"It was a very important result mathematically and also to show what kind of spirit, determination and mental attitude we have," he said. "The difference was maybe that we took our chances and they did not."
The superiority of his midfield, with Nasri, Fabregas and Denilson playing their little triangles around a disappointing Michael Carrick and Anderson, was a factor too, as Ferguson grudgingly acknowledged: "Sometimes you have to hold your hand up. Arsenal played good football at times. The number of chances we had was incredible and we let ourselves down in that area." Those chances came right from the start, initially all in front of Manuel Almunia. Panicked into picking up Mikaël Silvestre's back-pass in the third minute, the Arsenal goalkeeper was fortunate that his defensive wall blocked Anderson's shot following the indirect free-kick and that Carrick's follow-up was wayward.
Soon a lovely passing move flowed through Cristiano Ronaldo's cross and Park Ji-Sung's dummy to Wayne Rooney, whose shot was pushed out for Dimitar Berbatov to knock in, but from an offside position. Rooney, one header apart, did not come as close again in a performance to give the watching Fabio Capello much to mull.
From the 10th minute on, Arsenal began to play the sort of football the Emirates has come to know and love; by half-time they had established supremacy and a lead. Twice Nicklas Bendtner failed with headers from enticing left-wing crosses and when Edwin van der Sar punched unconvincingly from Fabregas's free-kick, Abou Diaby's shot was deflected away. In the 22nd minute, came another free-kick curled in from the same source. Berbatov headed out, only as far as Nasri, who hit an immediate shot that took a touch off Gary Neville to send it wide of a flat-footed goalkeeper.
The capacity crowd, belying their quiet reputation, responded to the realisation that they were watching something special. Attack followed attack, often from each team in turn. Silvestre, recovering well against his former club, almost poked in a goal against them, then crossed for Theo Walcott at the far post to drive into the ground and over the bar. United, however, were still a threat, Neville's fine pass sending Park away for a shot that was pushed out by Almunia, who had to save from Anderson at the end of a breathless half.
The second half hardly lost anything in comparison, starting with a goal three minutes in. It was another fine build-up through the Arsenal midfield, climaxed by Fabregas's turn and pass to Nasri. In more space than United's central defenders should have allowed him, the Frenchman shot wide of Van der Sar's right hand. "Really poor defensive play," Ferguson fumed.
United's best chance until their late goal came immediately afterwards, Park chipping to the far post where Ronaldo volleyed wide. From then on, introducing Ryan Giggs and Carlos Tevez, the visitors stormed forward and Arsenal counter-attacked them, creating marginally the better chances. Once they had four men against two but Diaby's cross found one of the United pair, Anderson. With six minutes of added time indicated, United's other substitute Rafael da Silva, hit a superb shot into the far corner of the net. But this time, Arsenal held out and Bendtner even had the best chance of all for a final goal.
