Inter vs Liverpool discussion thread!!

Mancini glad to face Liverpool
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Roberto Mancini insists he is happy to have drawn Liverpool in the Champions League. “It’s the weaker sides on paper who are more dangerous.” Inter were paired with the 2005 winners and 2007 Finalists for the first knockout round and will face off at Anfield Road on Tuesday February 19 before the San Siro decider on March 12. “It is a good draw,” assured Mancio. “There are no weak sides in the competition now and history teaches us that when you pick those who are weaker on paper, they are the ones where you most risk tripping up. “It is better to take on the strongest of the lot, as if you want to lift the trophy then you have to beat them all. I think this will be a battle of two great teams.”

Liverpool have only met Inter once before, in the 1964-65 semi-final. The Italians lost 3-1 away, but won the second leg 3-0 and went on to lift the European Cup. “Liverpool are a strong side, very solid with great players. They have the English mentality, but also the tactical nous of a Coach who studies and prepares for games very carefully,” added Mancini. “They are very good on home turf and have eliminated Chelsea twice as well as Juventus in recent years.”

Blue9 wrote:Mancini glad to face Liverpool
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Roberto Mancini insists he is happy to have drawn Liverpool in the Champions League. “It’s the weaker sides on paper who are more dangerous. Then they wouldnt be the weak sides now would they??” Inter were paired with the 2005 winners and 2007 Finalists for the first knockout round and will face off at Anfield Road on Tuesday February 19 before the San Siro decider on March 12. “It is a good draw,” assured Mancio. “There are no weak sides in the competition now and history teaches us that when you pick those who are weaker on paper, they are the ones where you most risk tripping up. [i] That's only because losing out against a big side provides you with an excuse[ /i] “It is better to take on the strongest of the lot, as if you want to lift the trophy then you have to beat them all. [i] Nope, it is a cup competition and luck can get you far[ /i] I think this will be a battle of two great teams.”

Oleguerisntthatbad wrote:

Blue9 wrote:Mancini glad to face Liverpool
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Roberto Mancini insists he is happy to have drawn Liverpool in the Champions League. “It’s the weaker sides on paper who are more dangerous. Then they wouldnt be the weak sides now would they??” Inter were paired with the 2005 winners and 2007 Finalists for the first knockout round and will face off at Anfield Road on Tuesday February 19 before the San Siro decider on March 12. “It is a good draw,” assured Mancio. “There are no weak sides in the competition now and history teaches us that when you pick those who are weaker on paper, they are the ones where you most risk tripping up. [i] That's only because losing out against a big side provides you with an excuse[ /i] “It is better to take on the strongest of the lot, as if you want to lift the trophy then you have to beat them all. [i] Nope, it is a cup competition and luck can get you far[ /i] I think this will be a battle of two great teams.”

I am sorry, I know managers have to say these things, but Mancini makes no sense..

Oleguerisntthatbad wrote:

Blue9 wrote:Mancini glad to face Liverpool
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Roberto Mancini insists he is happy to have drawn Liverpool in the Champions League. “It’s the weaker sides on paper who are more dangerous. Then they wouldnt be the weak sides now would they??” Inter were paired with the 2005 winners and 2007 Finalists for the first knockout round and will face off at Anfield Road on Tuesday February 19 before the San Siro decider on March 12. “It is a good draw,” assured Mancio. “There are no weak sides in the competition now and history teaches us that when you pick those who are weaker on paper, they are the ones where you most risk tripping up. [i] That's only because losing out against a big side provides you with an excuse[ /i] “It is better to take on the strongest of the lot, as if you want to lift the trophy then you have to beat them all. [i] Nope, it is a cup competition and luck can get you far[ /i] I think this will be a battle of two great teams.”

I am sorry, I know managers have to say these things, but Mancini makes no sense..

Oleguerisntthatbad wrote:

Blue9 wrote:Mancini glad to face Liverpool
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Roberto Mancini insists he is happy to have drawn Liverpool in the Champions League. “It’s the weaker sides on paper who are more dangerous. Then they wouldnt be the weak sides now would they??” Inter were paired with the 2005 winners and 2007 Finalists for the first knockout round and will face off at Anfield Road on Tuesday February 19 before the San Siro decider on March 12. “It is a good draw,” assured Mancio. “There are no weak sides in the competition now and history teaches us that when you pick those who are weaker on paper, they are the ones where you most risk tripping up. [i] That's only because losing out against a big side provides you with an excuse[ /i] “It is better to take on the strongest of the lot, as if you want to lift the trophy then you have to beat them all. [i] Nope, it is a cup competition and luck can get you far[ /i] I think this will be a battle of two great teams.”

I am sorry, I know managers have to say these things, but Mancini makes no sense..

Luis wrote:I think it will be the toughest test in Europe under Rafa so far, I know we've drawn Barca, Juventus and Chelsea etc before but Inter are a team who not only have a superb defence but who have players with experience at the top level and players who can hurt any team at any time.

Despite this, I think we can win, in Europe we can beat anyone and tactically, Benitez is probably the best coach to have in the knockout stages of the champions league, obviously the top players will have to perform, Torres, Gerrard etc, we will have a few new players i'm sure plus Agger and Pennant should be back so I'm confident.

Should be a cracking game

Cesc wrote:This was the team that lost 2-1 to Liverpool in the Champions League Quarter Final of Liverpool's winning 2004/2005 campaign:

Juventus XI vs. Liverpool - 5 April 2005

Buffon

Zebina . . Cannavaro . . Thuram . . Zambrotta

Camoranesi . . Blasi . . Emerson . . Nedved

Del Piero . . Ibrahimovic

This team went on to win the Scuddeto, before the calciopoli the scandal reached the surface of Italian football.

Which team is better - Juventus 2004/2005 or Inter 2007/2008?

I See RedNWhite wrote:

Cesc wrote:This was the team that lost 2-1 to Liverpool in the Champions League Quarter Final of Liverpool's winning 2004/2005 campaign:

Juventus XI vs. Liverpool - 5 April 2005

Buffon

Zebina . . Cannavaro . . Thuram . . Zambrotta

Camoranesi . . Blasi . . Emerson . . Nedved

Del Piero . . Ibrahimovic

This team went on to win the Scuddeto, before the calciopoli the scandal reached the surface of Italian football.

Which team is better - Juventus 2004/2005 or Inter 2007/2008?

Didn't they have a perfectly legal goal disallowed at Anfield. Should have gone to Turin with a 2-2 draw, but .....

Tweesus of Nazareth wrote:Well, I'd have to say this Inter.

The defence as a unit was stronger for Juve. Buffon was world class, Zambo was world class and so was Cannavaro.

Zebina was a real weak link though. The midfield and attack both go to Inter though.

Nedved is the only player from that Juve midfield that would make Inter's current squad (Nedved back then of course)

Then up front, Ibrah now, is a far better player than he was back then. If I remember rightly, he did manage 16 league goals that season, but I think a lot was down to him being an unknown quantity. He had a poor second season.

BoBo Vieri wrote:
I think the style of play is also very different. That Juve were very efficient, and apart from Ibra, they lacked in creativity. THey were built to win the league since they could grind out wins against the lesser sides. This Inter is much more dynamic and will also be less tired since the squad is rotated more.

That said, i still think Liverpool will win because Benitez will get his tactics spot on, while Mancio is slightly dodgy in Europe.

Tweesus of Nazareth wrote:

BoBo Vieri wrote:
I think the style of play is also very different. That Juve were very efficient, and apart from Ibra, they lacked in creativity. THey were built to win the league since they could grind out wins against the lesser sides. This Inter is much more dynamic and will also be less tired since the squad is rotated more.

That said, i still think Liverpool will win because Benitez will get his tactics spot on, while Mancio is slightly dodgy in Europe.

Nedved was quite creative as well. But any side that plays two DMs in midfield isn't likely to set the world alight in the attacking third, especially with neither particularly gifted on the ball. Cambiasso alone is as creative as both blasi and emerson together.

I think you're downplaying Inter's chances, and understandably so - but I put Inter as favourites for this one. A couple of injuries to Liverpool and they'll be up $h!t creek without a paddle. whenevern they've had a few injuries this season, thev're really struggled.

BoBo Vieri wrote:I agree on the injury front, Inter wont be affected by injuries (unless its to Ibra or Cambiasso), while Pool would be. I just know what Liverpool are like in KO games, and theyll be very hard to beat.

Blue9 wrote:Either ways, I think this is the toughest game Mancio has had so far in Europe... this will show whether he has learnt well from his experience so far or not. I have always maintained that its not that Mancio is bad tactically, just that he is work in progress as a coach... he has had very little experience, and he has visibly grown as a coach season on season. He could become one of the great coaches of our times, given the time.

And IMO, if Inter cotinue to play like they are, this will be the toughest game Benetiz has had so far in europe as well.

It will be a battle. I am confident of our team IF we mantain our form. But the game is 2 months later, and thats a big IF!!

GR-09 wrote:

Blue9 wrote:Either ways, I think this is the toughest game Mancio has had so far in Europe... this will show whether he has learnt well from his experience so far or not. I have always maintained that its not that Mancio is bad tactically, just that he is work in progress as a coach... he has had very little experience, and he has visibly grown as a coach season on season. He could become one of the great coaches of our times, given the time.

And IMO, if Inter cotinue to play like they are, this will be the toughest game Benetiz has had so far in europe as well.

It will be a battle. I am confident of our team IF we mantain our form. But the game is 2 months later, and thats a big IF!!

me thinks you need an away goal(s) to have any chance of going through.

0-0 would still suit us imho

bluenine wrote:0-0 in the first leg, and you are as good as dead. It is very unlikely that Inter will not score at the Giuseppe Meazza, and it even more unlikely that we will lose at home...

Liverpool need to score at Anfield, and win, otherwise it will become a very uphill task for you guys.

GR-09 wrote:

Blue9 wrote:Either ways, I think this is the toughest game Mancio has had so far in Europe... this will show whether he has learnt well from his experience so far or not. I have always maintained that its not that Mancio is bad tactically, just that he is work in progress as a coach... he has had very little experience, and he has visibly grown as a coach season on season. He could become one of the great coaches of our times, given the time.

And IMO, if Inter cotinue to play like they are, this will be the toughest game Benetiz has had so far in europe as well.

It will be a battle. I am confident of our team IF we mantain our form. But the game is 2 months later, and thats a big IF!!

me thinks you need an away goal(s) to have any chance of going through.

0-0 would still suit us imho

I See RedNWhite wrote:

0-0 at Anfield, followed by a score draw at San Siro will mean Deja Vu all over for Inter. Liverpool wont win a game but progress on away goals.

Agreed that Inter squad pisses all over Liverpool, but then on the field it is 11 vs 11 and it depends on which 11 turn up. Had it been any other manager, it would have been tough to even imagine Inter winning by less than 3 goals in aggregate. But with Benitez I will not be surprised if come March 8th Inter have only Scudetto to play for.

bluenine wrote:0-0 in the first leg, and you are as good as dead. It is very unlikely that Inter will not score at the Giuseppe Meazza, and it even more unlikely that we will lose at home...

Liverpool need to score at Anfield, and win, otherwise it will become a very uphill task for you guys.

I See RedNWhite wrote:
0-0 at Anfield, followed by a score draw at San Siro will mean Deja Vu all over for Inter. Liverpool wont win a game but progress on away goals.

Agreed that Inter squad pisses all over Liverpool , but then on the field it is 11 vs 11 and it depends on which 11 turn up. Had it been any other manager, it would have been tough to even imagine Inter winning by less than 3 goals in aggregate. But with Benitez I will not be surprised if come March 8th Inter have only Scudetto to play for.