There’s something about watching your team during a decisive game. So much pressure and anticipation for just 90 minutes of your life, that by the time the game starts you just want it to be over to know the result. Simple defence mechanism in case of defeat, “I knew it, not worth watching”, the process becomes incredibly more enjoyable with victory.
The images come on. Straight away we see Mourinho hanging out in the entrance corridor during warm up shaking hands and joking around with his former players. Today’s special from the Portuguese coach is an Inter side with three attackers. Ancelotti plays it classical with Alex and Zhirkov in defense. Both teams in 4-3-3.
Inter: Julio Cesar – Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Zanetti – Cambiasso, Thiago Motta, Snejder – Eto’o, Milito, Pandev
Chelsea: Turnbull – Ivanovic, Terry, Alex, Zhirkov (Jerkoff?) – Lampard, Ballack, Obi Mikel – Anelka, Drogba, Malouda.
Inter: Julio Cesar – Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Zanetti – Cambiasso, Thiago Motta, Snejder – Eto’o, Milito, Pandev
Chelsea: Turnbull – Ivanovic, Terry, Alex, Zhirkov (Jerkoff?) – Lampard, Ballack, Obi Mikel – Anelka, Drogba, Malouda.
With only Obi Mikel younger than 25 (thank you commentators) the game between “men” starts like it will end: rough. Tackles, shoves, high-feet and shirt pulling rule the first minutes. Obviously, Chelsea look for the goal within the first ten minutes with Malouda running into Lucio inside the box (7’) and Ballack trying his luck for twenty meters, wide (10’). Pandev and Eto’o work hard towards the middle to help Milito, Cambiasso intercepts, Lucio and Drogba deliver an excellent fight for every ball and Stamford Bridge claps for Terry no matter what he does. In this hypertension game every excuse is good to throw the ball forward for a chance, add the numerous fouls and you have a series of semi opportunities on free kicks. On the Chelsea side, Drogba sends one in the wall and Alex, trying to repeat his Liverpool goal last year, another in the stands. On the Inter side, where Snejder is the designated shooter, Milito misses the header by an inch or so, twice. Zanetti steps up to Anelka. Chelsea are playing very densely along the axis, where only Malouda is able to bring the necessary width to panic the Italian defence, especially by obtaining corners, incessantly pushed away by Lucio and Samuel. Things get serious. Drogba finds the half-volley on the D, straight towards the goal, only to see Maicon come back with a Kamikaze block (26’). On the other side, Maicon (he’s everywhere) sends in a cross right over Alex for Eto’o who, probably thinking the Blues’ defender would have gotten it, smashes the ball too much three meters away from Turnbull (33’). By the fortieth minute, Chelsea is applying a deadly pressure and the commentator won’t shut about Eto’o’s missed opportunity (common man, there are many other English teams in the UCL you can be unbelievably biased for, take a rest). Indiviually, Malouda tries his luck with a shot but is blocked by yet another Inter defender, this time Samuel. At the 42’, Lampard decides to make his first (and only?) good pass of the game, finds Anelka rushing towards the goal, the first save is from Julio Cesar in his feet, the second is from Motta who kicks the deflected shot out of bounds. The first half ends with (you guessed it) Samuel blocking Lampard’s shot. Half time is a relief for the Nerazzuri (and me) who were on the brink of giving in.
At half time, images of a surprisingly calm and discrete Mourinho run over and over. What has he got in mind? And what did Eto’o miss?
The half-time instructions from Ancelotti must have been clear: just give the ball to Malouda. Again, the first ten minutes are in Chelsea’s hand with the Frenchman as the orchestrator. Drogba nutmegs Samuel, then sends a free kick straigt to Julio Cesar. The two ex-Guingamp players (how did you think they know how to play together so well) cause Motta and Lucio to receive yellow cards. Ancelotti’s men produce good football with mobility and intentions but hit Inter’s defence like a brick wall every time, due in great part to an impressive midfield pressure. Frustrating. Double-D and Malouda both get yet yellow cards in return. To Eto’o’s shot blocked by Zhirkov at the last of the last seconds, Malouda forces a save from Julio Cesar (52’). Inter remain an impenetrable block and count on Snejder to launch the counter attacks successively, which he almost does with a nice back heel pass to Pandev who after a good run, shoots only to see Zhirkov block it. By the 61’, Chelsea have obtained their seventh unfruitful corner kick. While the Blues struggle to reach the box, with J.Cole in for a transparent Ballack, and align corner kicks, Inter help themselves to chances. First Milito misses his one-on-one duel with Turnbull (65’), then, Motta jumps higher than everyone on a free kick to send the header over the Blues’ goal (70’). “Let’s just hope we won’t regret these missed opportunities…” I think to myself. By the 73’, Ancelotti switches to three defenders by sending Kalou in for Zhirkov, and the impact is immediate. Panic in the Italian defence, Lucio clears in front of Anelka’s armed right foot. Mourinho introduces Stankovic for Pandev, and the game settles in Inter’s half, although never too close to the box. The fort is still standing… and stings too. Ten minutes from the end, Snejder distributes his typical crossed deep ball over the back four, Eto’o overtakes Ivanovic, faces Turnbull, shoots brutally, goal! 0-1, 79’. The wait was worth it. Chelsea is astounded, can’t align passes anymore. The last ten minutes can be resumed to this: Eto’o nutmegs J.Cole, Drogba gets a red card (issues anyone?), Julio Cesar gets a yellow card and Lampard’s second shot of the game is blocked by Motta, all of this whithin a Stamford Bridge so quiet that you can hear the Inter fans going “Ole” every time their team passes. Three whistles, Mourinho is nowhere to be found, of course. Inter is through to the quarter finals for the first time in 5 years. Then again, if Mourinho couldn’t have done so, then who?
Inter – 8: Inter might not be the most Italian team of the Serie A, yet the sole representative of the Italian league won tonight in the most Italian of manners: extremely solid defending, midfield pressure and fatal counter attacks. Forza Inter.
Julio Cesar – 6.5: Two precious saves against Malouda and Anelka, will thank his defence for a great performance that left him quiet tonight.
Maicon – 7: Resisted Malouda at his best in defence, brought the danger in the Chelsea box a couple of times, but mostly, blocked innumerable amounts of shots.
Lucio – 8: Winner of his duel with Drogba, Lucio is just the best at his role today, too bad he won’t be during the first leg of the quarter finals, he is disqualified.
Samuel – 7: A lot of fouls and headers for the Argentine whose experience helped a lot. Heroic and ominous.
Zanetti – 7: Zanetti was confronted to Anelka, a player who is everything he is not, and came out on top with another charismatic performance full of intelligence and patience.
Motta – 6: Thiago Motta had to do the dirty work, did not loose his cool where many others would have. Also very good actor.
Cambiasso – 7: Extremely efficient in muzzling Lampard and keeping possession, Cambiasso delivered another great performance tonight, which he does all the time “btw”…
Snejder – 7: The only thing I wonder is if Perez finally regrets this guy? (and Robben too?)
Pandev – 6: Heavy worker, his power gave him the possibility to keep the ball, against Ballack especially. Didn’t get to shoot tonight, and it’s too, bad his left foot is terrific.
Milito – 6: Countless generous runs, unlucky to find himself on his left foot in front of Turnbull, his association to Snejder could work miracles.
Eto’o – 7: Samuel reveals himself Chelsea’s executioner once again. Not only did he score, also participated well in the gameplan. And if Eto’o isn’t to score in these kinds of games, then who is? .Stankovic – 10: Inter is stuck on the 0-0, Dejan comes in, four minutes later Inter score. Coincidence? (Don’t mind: he’s my favourite player.)
.Mariga, Materazzi: N/A.
Julio Cesar – 6.5: Two precious saves against Malouda and Anelka, will thank his defence for a great performance that left him quiet tonight.
Maicon – 7: Resisted Malouda at his best in defence, brought the danger in the Chelsea box a couple of times, but mostly, blocked innumerable amounts of shots.
Lucio – 8: Winner of his duel with Drogba, Lucio is just the best at his role today, too bad he won’t be during the first leg of the quarter finals, he is disqualified.
Samuel – 7: A lot of fouls and headers for the Argentine whose experience helped a lot. Heroic and ominous.
Zanetti – 7: Zanetti was confronted to Anelka, a player who is everything he is not, and came out on top with another charismatic performance full of intelligence and patience.
Motta – 6: Thiago Motta had to do the dirty work, did not loose his cool where many others would have. Also very good actor.
Cambiasso – 7: Extremely efficient in muzzling Lampard and keeping possession, Cambiasso delivered another great performance tonight, which he does all the time “btw”…
Snejder – 7: The only thing I wonder is if Perez finally regrets this guy? (and Robben too?)
Pandev – 6: Heavy worker, his power gave him the possibility to keep the ball, against Ballack especially. Didn’t get to shoot tonight, and it’s too, bad his left foot is terrific.
Milito – 6: Countless generous runs, unlucky to find himself on his left foot in front of Turnbull, his association to Snejder could work miracles.
Eto’o – 7: Samuel reveals himself Chelsea’s executioner once again. Not only did he score, also participated well in the gameplan. And if Eto’o isn’t to score in these kinds of games, then who is? .Stankovic – 10: Inter is stuck on the 0-0, Dejan comes in, four minutes later Inter score. Coincidence? (Don’t mind: he’s my favourite player.)
.Mariga, Materazzi: N/A.
Chelsea – 5: It could have been their night, was there not an impressive Inter side. With UCL out of their way, Ancelotti and Abramovich can console themselves with the EPL, maybe.
Turnbull – 4: The only save he had to make, he didn’t.
Ivanovic – 5: Obeyed well during a relatively calm first half, smoked by Eto’o during the second.
Alex – 5: Author of great blocks on the Inter shots, solid against Milito.
Terry – 5: Keep clapping for John if you want to, he’s out of the UCL anyways.
Zhirkov – 4: Not a natural left back, the Russian was guilty of letting Maicon slip by regularly.
Ballack – 4: Awful performance, just awful.
Obi Mikel – 5: Alternative performance for the youngest tonight, usually late on Snejder.
Lampard – 4: Uneventful, couldn’t get five meters to himself tonight. Lampard didn’t impress his favourite coach tonight, but it doesn’t really matter, he will play again this weekend.
Anelka – 5: The Puma helped the midfield a lot tonight, who, in return, didn’t support him at all. Malouda – 6.5: the best of Ancelotti’s team, his collaboration with Drogba is crucial. Another great problem for Domenech.
Drogba – 5: Against a defence like Inter’s tonight, nothing less than top form will get you through, and Drogba wasn’t in a good night. Sent off (fair? unfair?), we didn’t get to see the “Fucking disgrace” show we saw last time. One step at a time.
.J.Cole, Kalou – n/a: If DD couldn’t get through the defence, what was their use?
TFO
Turnbull – 4: The only save he had to make, he didn’t.
Ivanovic – 5: Obeyed well during a relatively calm first half, smoked by Eto’o during the second.
Alex – 5: Author of great blocks on the Inter shots, solid against Milito.
Terry – 5: Keep clapping for John if you want to, he’s out of the UCL anyways.
Zhirkov – 4: Not a natural left back, the Russian was guilty of letting Maicon slip by regularly.
Ballack – 4: Awful performance, just awful.
Obi Mikel – 5: Alternative performance for the youngest tonight, usually late on Snejder.
Lampard – 4: Uneventful, couldn’t get five meters to himself tonight. Lampard didn’t impress his favourite coach tonight, but it doesn’t really matter, he will play again this weekend.
Anelka – 5: The Puma helped the midfield a lot tonight, who, in return, didn’t support him at all. Malouda – 6.5: the best of Ancelotti’s team, his collaboration with Drogba is crucial. Another great problem for Domenech.
Drogba – 5: Against a defence like Inter’s tonight, nothing less than top form will get you through, and Drogba wasn’t in a good night. Sent off (fair? unfair?), we didn’t get to see the “Fucking disgrace” show we saw last time. One step at a time.
.J.Cole, Kalou – n/a: If DD couldn’t get through the defence, what was their use?
TFO
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