Results Over Performance For Inter

One more game chalked off in the list of remaining games with one more coming up very soon on Wednesday for Inter. With each passing win coupled with our rivals dropping points, we are edging closer to the Scudetto and our first piece of silverware in a decade.


Winning Ugly

The performance was not great, it has not been since we beat Genoa 3-0 at San Siro on the 28th of February. Since then, we have lost our fluidity in attack, the triangles, running into space and one-touch passes are not coming off. We have got the goals either through set-pieces, capitalising on a mistake or some pieces of good play. But what I have been impressed with the most, is the ability to win ugly. I never knew this Inter had it in them to win ugly but we have shown a lot of resilience, mental strength and defensive solidity. Up until the 10th of January where we let a lead slip against Roma, I always felt that attack was the best form of defence for us. If we didn’t play well, we will not win but things have changed. I have always felt that the ability to win ugly is one of the most important traits of a championship-winning team and we are showing that. Defences win you titles.

Maturity of Ranocchia

Stefan de Vrij was one of a few Inter players diagnosed with COVID-19 before the international break and recovered in time for the game against Bologna but had only one day in training. In his absence, Andrea Ranocchia was selected. Since signing for Inter, Ranocchia has gone from being a promising defender playing alongside giants such as Lucio and Walter Samuel to being a ridiculed figure of despair. He has hardly played this season but when he has been called upon, he has not put a foot wrong and did the same against Bologna. It could be the Antonio Conte effect of instilling confidence in him. After all, the same manager made him one of Italy’s most promising centre-backs at Bari when Inter signed him in 2010. It could be that he is maturing and getting better with age.

One Game At A Time

We will be missing a couple of key players against Sassuolo due to suspension, Alessandro Bastoni and Marcelo Brozovic. It could be an opportunity for someone else in the squad to step up. I wonder who it might be as there are some options available for Conte to choose from. It’s also interesting to note that including the last match against Bologna, we are now facing teams that derailed our title challenge last season. We lost 1-2 to Bologna at San Siro, drew 3-3 against Sassuolo and 1-1 against Cagliari. Needless points dropped. These results should act as fuel for the team. There is still that nagging fear that until we close this title mathematically, we could still slip up so I am still taking it one game at a time, cautiously.

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