Inter Milan (A) Champions league Tuesday 9th Dec 20:00

[Doc_Piptorious]

Decent performance overall from us but:

1 Inter were poor and didn't try to take advantage of our weaknesses. (Our formation helped but Englush teams know they need to play on Konate, look for second balls at corners, and get in behind our midfield). I was amazed that they did noy seem able to increase the intensity when they fell behind;

2 it was worrying how far Inter's players were able to run with the ball down the xentre of the pitch in the first half particularly. Maybe this is the point that Slit was making about our press being too deep in the first half; and

3 Isak looked completely out of his depth. He worked hard defensively but nothing ever stuck to him. The contrast with Ekitike and Wirtz was striking.

You can't do any better than win, but I think although there are some greenshoots of a recovery there remains a ling way to go.

Don't think Inter were poor at all. We just happened to play well enough at times to put them under pressure and when Inter did have spells to show their own quality and put us under pressure, we kept our shape defensively and fought hard.

As for the second point about how far Inter could run with the ball, that is pretty much what they do best as a team when they get on top during a game. They have a load of players that can either carry the ball and that are hard to knock off it it or that can pick the sort of passes that go just ahead of runners and as such that runner then hits space like a train.



Agree about Isak's performance last night. He tried his best but nothing worked for him. Is a shame Chiesa was not able to play and that Wirtz was deemed not ready to start as either of those two guys would have been a much better foil for Ekitike imo.

Do think that one of Wirtz or Chiesa would make for a good foil for Isak too.

[peterbread]

Wirtz was good last night after he came on. He was not going any flashy stuff but play knitted together very well any time he was involved as he can be given the ball in very tight spaces and he will get it to a team mate more often than not after. His ability to do that also prevented some of the getting the ball in an advanced position then passing it 30 yards backwards stuff that we can be prone to doing.

I mentioned this for both Leeds and West Ham games. When he went off the team didn’t control the game as well. He lets them not only keep the ball higher up the pitch but he links the midfield and attack which allows the team to get up the pitch easier, less sideways slow passing. He links well with Gravenberch, Jones and Mac Allister and plays some lovely one touch football to get the team moving forwards.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I mentioned this for both Leeds and West Ham games. When he went off the team didn’t control the game as well. He lets them not only keep the ball higher up the pitch but he links the midfield and attack which allows the team to get up the pitch easier, less sideways slow passing. He links well with Gravenberch, Jones and Mac Allister and plays some lovely one touch football to get the team moving forwards.

Spot on.

[Harv]

Wirtz was good last night after he came on. He was not going any flashy stuff but play knitted together very well any time he was involved as he can be given the ball in very tight spaces and he will get it to a team mate more often than not after. His ability to do that also prevented some of the getting the ball in an advanced position then passing it 30 yards backwards stuff that we can be prone to doing.

Wirtz was excellent when he came on.

But as we know, all people look at these days are goals and assists, so he's therefore **** and a waste of money

[Buzzo]

I think Wirtz was good also. And have consistently said so. He is constantly passing progressively. What is exciting looking forward is he has probably still got another couple of gears to go through.

[Sus]

I mentioned this for both Leeds and West Ham games. When he went off the team didn’t control the game as well. He lets them not only keep the ball higher up the pitch but he links the midfield and attack which allows the team to get up the pitch easier, less sideways slow passing. He links well with Gravenberch, Jones and Mac Allister and plays some lovely one touch football to get the team moving forwards.

Oi ! You just copied what I said