Antonio Conte finds the winning formula with Inter

It may have taken Antonio Conte two seasons at Inter, but the veteran tactician appears to have found the winning formula in Milano. The Nerazzurri have been in emphatic form in recent months and have since run away as title favorites. With both Milan and Juventus struggling for form, Inter is now well on its way to its first Scudetto in 11 years – but how have they got here?

Initially, Inter sporting director Giuseppe Marotta backed his manager heavily in the transfer window. The likes of Nicolo Barella, Romelu Lukaku, and Achraf Hakimi were all brought in and remain crucial pieces to the puzzle. That being said, it still takes a manager to put it all together.

Conte has toiled with a number of different lineups and setups before finally establishing his winning formula. The veteran tactician has since gone with Stefan de Vrij, Alessandro Bastoni, and Milan Skriniar at the back, offering the side some much-needed stability. The trio possesses an interesting blend of experience and youth and are all capable of playing from out from the back.

Beyond its staunch backline, Inter boasts one of Italy’s best midfield units. Conte has a number of options on the bench including Stefano Sensi and Arturo Vidal but appears to have finally decided on his best lineup. The former Azzurri boss deploys Marcelo Brozovic from the deepest role and flanks him with Christian Eriksen and Nicolo Barella.

The former was almost on his way out in January but has since undergone a resurgence of sorts. Eriksen has played a crucial role for Inter in recent weeks, adding creativity between the lines. Brozovic is tasked with sitting back and dictating the tempo, while Barella is Inter’s all-action midfielder. The former Cagliari man is a constant menace in the final third and is always looking to combine dangerously with Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi.

Moving forward to the attack. Inter’s one-two punch of Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez is among the very best in football. The Belgian international has taken his game to another level under Conte and enters the final stretch of the season in sensational form. Martinez, on the other hand, is arguably playing the best football of his young career, stringing together a number of positive outings together since the turn of the new year. The duo possesses the necessary speed, power, and skill to unlock any defence and could very well prove to be the difference for Inter.

An article on Conte’s Inter would not be complete with a brief discussion on the wingbacks. Hakimi marauds the right flank at will, tormenting defenders, while Perisic’s improvement as a left wingback has been notable. Both wingbacks offer Inter the stability and creativity they need from the wide areas.

With Juventus in a transition season, the title is very much Inter’s for the taking. The Nerazzurri have been the best side in Italy this season and have shown no signs of slowing down. When Inter initially brought Conte in, the goal was to dethrone Juventus. With just 14 games left, the Italian tactician is set to deliver.

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Is Christian Eriksen the missing piece in Antonio Conte’s setup?

Christian Eriksen swapped London for Milan with high expectations surrounding him. After all, the Danish international arrived as one of football’s premiere attacking midfielders, with few players yielding as much influence over games as him. While his talent is undeniable, Eriksen has been an awkward fit in Antonio Conte’s system, with the former Spurs man struggling to carve out an important role for himself.

Eriksen has largely been reduced to a super-sub since making the switch, featuring sparingly from the start. A trequartista by nature, Conte’s system simply cannot accommodate the Danish international, leaving him on the outskirts of the first team. The Italian tactician has typically fielded a midfield trio of Nicolo Barella, Marcelo Brozovic, and Arturo Vidal, with Roberto Gagliardini coming off the bench. Their mix of grit, technique, and steel make for one of Italy’s best midfield units and have since developed great chemistry between them.

While altering his preferred setup for a more fluid 3-4-1-2 would, in theory, allow Eriksen to play in his best position behind the strikers, Conte has refused to budge, forcing the former Spurs man to adapt. When Eriksen has featured, it has usually been from a deeper role as the side’s regista. The Danish international makes the most of his impressive passing range to dictate tempo and feed Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez. It is not his best position, but Eriksen has made it work in recent weeks.

Beyond his passing range, Eriksen’s introduction into the fold offers Inter a bonafide threat from set-pieces. The Nerazzurri have lacked a threatening presence from dead-ball situations since Wesley Sneijder was still around. Eriksen’s free-kick prowess was most recently on display against Milan in the Coppa Italia quarterfinals. With the game tied at one, the Danish international stepped up and led the Italian giants to victory with an inch-perfect free-kick.

Inter will be hoping the goal represents a change in fortunes for Eriksen, as the second half of the season approaches. Conte rewarded him with a rare start in Inter’s win over Benevento on Saturday, deploying him as the side’s deepest midfielder. Eriksen thrived at the base of midfield against Pippo Inzaghi’s side, pulling all the right strings on Saturday. The former Spurs man will be looking to build some momentum heading into a crucial stretch and establish himself as a starter under Conte. Usurping Brozovic in the starting lineup will not be easy, but Eriksen has the talent to do so.

With over a week left in the winter transfer window, Eriksen’s future appears further and further away from Milan. Recent reports have suggested Paris Saint-Germain are interested in him, while his former side, Tottenham, have informed Inter of their interest in a potential return. For the time being, however, Eriksen will be focused on the task ahead and will be looking to lead Inter to its first Scudetto in 11 years. The Italian giants are within touching distance of first place and with Eriksen firing on all cylinders, they may just have what it takes to pip their fierce rivals to the ultimate prize.

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Inter knock Milan out of Coppa Italia and reduce gap at the top of Serie A to 2 points

Last weekend would have felt like an opportunity missed for Inter but they were back to good thoughts by midweek. In their latest league game Inter could only draw 0-0 away to Udinese. A point is good away from home but it would have felt like loss given that rivals Milan lost at home to Atalanta.

This past week presented a chance for Inter to join Milan on the same points, but it wasn’t to be. However Inter did close the gap to just 2 points to Milan and have applied a little more pressure on them. However Roma and Juventus also won at the weekend and the pressure is now on Inter themselves.

As for the Udinese game Inter were the best team and had more of the possession and some genuine chances on goal. They stayed well disciplined at the back and reduced Udinese to just 1 shot on target the whole game. Inter never seemed like they were going to lose this match, but they would have been frustrated at not scoring at least one goal.

Lautaro Martinez thought he had scored a goal for Inter after just six minutes of the game but VAR ruled it out for offside. Man of the moment Achraf Hakimi who for a defender has been superb in front of goal this season almost won the game for Inter with just a quarter of an hour left to play but his shot skimmed the post. It was one of those games that simply wasn’t to be for Inter. However they did avoid defeat and have now gone 3 games unbeaten.

Not beating Udinese though was overshadowed by Inter coach Antonio Conte being sent off just before the final whistle. Conte had a clash of words with the referee that reportedly continued after the game and in the tunnel where insults were heard. Whilst Conte could be looking at a two game suspension from the dug out the Italian FA may also look into what Fabio Maresca, the referee also said and he himself could be looking at a suspension.

Inter knock rivals Milan out of the Coppa Italia

Whatever the disappointment at the weekend it was made up in midweek in the Coppa Italia as the game of the round which had been hyped up for some time was won by Inter in the Milan derby.

What made the victory extra sweet for Inter was that they were losing the game 1-0 courtesy of a Zlatan Ibrahimovic opener. However with 20 minutes to go Inter were awarded a penalty and Romelu Lukaku converted it. But the game would end in dramatic style.

In the 97th minute, the game had to be extended because of injury breaks, who else but Christian Eriksen got the winner and sent Inter through to the next round. As everyone connected with Italian football knows Eriksen looked like a sure fire deal to be transferred out of the club this month as he didn’t seem to fit in Conte’s plans. But the coach had a change of heart just before Christmas and decided to keep Eriksen at the club, for this game at least that decision paid off richly.

Romelu v Zlatan

Romelu Lukaku and Milan’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic clashed on the pitch as the two brilliant strikers reached boiling point. It seemed that the two clashed on the pitch and Lukaku had reportedly ‘invited’ Ibrahimovic to meet him after the match. It sounded like fighting talk. Ibrahimovic is said to have replied ‘do your voodoo s***’.

Racial allegations were then thrown towards Ibrahimovic although it was quickly pointed out that the voodoo reference was  a joke from Lukaku’s days at his former club Everton.

Ibrahimovic has since apologised to Milan for the row with Lukaku which ended with the Swede sent off just before the hour mark. On reflection it seems that Ibrahimovic was not being racist but cheeky, oh these derbies always bring out passions, and this match was no different. Who can wait for the Milan derby in the league? That game is scheduled for February 21st.

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Three Serie A players who might be on the move this January

The ongoing pandemic has forced clubs to be creative on the transfer front in recent times, taking advantage of unique opportunities to get deals done. Serie A clubs have nonetheless been active, in hopes of bolstering their sides and dethroning Juventus for the first time in 10 seasons.

When the mercato reopens in January, expect many of Italy’s giants to be proactive, looking to put their respective sides over the edge. Here are three players who might be on the move come-January:

1) Rodrigo De Paul

The Udinese midfielder has regularly been linked with a move away and has since established himself as one of Italy’s elite two-way players. De Paul thrives on the outside of a midfield three but is equally capable of playing as the side’s trequartista and has even featured at the base of midfield. His versatility makes him an interesting fit for many of Serie A’s top sides, prompting interest from Inter and Juventus.

Leeds United was heavily linked with a move this past summer but was unable to agree to terms with Udinese. De Paul has hit the ground running once again this season, demonstrating he is more than ready to take the next step in his career. The Udinese man will undoubtedly be at the heart of many discussions this January, especially for sides looking to boost their midfield ranks.

2) Gianluca Scamacca (Genoa)

The Genoa hitman has taken Serie A by storm this season, bursting onto the scene as one of Italy’s most intriguing attacking talents. Scamacca has proven to be a willing runner up front, combining his athleticism and predatory instinct to be in the right place at the right time. Genoa’s relegation battle may mean they are reluctant to part ways with their striker, but Italy’s elite has come calling.

Milan is reportedly in talks with Sassuolo, his parent club, over a potential transfer, as they look to add some much-needed depth ahead of the final stretch. Scamacca may only have found the back of the net twice this season in seven appearances but could thrive with better service. Genoa currently boasts the worst attack in Serie A, netting a mere 12 goals on the season. Scamacca can benefit from a change of scenery and is a great fit with Milan’s ongoing youth movement.

At just 21 years old, the young striker has plenty of room for improvement and can learn a lot from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The big Swede’s continued injury problems is another reason Milan are interested in Scammaca, offering him a unique opportunity to jump from the relegation battle and into the Scudetto race.

3) Christian Eriksen (Inter) 

The Danish maestro has gotten off to a miserable start since joining Inter and has proven to be an awkward fit for Antonio Conte’s rigid 3-5-2 system. Eriksen’s struggles have meant he has largely featured from the bench, failing to make an impact with his limited minutes. Reduced to a mere super-sub, Eriksen has been a shade of his former self and has not been able to replicate his impressive exploits in the final third.

Many of Europe’s elite have reportedly been keeping tabs on Eriksen’s continued woes, in hopes of securing the former Spurs man in a low-cost operation. Arsenal is the most recent side to be linked with him and is in dire need of a creative outlet in the final third. Conte’s inability to integrate him into his side has essentially sealed his future, one that is far away from Inter.

As the mercato opens, expect a number of clubs to inquire about his availability. After all, Eriksen remains an elite player. The Danish international simply was not a good fit for Inter and will surely reach his former heights at a club that suits his skills better.

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Christian Eriksen looks set to leave Inter as Coronavirus affects 9th player at the club

The move to Inter and to play in Serie A was supposed to be Christian Eriksen’s dream move as his time at Tottenham came to an end and he pushed for this transfer to happen. However just a year on and it seems that dream has turned into a nightmare for the midfielder.

At first it was just initial rumours but quite a few figure heads at the club and people associated with Inter have come out and spoke about it. Coach Antonio Conte said “Players must be functional to an idea and a project in order to be competitive at national and international level. The modern footballer must be fast, strong, resistant. I take the technique for granted if you join a club like Inter.” His comments seemed like a dig at the former Premier League player, that he simply has not been able to fit into Inter’s system.

Former Inter owner Massimo Moratti has also commented on Eriksen’s situation, “Eriksen is a nice footballer but we have to see if he is able to adapt to Italian football, this is a patient world but to a certain extent, and if he were to continue at this pace I imagine that Inter could think of selling him,” said Moratti.

With there being no sign of Antonio Conte leaving his position and with Inter doing fairly well under his leadership, Eriksen’s future at Inter looks bleak and he will probably be heading for a January exit.

Coronavirus and Inter creates a headache for club selections

Aleksandar Kolarov has become the 9th player for Inter to pick up the Coronavirus. Kolarov has been added to the likes of Milan Skriniar, Roberto Gagliardini, Ashley Young, Radja Nainggolan and Alessandro Bastoni. In an ever growing problem for the club.

The Coronavirus whilst still affecting a small portion of Europe compared to the population is really hitting sports hard and especially football. One will have to understand why this is happening so frequently. The answer could well be in all the travelling that football players need to do, and let’s face it social distancing is almost going to be impossible for a football player. Hopefully the new vaccines that could be released into the public from 2021 will be able to curb this dreadful virus.

Looking ahead to Torino

Inter’s 8th game of the season will be at home to Torino this Saturday. Inter come into the game undefeated in their last 3, although they have drawn their last two games. Home form will need to improve though where the club would actually be in 14th place based on home form alone. So far Inter has recorded just one win at home which was back in September when they beat Fiorentina in a seven goal thriller eventually winning 4-3.

Inter’s best performing player so far

The best performing Inter player in the fantasy football rankings is Romelu Lukaku who has 19 points. The striker has scored 5 goals so far this season and his value is 10.5m.

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How Inter could line up with new summer signings

Internazionale have been busy again this summer, with Arturo Vidal’s arrival from Barcelona on Sunday being the sixth new face to arrive at the San Siro this summer.

The Italian giants also have a number of players back from loan spells last season, including Ivan Perisic, Joao Mario, Valentino Lazaro and Radja Nainggolan, though whether they will be moved on permanent before the close of the transfer window remains to be seen.

Mauro Icardi’s sale to Paris Saint-Germain has given Antonio Conte increased transfer budget to build a side capable of challenging for the Serie A title this season.

€40 million has been spent on Achraf Hakimi from Real Madrid. The pacey right-back has impressed on loan at Borussia Dortmund over the past two seasons that it was a surprise the Spanish giants moved him on.

Alexis Sanchez spent last season on loan from Manchester United before making his move permanent in August at the start of August.

Midfielders Nicolo Barella and Stefano Sensi have joined from Cagliari and Sassuolo off the back of good campaigns in 2019-20. Inter then signed experienced left-back Aleksandar Kolarov from AS Roma.

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Serie A Fantasy Preview – Round 36 – Early Games

MILAN-ATALANTA

Milan: the Rossoneri came out on top again versus Sassuolo, exploiting the one-man advantage like the veteran team they are. Zlatan Ibrahimovic netted a brace to snap out of a short slump and Hakan Calhanoglu continued to do his thing with two more assists. The Turk has been raining hellfire for a while now, while Ante Rebic’s scoring binge has abated a little bit, but he obviously remains a strong option. They will not have two key men in Ismael Bennacer and Theo Hernandez and their replacements are not on the fantasy radar. Alexis Saelemaekers and Franck Kessie also found the target recently, but in easier match-ups. Giacomo Bonaventura has picked up few bonuses but he is a risky play because of his sporadic minutes.

Suggested picks: Calhanoglu, Ibrahimovic, Rebic. Continue reading

Serie A Fantasy Preview – Round 30

JUVENTUS-TORINO

Juventus: the Bianconeri are thriving offensively thanks to the great form of both Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala, who scored in three consecutive matches. Douglas Costa contributed off the bench versus Genoa and he can be a factor even if he rarely plays full matches because of his injury history. Juan Cuadrado picked up an assist in the past match and he has been effective despite the more defensive role. Rodrigo Bentancur is in outstanding form but is not very prone to picking up bonuses. Their run of clean sheets was interrupted by a consolation goal, but they will be facing a sputtering attack in this one. Continue reading

Serie A Best Fantasy XI – Round 29

Juan Musso (7 points): only three teams managed to keep a clean sheet in another goal-filled round and the Udinese goalie did against the opponents with the higher profile, accompanying it with few decent saves.

Danilo D’Ambrosio (9 points): the veteran defender benefitted from some heavy rotation to get in the XI and, as he has often done in the past couple of seasons, managed to shake free in the box and knock one on goal with a header. Continue reading

Serie A Fantay Preview – Round 29

TORINO-LAZIO

Torino: the Granata had a nice reaction after falling in an early hole versus Cagliari, but an untimely penalty did them in. Andrea Belotti has found the target for two straight matches and has been excellent missed penalty aside. Simone Zaza is unlikely to be present, but Simone Verdi and especially Cristian Ansaldi, two of their most talented players, saw minutes in the past match and could be ready to start, unlocking few options up front, first of all the advancement of Alex Berenguer. Ansaldi had a positive impact after he subbed on, Verdi might need more time and had been struggling prior to the lockdown. Continue reading