Internazionale vs Barcelona

Well, they are travelling through France. Hardly Latvia is it.

There is a lot of talk that Mou will start a "new" 4-1-4-1 formation tomorrow, something that he experimented with Viola in coppa.... which means that Maicon will join an attacking midfield of Sniejder, Pandev/Stank/Motta, & Eto'o, behind Milito. Only Cambiasso will play the defensive midfield providing cover to the defence.The idea is to cut off supply to Xavi & Co.

Hmmm... am I the only one who can see this going horribly wrong?? If Barca put their usual pressure, I can see that 4-1-4-1 quickly becoming a 5-2-2-1 which would be a disaster!!

I would prefer us to stick to 4-2-3-1 with Balotelli, Sneijder, & Eto'o behind Milito... with Stankovic helping Cambiasso in the defensive midfield.

I don't think 4-2-3-1 is the way to go for this one, it would leave the midfield too open - Xavi will be able to pick his passes easily. Barca will have most of the possesion, Inter will need to counter attack well and take their chances. IMO this should be the formation:


The midfield is packed (Sneijder will make it a 5 man midfield when Inter don't have the ball), Barca won't be able to play through that easily. Quaresma, Maicon, Sneijder and Eto'o are perfect for counter attacks.

Jose said pep is the best coach in the game and i guess he meant it, why else would he be contemplating playing a system Pep played against Madrid.

anyways, i'm not worried about what Inter will play, this game is a true 50:50, maybe 60:40 to inter due to our traveling issues, the players will feel the effects of it, one way or the other.

but messi hasn't scored in two games, he is due a goal or 4.

Messiah wrote:Jose said pep is the best coach in the game and i guess he meant it, why else would he be contemplating playing a system Pep played against Madrid.

anyways, i'm not worried about what Inter will play, this game is a true 50:50, maybe 60:40 to inter due to our traveling issues, the players will feel the effects of it, one way or the other.

but messi hasn't scored in two games, he is due a goal or 4.

Aren't we making too much out of a bus trip?? Its not that bad to travel 10 hours in a bus, specially since you have more than a day to recover.

But I do agree, this game is a true 50:50.

bluenine wrote:There is a lot of talk that Mou will start a "new" 4-1-4-1 formation tomorrow, something that he experimented with Viola in coppa.... which means that Maicon will join an attacking midfield of Sniejder, Pandev/Stank/Motta, & Eto'o, behind Milito. Only Cambiasso will play the defensive midfield providing cover to the defence.The idea is to cut off supply to Xavi & Co.

Hmmm... am I the only one who can see this going horribly wrong?? If Barca put their usual pressure, I can see that 4-1-4-1 quickly becoming a 5-2-2-1 which would be a disaster!!

I would prefer us to stick to 4-2-3-1 with Balotelli, Sneijder, & Eto'o behind Milito... with Stankovic helping Cambiasso in the defensive midfield.

I think he probably have to come up with sth new, knowing how the games went in the GS and also by watching the other teams against barca.
So it may not be the worst decision to try to counter your opponents strategies. That's what a coach is for.

@ messiah, a bus trip is hardly an excuse here.

To travel over a 1000 Km/Miles in 14 hours is a big issue, I'd be surprise if lyon/barca get a result in their games.

Its shit traveling in a car for a few hours, now matter how luxurious that car is, never the less a bus for 14 hours.

Messiah wrote:To travel over a 1000 Km/Miles in 14 hours is a big issue, I'd be surprise if lyon/barca get a result in their games.

Its shit traveling in a car for a few hours, now matter how luxurious that car is, never the less a bus for 14 hours.

He has a point I've travelled on a bus for 18 hour journeys, aboustle killer on your body. Don't expect to see a fully fresh Barca unless they get there a good couple of days before the game.

Messiah wrote:To travel over a 1000 Km/Miles in 14 hours is a big issue, I'd be surprise if lyon/barca get a result in their games.

Its shit traveling in a car for a few hours, now matter how luxurious that car is, never the less a bus for 14 hours.

Gutted for you. Truly, I'am

Liverpool's estimated journey will take around 23 hours according to the news earlier.

Plane, train and automobile

I don't think its fair to any of the away teams playing in Europe this week, as tixki said Uefa are too inflexible.

Loved Pep's comment: "I'd rather travel 14 hours in a bus than watch the semifinals on TV". Avoids using the bus journey as an excuse, yet at the same time makes a cheeky statement that can rile up the Madrid press if they choose to interpret it that way. Mourinho-esque

Mourinho's up to his normal tricks again, though his comments are much more muted than what I expected. If he really did say "Pep is the best coach in the world", then it's pretty typical...later if Inter win Mourinho can say "I beat the best coach in the world"

I don't think the bus journey is an excuse but it definitely has an impact. Because the players basically lost all of Sunday and Monday without any training...normally they would just do very light sessions, as there's no heavy training at this point of the season, and esp. not when games are just 3 days apart. Still, losing that recovery time can affect some players, and maybe not affect others.

I'm strangely calm about this tie. Not nervous but not excited either. And there's been surprisingly little in the way of 'morbo' over the past few days. Lot of mutual respect between the two teams. Mourinho has that amazing home record, and I expect Inter to play by the Espanyol/Chelsea template with a bit more counter-attacking added in, so any kind of draw tonight is fine with me.

If anyone is watching the game on Sky Sports you must of seen the advert for the game.

It shows Messi scoring vs Arsenal and Snejider's freekick vs CSKA then Andy Gray goes at the end of the advert something like ''You are watching a special player watch out Jose he is coming to get you''

Now the music which is getting played while this is all going on I want to the name of the song surely someone on here must know the song/artist.

Kind Regards

My money is on Inter to reach the final. Not that I see thm as favs, but the bookies/betters overrate Barcelona's chances seriously. They're not that much odds on favs me thinks.

is it possible to bet on messi not scoring?

De Guzman wrote:My money is on Inter to reach the final. Not that I see thm as favs, but the bookies/betters overrate Barcelona's chances seriously. They're not that much odds on favs me thinks.

Agreed...a lot of people seem to be thinking of the 0-0 and 2-0 results for Barça back in November, but as Mourinho says, Inter are totally different now.

Paddypower:

to qualify for final:

Barcelona 4/11
Inter 15/8

"Gudjohnsen has really done it to us this time," joked one player boarding the 3pm team bus out of Barcelona on Sunday

kas wrote:Loved Pep's comment: "I'd rather travel 14 hours in a bus than watch the semifinals on TV". Avoids using the bus journey as an excuse, yet at the same time makes a cheeky statement that can rile up the Madrid press if they choose to interpret it that way. Mourinho-esque

Mourinho's up to his normal tricks again, though his comments are much more muted than what I expected. If he really did say "Pep is the best coach in the world", then it's pretty typical...later if Inter win Mourinho can say "I beat the best coach in the world"

I don't think the bus journey is an excuse but it definitely has an impact. Because the players basically lost all of Sunday and Monday without any training...normally they would just do very light sessions, as there's no heavy training at this point of the season, and esp. not when games are just 3 days apart. Still, losing that recovery time can affect some players, and maybe not affect others.

I'm strangely calm about this tie. Not nervous but not excited either. And there's been surprisingly little in the way of 'morbo' over the past few days. Lot of mutual respect between the two teams. Mourinho has that amazing home record, and I expect Inter to play by the Espanyol/Chelsea template with a bit more counter-attacking added in, so any kind of draw tonight is fine with me.

Loved kas' comment here. On one hand he is saying there is the bus trip is not an excuse yet at the same time makes a cheeky reference to how it will have an effect so later when Barcelona lose he can say "IT WAS THE BUS TRIP!" Very kas-esque!

Doublethink.

Eh
Maybe I wasn't clear...what I meant was it does obviously have an impact on players' conditioning, but not big enough for modern footballers to not be able to overcome it and still perform at their best...so they can't use the bus trip as an excuse if the match is a draw or defeat for Barça.

Its been noted

Any reference to the bus trip post match will instantly be lambasted.

kas wrote:

De Guzman wrote:My money is on Inter to reach the final. Not that I see thm as favs, but the bookies/betters overrate Barcelona's chances seriously. They're not that much odds on favs me thinks.

Agreed...a lot of people seem to be thinking of the 0-0 and 2-0 results for Barça back in November, but as Mourinho says, Inter are totally different now.

I am not ruling out Inter winning today... but what's so different in Inter comparing to November? Also with different, you mean better or worse?

Better.

1. They have more confidence in the CL after the Chelsea result...the most notable point about it was the players' perfect execution of Mourinho's tactical plans. This will be important for an opponent like Barça.

2. Sneijder is fit, which makes a big difference to their link between midfield and attack. Otherwise there's absolutely 0 creativity in their team.

3. Their attacking play has improved a bit more with Pandev. He can certainly do a good job of controlling Dani Alves (or Maxwell) and restricting Barça to playing centrally.

kas wrote:Eh
Maybe I wasn't clear...what I meant was it does obviously have an impact on players' conditioning, but not big enough for modern footballers to not be able to overcome it and still perform at their best...so they can't use the bus trip as an excuse if the match is a draw or defeat for Barça.

I was just joking with you kas.

kas wrote:Better.

1. They have more confidence in the CL after the Chelsea result...the most notable point about it was the players' perfect execution of Mourinho's tactical plans. This will be important for an opponent like Barça.

2. Sneijder is fit, which makes a big difference to their link between midfield and attack. Otherwise there's absolutely 0 creativity in their team.

3. Their attacking play has improved a bit more with Pandev. He can certainly do a good job of controlling Dani Alves (or Maxwell) and restricting Barça to playing centrally.

Their league form tell us a different story, not mentioning fatigue element, that makes Bluenine so worried.

stinger wrote:

kas wrote:Better.

1. They have more confidence in the CL after the Chelsea result...the most notable point about it was the players' perfect execution of Mourinho's tactical plans. This will be important for an opponent like Barça.

2. Sneijder is fit, which makes a big difference to their link between midfield and attack. Otherwise there's absolutely 0 creativity in their team.

3. Their attacking play has improved a bit more with Pandev. He can certainly do a good job of controlling Dani Alves (or Maxwell) and restricting Barça to playing centrally.

Their league form tell us a different story, not mentioning fatigue element, that makes Bluenine so worried.

Their league form is because of their CL run. It's not really relevant anyway, when Inter were winning Serie A easily in previous years they did nothing in the CL. Now they've slipped behind in the league but have gone on an excellent run of 5 straight victories in the CL.

Come on Barca!

kas wrote:Better.

1. They have more confidence in the CL after the Chelsea result...the most notable point about it was the players' perfect execution of Mourinho's tactical plans. This will be important for an opponent like Barça.

2. Sneijder is fit, which makes a big difference to their link between midfield and attack. Otherwise there's absolutely 0 creativity in their team.

3. Their attacking play has improved a bit more with Pandev. He can certainly do a good job of controlling Dani Alves (or Maxwell) and restricting Barça to playing centrally.

Tactically they have changed aswell. No more 4-3-1-2.

I think another thing you have to look at is that Mourinho brought in 5 new players to the first team over the summer. They've had more time to gel.

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:

kas wrote:Better.

1. They have more confidence in the CL after the Chelsea result...the most notable point about it was the players' perfect execution of Mourinho's tactical plans. This will be important for an opponent like Barça.

2. Sneijder is fit, which makes a big difference to their link between midfield and attack. Otherwise there's absolutely 0 creativity in their team.

3. Their attacking play has improved a bit more with Pandev. He can certainly do a good job of controlling Dani Alves (or Maxwell) and restricting Barça to playing centrally.

Tactically they have changed aswell. No more 4-3-1-2.

I think another thing you have to look at is that Mourinho brought in 5 new players to the first team over the summer. They've had more time to gel.

On the other hand, now:

1. Inter are fatigued coz Mou just won't rotate!
2. A bit demoralised, as we ve as good as lost the scudetto last weekend
3. Pandev has started playing like shite...

Maybe our peak this season is already behind us