CL:Ajax vs Internazionale - TalkSoccer

**Jager** · 21-02-2006, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Mancini demands Dutch courage Tuesday 21 February, 2006

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Inter Coach Roberto Mancini is looking for some Dutch courage ahead of Wednesday night’s match against Ajax. “We must try to win the game,” he said.

Mancini is aiming to arrest a slide that has seen his side go from being unbeaten in 20 matches to procuring just one point from their last three games.

While a draw in Amsterdam would certainly be no disaster, Mancio is looking to get back to winning ways to give his side breathing space ahead of the second leg at the San Siro.

“The Ajax game is a very important match,” he said. “We must play an excellent away leg and try to win the game in order to be more relaxed ahead of the return.

“Then we will have to start winning again in the League and try to get as high a points total as possible in the last 12 matches.”

Inter’s recent slump effectively ended their title campaign but also saw them leapfrogged by rivals Milan, whose three wins in a row has taken them second.

The Nerazzurri’s next goal is to go the distance in the Champions League and reclaim second spot from Carlo Ancelotti’s men but, ahead of Wednesday evening’s challenge, they will be wary of the Dutch threat.

Ajax won 6-0 at the weekend with new signing Klaas Jan Huntelaar scoring four times for Danny Blind’s men.

http://www.channel4.com/sport/footba...ia/feb21b.html

Muscolino18 · 21-02-2006, 11:23 AM

Surely Inter are too strong? I'd be surprised if you conceded over the two legs, let alone lose one.

**Jager** · 21-02-2006, 11:40 AM

I'm not at all confident of winning in Amsterdam. Veron is injured, and this is extreme hostile territory.

Muscolino18 · 22-02-2006, 08:47 PM

Not good so far. 2 down in 20 minutes, but I hear you struck the frame of the goal on two occasions in that opening 45? Puzzling.

Muscolino18 · 22-02-2006, 09:42 PM

Pulled it back, ended with a better result than the impotent Juve. Well done.

interista luigi · 22-02-2006, 09:58 PM

Inter played their worst first half of the season. Ajax were hungry and chased every ball, Stankovic was a pile of shit in the center, no creativity, and and very soft defending

Figo, and cambiasso had bad first halves, but redeemed it in the 2nd. And pizzaro, the man of the match, as far as I am concerned, he organized the whole midfield, and used the entire pitch.
He deserves more playing time.

**Jager** · 22-02-2006, 11:17 PM

I think your much too hard on Deki. I knew that Ajax was going to score first, and I knew we would be under the gun. We regrouped, and took control of the game.

I thought our defending was autrocious at times. The great defensive football that we were playing earlier on, is gone now for some reason. However I never anticapated an easy match in Amsterdam. As the game went on, and it was 2-0, I thought to myself that we would most definitely score, due to the amount of room they gave us. Luckily for us, Ajax was worse than us at defending, and it boggled my mind that they would sit on a lead, considering even a 2-1 scoreline would benefit us.

Mancini regroups, gets rid of Cesar, and brings on Pizarro.

Figo and Pizarro and Deki played a great second half. If I had to blame some one, it would be Adriano, who played poorly. Mancini saw this, and made the right move

Going back to Milan, I think we have a slight advantage.

The tying goal was something of beauty. The Milanista that saw the game with me were in awe when they saw it. All Figo Baby!

High scoring away legs are never bad.

interista luigi · 22-02-2006, 11:23 PM

I am saying that stankovic doesn't have the feet to play in the middle. He is great in the last 3 quarters but, but we needed start from the back, Inter must have tried about 50 long balls. stankovic was great in the second half, He knows how to play the wings.

**Pennywise** · 22-02-2006, 11:38 PM

2-2 right?

That's a good result for Inter in Amsterdam. I'm willing to set money on that Inter will defeat Ajax at GM in Milano.

**Jager** · 22-02-2006, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by interista luigi

I am saying that stankovic doesn't have the feet to play in the middle. He is great in the last 3 quarters but, but we needed start from the back, Inter must have tried about 50 long balls. stankovic was great in the second half, He knows how to play the wings.

I sort of agree with you, but I can't find fault with him in this game, nor Mancini for doing it, because I would of done the same thing. I actually I stated that he would in other threads.

Pizarro was in the dog house for so long, and he seems to be playing well again. Maybe he needs the pressure on him?

When he was with Udinese, it was all him..same here?

Wow, tale of two teams today.

The thing that surprises me, is that Mancini is rewarding Toldo now, who playe an average game today. Not that I blame him for the goals.

Worst game by far this year by Cordoba, he seemed distracted with the dirty tactics of the Ajax team.

**Jager** · 22-02-2006, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pennywise

2-2 right?

That's a good result for Inter in Amsterdam. I'm willing to set money on that Inter will defeat Ajax at GM in Milano.

Correct. It didn't start off nice, actually it was a nightmare.

TheDevil · 23-02-2006, 12:27 AM

Nice finish for Inter, I thought for sure after 2-0 nothing, that it was going to get ugly for them, but they calmed down, and kept at it.

Ajax kept on playing that English style of attacking at full force during spurts, and it played into Inter's hands who had more left in the "tank" at the end.

Bravo.

interista luigi · 24-02-2006, 03:16 PM

Quote:

I sort of agree with you, but I can't find fault with him in this game, nor Mancini for doing it, because I would of done the same thing. I actually I stated that he would in other threads.

I have to admit, I also would have done the same thing, however Champions League is a bit different, Ajax played a stupid strategy by going full out in the first 45'. Unfortunately for them, matches are 90 minutes, and they fell into Inter's trap.

I'm more keen on stanko playing CM in serie a rather than CL.