For quite a few years now Inter has held Serie A in a terror regime. Some might call it well deserved after the midtable mediocrity that was the 1990′s and I’m not here to argue that it is not. I am here to cast some light on the defensive line which is once again trying to secure their club the treble. There are some newcomers and some old-timers and I’ll take them one by one – let’s go.
Andrea Ranocchia
I’ll start with a newcomer and most likely the most talented of them. There is no doubt that Ranocchia was just the kind of purchase that Inter needed to pave the way for a future equally as bright as their recent past. He reminds me somewhat of a young Martin Laursen of Hellas Verona, Milan, and Aston Villa fame. Tall, fast, and very good in the air, but also with obvious lack of skills when it comes to offensive plays and fast circulation of the ball. He seems insecure at times and no one can blame him for that. When he learn his trade on the absolute top level more in depth, and work a bit in the gym, he’ll be a cornerstone in the middle (!) of the Inter defense for years to come.
Ivan Cordoba
Apart from the pace he’s Ranocchia opposite with his small and gritty figure. While the young Italian is on the rise however Cordoba is not. We saw in the Derby d’Italia how his positioning or lack thereof gave Juve two or three huge chances and a goal. That is not what you expect from an experienced player with years and years under his Serie A belt. Cordoba is an Inter stalwart and we all respect him for that, but this summer it’s time for Inter to let him go and invest anew.
Christian Chivu
The former Roma defender has played an important part in Inter’s recent success. He is quite injury prone however and I wonder how the hat is influencing his play. Chivu is only 30 years old and might have a couple of good years left in him, or ten if he was Paolo Maldini, but there are some issues he will need to address. It’s for instance obvious that Inter is an unbalanced team when he is on the left back and Maicon on the right, since the Romanian’s attacking skills are lacking severely compared to the Brazilian’s. In the modern game you need backs that can and will storm the flanks and deliver good crosses at least a couple of times during a game – Chivu struggles to do that. If he stays at Inter I see him more as an alternative in the central defence than a first choice left back.
Lucio
Lucio is despite his age strong, fast, and eager. While I’m not a fan of his 100% Jesus antics, I can’t help admire him on the pitch. He’s very minded for attack and he has this never say die attitude which is so important for pushing tight games in your direction. I see at least a couple of good seasons in his Inter future, if he wants to stay in Italy. I also see him as the perfect partner and teacher for Ranocchia.
Douglas Maicon
It is generally accepted that Maicon is one of the best full backs in the world. The long season last year that saw Inter win three tournaments paired with a world cup has seen him tire a bit and injury (and Rafa Benitez) has also set him back. For opponents that don’t keep the width on the field he’s extremely dangerous in attack and he’s always getting back home fast and willingly. He has winning mentality and unless he wants to try out teams like Real Madrid or Man. U. I see him as a cornerstone (actually in the corner) of the Inter defence for at least two or three seasons to come.
Marco Materazzi
I’m an ambivalent fan of Matrix. I love his crazy side, albeit not his insane leg breaking tackles, which make him much more interesting that most other players and I also respect his acceptance of a role as substitute be it in the Nazionale or the Internazionale. He was a very unlikely hero of the 2006 world cup and I loved every second of it. The problem however is that right now he’s nowhere nearly good enough for the Inter team. Matrix has to go and Inter have to invest in youth or give a player like Felice Natalino more chances.
Walter Samuel
The Argentinian has done well at Inter despite having huge troubles with injuries. Nicknamed “The Wall” he was pivotal part of Inter’s treble last season. He is however about to turn 33 and while that kind of age is not always a problem for defenders Inter will have to look for younger replacements sooner rather than later. I see Samuel taking one more season in Milano acting as a part of a rotating central defence with Lucio and Ranocchia.
Yuto Nagatomo
I was a bit confused when people all over were hailing the loan of the Japanese as a transfer master piece. It might be down to my ignorance but sixteen games for a very mediocre Cesena outfit didn’t rock my world. I don’t know him that well and I’ve only seen him play for Inter once. He is however fast and attack minded and thus offering a good alternative to Chivu on the left back. I doubt that he will be able to offer the same quality as Maicon on the other flank – but I’ve been proven wrong before (alas all too often…).
All in all it must be said that Inter has an age issue in defence. Andrea Ranocchia is the future but almost every other spot in the defence will have to be chanced over the next seasons. They are in for task on Inter’s board.
Thank you for reading. Any comments?
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5 comments
1 ping
Adam Digby says:
February 24, 2011 at 9:15 am (UTC 1)
Really good look at a problem area this season for the Nerazzurri who were almost perfect under Mourinho, too high under Benitez & now just seem ill-fitting. The Martin Laursen at Hellas-Ranocchia analogy is perfect, a tip of the hat to you there.
Nagatomo is a very good full back who can play either flank & I think he will prove an excellent signing.
Following our conversation yesterday it’s strange how this Inter is almost the opposite of Napoli’s own defence – quality players but a struggling unit while No-names in Naples are forming a perfectly in-sync group
TT says:
February 25, 2011 at 11:22 pm (UTC 1)
I was always a fan of Laursen. He was a very honest player and despite his technical problems a very solid defender. Denmark seems to be good at develping that kind of player. Our central defence has for years been the best part of our national side.
Laursen however had a bad time in Milan, where he was apparently bullied by some of his team mates. I think he also missed his mentor Luigi Apolloni with whom he had a good partnership in Verona. The Lucio to his Ranocchia so to speak.
Martha says:
February 25, 2011 at 9:01 pm (UTC 1)
Thanks for the overview, I agree with most of it. Do think you’re overlooking Nagatomo’s very good World Cup, though, as well as his excellence at the recent Asian Cup — it’s not as if people are excited about his arrival based only on a half-season at Cesena!
I also have to strongly disagree with the strangely widespread belief that Benitez was responsible for Maicon’s awful first half. Apart from simply being there, its hard for me to figure what Benitez could have done to cause Maicon to play lazy, careless, and disinterested football? As far as I’m concerned, it was plain as day that Maicon was pouting about not being allowed to go to Real, and then pouting about having a coach he didn’t like — he was being a baby, and dogging it until Rafa left. As an Inter supporter, I found the behavior utterly repellent, and find it hard to imagine being able able to forgive him for it.
TT says:
February 25, 2011 at 11:15 pm (UTC 1)
Thanks for the comment. I must admit that I couldn’t remember Nagatomo from the world cup. Maybe it’s just a question of denial after Denmark’s 1-3 loss against Japan.
Regarding Maicon you’re right that Benitez wasn’t solely to blame – Maicon’s poor form was a result of many factors both physical and mental. Benitez didn’t do his job too well, but it was in all fairness a hard job to begin with.
Pete says:
February 26, 2011 at 5:13 pm (UTC 1)
I can’t help but pile on the praise for Ranocchia. The young man is also blessed with technical instinct and seems to disrupt opponents attacking ball movements more and more. Something Lucio is very gifted at. Samuel, to me, seems like the perfect pairing with some one as fast and instinctive as Andrea is. In Bari last season, Bonucci played the steady rock to Rannochia’s instinctive defense.
Rannochia seems a shoe in for Azzurri’s main central defender in the coming years.
Don’t know what happened to Chivu. In Roma, I liked how he played, especially with the ball at his feet for a central defender. Thought he could be more useful in the attack as a left back than he is now. Perhaps age and injuries have quickly caught up to him?
Davide Santon will be on his way back to Inter at the summer. What role do you think he would have or would they loan him out again? I still believe that Davide Santon in Italy’s best Under 21 back however it’s becoming apparent that he needs a close eyed micromanager around him as he seems to be more content in his lifestyle than development.
Love the write up on the Matrix. I am of the same opinion. However I think the Matrix has lost his nasty edge. I was very disappointed that in that (near) 50-50 with Ibra, he didn’t destroy Ibra, or at least attempt to. Not that I dislike Ibra, I just love to see the violent disaster that was the old Matrix.
Good job TT. Cheers.
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