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The contest with
This week will likely be a tougher test.
Who:
What: Match Day 2 Serie A
Where: Stadio Angelo Massimino
When: Sunday, September 1, 2013, 20:45 CET local, 2:45 PM EST
INTER
Goalkeepers: 1 Samir Handanovic, 12 Luca Castellazzi, 30 Juan Pablo Carrizo;
Defenders: 2 Jonathan, 5 Juan Jesus, 6 Marco Andreolli, 14 Hugo Campagnaro, 18 Wallace, 23 Andrea Ranocchia, 25 Walter Samuel, 31 Alvaro Pereira, 35 Rolando, 55 Yuto Nagatomo;
Midfielders: 10 Mateo Kovacic, 11 Ricky Alvarez, 13 Fredy Guarin, 17 Zdravko Kuzmanovic, 19 Esteban Cambiasso, 21 Saphir Taider, 90 Patrick Olsen;
Forwards: 7 Ishak Belfodil, 8 Rodrigo Palacio, 9 Mauro Icardi.
Probable Formation: 3511 – Handanovic; Campagnaro, Ranocchia, JJ; Jonathan, Guarin, Cambiasso, Kuzmanovic, Nagatomo; Alvarez; Palacio
Notes: There is some speculation that Mazzarri will put Taider and Kovacic out there from minute one, but I don’t think that will happen. I think that he’ll pull the trigger on substitutions earlier if he needs to because he has more confidence in them. But this game smells sit back and wait to me.
Of course that might be
CATANIA
Probable formation: 4231 – Andujar; Monzon, Spolli, Bellusci, Alvarez; Tachtsidis, Izco; Leto, Barrientos, Castro; Bergessio
Notes: From I have read, there is a doubt to Almiron and that could change the formation from 4231 to 433, but it looks to me to not really be that much of a difference. Barrientos and Bergessio are the real worries here for Inter. Almiron is their link between the recovery and the attack. I think that if he’s available he’s more a threat to make the big pass rather than the score.
The test for Inter is if they can contain the counter. I have no doubt that Catania will force the turnover in their own side of the field, attempt to make the long pass to the gap on the flank of the defense – bypassing Inter’s midfield, force Hugo or JJ outside to stretch that backline and then either shoot or cross for the tap in. The question is whether Inter have the team that can dictate action and protect itself at the same time. I have said before that a good player is one that can do 2 things well and an average one is only proficient at one. If this team can do two things well – bring the ball across midfield without the terror that is the counter attack hanging like The Sword of Damocles over their heads, then there is a chance at least of a point here. This will be the main thing that I look out for here.
Last season, those who haven’t blocked it out of their memory might remember
Prediction
I will be happy with a draw here. Inter won this game last season in a crazy game that saw The Black and Blue Guys down 2-0 after twenty-ish minutes. Palacio came on in the second half and this is what happened next:
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It wouldn’t surprise me at all if the team in blue and red also remember snatching defeat from the jaws of victory and walk out thinking that they will have something to prove. I foresee a tough match.