When Inter had Ibrahimovic, back at his deadliest, it was believed that was enough to win it all. But the problem with having Ibrahimovic in any team, is how they have to be built around him. Dude has earned the right for teams to do that, but it was actually to a detriment to Inter. They easily won the Serie A that had been ripped open by the calciopoli scandal, but they just were never able to get it done in the Champions League.
Then came that trade. Everyone thought Barcelona would RIDE with Ibrahimovic being a striker in an already successful team. And it seemed "logical" for Inter to wane, missing out on their striker who scored with his eyes closed and hand up his backside....at will. But I kept on thinking....WHY SELL ETO'O, PEP?!!! AT THAT TIME?!!!!
Ibrahimovic flopped at Barcelona. He scored, and was not a disaster, but he just didn't fit into the tic-tac-toe system that Eto'o understood better. Back in Italy, Eto'o was pushed out on the wing by my boy, he didn't like it, but he was EFFECTIVE. With Milito in the lunchbox, Eto'o on the wing and Sneijder feeding the kids, Inter supplied the g's. But it didn't stop there.
Cambiasso and Stankovic were the grinders that allowed Sneijder to stay attacking. These guys hustled and worked hard to dominate midfield, and keep the machine functioning. It was Cambiasso especially who played the defensive-midfield role like a trooper, and HAD to have gone to the World Cup. Blame Dona....
BUT THE BLOODY GREAT WALL OF MILAN WAS BEAUTY, UTTER AMAZEMENT. Lucio and Samuel for me, have to be among the greatest defensive partnership in history. YOU DID NOT SCORE. Normally we look at the attackers, and defenders don't get their time in the sun. If ever there was an award for a defensive partnership, Samuel and Lucio had to get it.
Put in Julio Cesar, Nagatomo and Maicon, you had the perfect team that defended like freaks, and could attack you from the middle, in the box or from the wing. Perfection....or close to it. Mourinho may have his closest affinity with Chelsea, but it was Inter Milan that was HIS elite team. Everything that Mourinho wants in his team and how they should play was done EXACTLY by Inter...THAT Inter.
How long could they have dominated for? I think they could have won the Champions League the following year. You had players in their prime, and a unit that understood one another. Barcelona, considered one of the great club sides, just would not have had anymore answers for that setup. Inter Milan could have created more history if Jose gave maybe another three or four more years.
http://www.havehopefootballhut.com/the-hut-forum.html
HH
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