Juventus 1-0 Inter: Leonardo unable to respond to Delneri’s narrow formation
The starting line-ups
Alessandro Matri scored the biggest goal of his career to guide Juventus to victory in the Derby d’Italia.
Gigi Delneri reverted to 4-4-2 after last week’s experiment with 4-1-4-1. Luca Toni was recalled upfront, with Jorge Martinez dropping out.
Leonardo named an unchanged 4-3-1-2 side from the XI that demolished Roma the previous weekend.
The main feature of the game was Inter failing to break down the Juventus defence – it wasn’t quite giving Inter a taste of their own medicine, but Leonardo’s side had the vast majority of possession, and dominated territory too.
Sneijder shut down
Delneri clearly saw the rejuvenated Wesley Sneijder as Inter’s main threat, and despite the Dutchman having a good opening to the game, Felipe Melo marked him out of the game pretty well throughout – ironic, after the hero/villain situation after last summer’s World Cup quarter-final.
Aside from that, Juventus’ main gameplan was to keep their whole unit, very, very narrow, preventing Inter from playing through them. This was helped by the use of two centre-backs (Frederik Sorensen and Giorgio Chiellini) in the full-back positions, meaning the four at the back naturally gravitated to the centre of the pitch.
Further forward
In addition, the situation in midfield worked quite well – Inter’s more creative side of the pitch, Maicon and Houssine Kharja, were up against Claudio Marchisio, who is decent defensively, whilst the less threatening duo of Esteban Cambiasso and Javier Zanetti were the responsibility of Milos Krasic, who is more slack defensively. Juve’s wide midfielders picked up Inter’s side midfielders, and let the Inter full-backs have time on the ball.
Samuel Eto’o versus Sorensen was billed as Juve’s biggest worry before the match, but the young Dane rarely got beaten in 1 v 1 battles, and defended excellently by standing up to Eto’o, not diving in, and guiding him into the congested centre of the pitch. He was Juve’s best defender. Andrea Barzagli was always on hand to step out from centre-back and close down either Sneijder or Eto’o, both of whom started to the left of the pitch, if Melo or Sorensen were beaten.
Matri strikers
With the midfield battle relatively uneventful, the action at the other end of the pitch consisted of a physical battle – Toni and Matri against Andrea Ranocchia and Ivan Cordoba. Toni caused a nuisance, as always, but it was Matri who headed in the opener, after a mistake at the near post from Cordoba. Cambiasso and Zanetti were keen to double up against Krasic, which left Sorensen free to swing in an excellent cross to the near post.
After the goal, Juve became increasingly defensive. Matri moved over to the left side without the ball, which prevented Maicon from having too much of an impact on the game, whilst Alberto Aquilani was more frequently found intercepting balls ahead of his back four, rather than spraying passes to the flanks.
Second half
Just after half-time, Matri almost added a second in a extremely similar incident to the first goal, which prompts serious questions about Inter’s new centre-back partnership.
Leonardo realised he needed more width, and took off Kharja to introduce Goran Pandev on the right, as Inter switched to a 4-2-3-1. Whilst Pandev and Eto’o played wider, Inter still lacked a true winger – someone who could go down the line and put crosses into the box. Pandev and Eto’o wanted time on the ball and to come into the centre of the pitch, and Juve shut them out well, minimising the space between the lines and dropping increasingly deep.
Final minutes
Delneri looked to have made a huge mistake when he made all three substitutions despite Matri struggling with a rib injury, and Juve effectively played the final minutes of the game with ten men – Matri could hardly run, although he battled on manfully.
The introduction of Simone Pepe saw Juve go to what looked like a back five as he dropped to left-back and allowed Chiellini narrower, but it was down that side that Inter created their best opportunity. Pepe inexplicably tried to dribble past Maicon in his own third of the pitch – Maicon robbed him and put a great ball across the six yard box for Eto’o, who missed an open goal.
That chance showed us two things – first, that Inter needed width and crosses to get in behind Juve, and second, that Juve’s organisation was so good that it was only an individual mistake that gave Inter a clear chance.
Conclusion
The ‘defend deep and narrow’ approach is generally very successful against sides like Arsenal and Barcelona, who want to play quick, short passes through the opposition, and are more reluctant to get wide and cross the ball. Inter would probably not be put in the same bracket as Arsenal and Barcelona in terms of their style of football, but for years they’ve lacked a true winger to give the side width and a different point of attack.
Inter’s 4-3-1-2 system played into Juve’s hands in this respect, and though the probably from width was less obvious when Leonardo switched to 4-2-3-1, but this time Juve had the lead and were content to sit back and protect their advantage. A good victory for Delneri.
Juventus 1-0 Inter: Leonardo unable to respond to Delneri’s narrow formation
I was dissapointed with Inter.Pazzini had a bad game.
Is the downgrade from Benitez to Leonardo one of the worst ever? Leonardo is clueless tactically! Even substituting in Felice Natalino to fullback & playing Maicon higher up the pitch to surge past CB 1v1 playing in fullback positions.
Also can someone tell why the obsession with 4312 in Serie A this season and some don’t even have the players to play that bloody system.
Leo is definitely more suited for Inter than Benitez. Leonardo has shown that he is flexible and willing to experiment, Benitez forced a 4-2-3-1 even when other formations looked more useful, Leonardo has tried multiple formations and the 4-3-1-2 has served this team best. Plus the players like him far better than they ever liked Benitez.
Nah, out of 4231, 4213, 4312 & 433, the most used system under JM was 4231, Leo has never impressed me tactically and never will @ this rate. Leo & Inter is marriage for disaster. JM only really played 4312 agsinst that have good combination passing game through the centre of pitch, trying systems for the sake of it is stupid, using right system for right matches is the way to go.
well you’re right about 4231 under Mourinho, and Inter definitely have the players for it, but as for your idea that Leonardo is worse than Benitez, I find it laughable.
Your juxtaposition of Leonardo (described as “clueless tactically”) and Benitez seems to imply that Benitez has his tactics down pat, but on this very web site we have countless examples of Benitez making a complete hash of his tactics (see http://www.zonalmarking.net/2010/01/16/an-incredibly-negative-line-up-from-rafa-benitez/ or http://www.zonalmarking.net/2010/03/21/manchester-united-liverpool-tactics-2-1-rooney-park-torres).
Furthermore, consider the nature of the two coaches. One is the epitome of dour, 4231-as-a-plodding-bore and the other picks a team with the intention to outscore his opponents. Now I’ll admit that when I’m playing pickup games on the weekend I love to play (and watch) intense defense, especially pressing, but from a professional team I want flair, zest, and forward movement. They’re getting paid to both win *and* entertain, and they get paid damn well so I want to see some offensive skills and intent.
well you’re right about 4231 under Mourinho, and Inter definitely have the players for it, but as for your idea that Leonardo is worse than Benitez, I find it laughable.
Your juxtaposition of Leonardo (described as “clueless tactically”) and Benitez seems to imply that Benitez has his tactics down pat, but on this very web site we have countless examples of Benitez making a complete hash of his tactics (see http://www.zonalmarking.net/2010/01/16/an-incredibly-negative-line-up-from-rafa-benitez/ or http://www.zonalmarking.net/2010/03/21/manchester-united-liverpool-tactics-2-1-rooney-park-torres).
Furthermore, consider the nature of the two coaches. One is the epitome of dour, 4231-as-a-plodding-bore and the other picks a team with the intention to outscore his opponents. Now I’ll admit that when I’m playing pickup games on the weekend I love to play (and watch) intense defense, especially pressing, but from a professional team I want flair, zest, and forward movement. They’re getting paid to both win *and* entertain, and they get paid damn well so I want to see some offensive skills and intent.
Actually, Mourinho spent most of his Inter career playing 4-3-1-2. He joined with the intention of playing a 4-3-3, that didn’t work, he switched to 4-3-1-2 and played that for about a year, and it wasn’t until Inter eliminated Chelsea that he decided on a 4-2-3-1.
As for Inter having the players for a 4-2-3-1, that either involves Pandev getting his form back (at the moment he can barely control a ball), or one of Eto’o or Coutinho playing on their less preferred sides (both are much more effective cutting in from the left, Coutinho is useless on the right and Eto’o is too lethal a goalscorer to compromise his best position).
Leonardo has found the system that best suits his current squad, which is loaded with fantastic central players and has little impact on the wings. Even under Mourinho, Inter used the wings to shut down opposition full-backs rather than to stretch play, most of Inter’s attacks went down the middle (if not, then Maicon-not Eto’o or Pandev-was responsible for stretching play).
So far, no team has really threatened to dismantle Inter’s 4-3-1-2 yet, so we’ve yet to see what Leonardo is willing to do to adapt his team. The games against Bayern will be a good indicator, since Bayern play a 4-2-3-1 and like attacking the wings, something Leonardo’s Inter have yet to really encounter.
inter defo need some wide players, even if its just so they can change to a formation with mroe width when tings aren’t going their way. they don’t actually have any out-n-out, genuine wide men do they? i know mourinho used eto’o on the wing several times last season but hes a striker!
Quaresma and Mancini seemed to be great buys at the time…
Do you think these players, particularly Quaresma should have been given more of a chance at Inter? There’s no doubting their talent
Maybe, but they probably weren’t good enough. Mourinho does not allow his wide players to neglect their defensive duties, Quaresma struggled with that, Mancini just wasn’t good enough.
Quaresma is at his best as the team’s main flair player, given freedom to express himself and run at opposing players. At the time of his signing, Ibrahimovic was Inter’s flair player with something approaching a free role, giving that to Quaresma as well would cost the team some balance.
Also, his style of dribbling wasn’t really effective in Serie A. The one great game he had, last season against Fiorentina (immediately after Inter’s 2-0 loss to Barcelona in the group stages), he was Inter’s main creator, he was everywhere, took everyone on, and he seemed to have ditched the excessive use of tricks.
Otherwise, he lacked motivation, was too much of a showpony, and was undisciplined (major sin in Mourinho’s eyes).
Quaresma is talent, but he plays for himself, holds ball too much, doesn’t play defence at all….
Is Biabiany not more of an out-and-out winger? I know he wasn’t great, but it does make you wonder with such a problem position in their squad why they got rid of him without replacement.
Coutinho probably could have offered a bit more creativity, as well.
Coutinho is good option but unfortunately his condition now isn’t very well. After horrible injury that made him unplayable almost half season, he still a long walk to regain his confidence just like he showed us against Spurs.
Good article as always!
I noticed that Inter’s full back weren’t involved in attack so much as in their previous games. I mean that, especially in the first half, Maicon was going forward quite often as he had free space there, but was somehow excluded from play. It looked as Inter’s players didn’t want to switch the play to the right side and kept going through the left flank.
On the left side Zanetti was very defensive-minded, which is reasonable due to facing Krasic. However, on few occassions Krasic was running in the centre of the field (out of position?), so Zanetti should have taken advantage of this and go forward, but he constantly chose to stay back.
ZM, do you think introducing Nagatomo could have had any impact on the game? I think it would be something similar to what Ancelotti did on Anfield this term (Bosingwa replaced Ivanovic in the search of width).
I must also add that I follow this blog since WC2010 and must say that you’re doing brilliant job here!
Hope you understand what I mean, because I haven’t been using English for quite a long time.
I thought the exact same thing. Zanetti was very reluctant to attack, and I had the feeling that Inter would have scored if he did attack. There were times when Krasic was level with the rest of Juve’s defenders, but Zanetti was still reluctant to attack.
I would have had Cambiasso cover for Zanetti’s runs (he wasn’t doing much in attack, drifting to the centre didn’t look like it was going to produce a goal), Inter get the width from Zanetti’s runs and keep defensive stability.
Then, Leonardo took off Kharja and put on Pandev to make it a 4-2-3-1, good idea, wrong player to put on. Not only is Pandev awful (right now anyway), but like ZM said, his style doesn’t really help stretch the field because he always looks to cut inside. I would have preferred to see Nagatomo come on and play as part of the 3 in 4-2-3-1,bhe’s fast and likes to cross the ball, he would have made a huge impact.
However, when Nagatomo did come in, he looked reluctant to attack as well. Same thing, acres of space ahead of him, all the time he could ask for, but he still didn’t attack with purpose.
Part of the problem was Eto’o and Pazzini’s lack of familiarity with one another. Milito at this point has a telepathic connection with Eto’o, even when Milito is well off form, he brings that much more out of Eto’o. Pazzini seems to prefer trying to tie up as many defenders as he possibly can, isolating himself from play, and constantly lurking.
Without anyone to play off, Eto’o had to play more centrally than usual, which made the 4-3-1-2 very easy to play against. For that shape to work, Eto’o needs to play at inside forward to provide left-sided width. For him to be effective on the left, the centre-forward needs to link up with him. Pazzini did not, Eto’o looked lost for options on the ball.
Your English is perfect! Nagatomo came on near the end but wasn’t that much use. For Japan in the Asian Cup he was good on mini-breaks, whereas here Juve just camped behind the ball…
It’s not like Nagatomo didn’t have the space, Juve were extremely narrow, he could have walked in, but he was just as reluctant as Zanetti to attack. Also he didn’t use his left foot much, I know he’s right-footed but he has a very strong left.
This is where Leonardo’s coaching come’s into play. You have two players who, by most accounts, should’ve and could’ve gone forward but neither did. Both stayed home. When down a goal, most players instinctively want to go forward and be more aggressive. A 1-0 loss gets you 0 points just as a 2-0 loss.
IMO, I believe Leonardo instructed them to stay back. Wouldn’t fault the players on this but the manager.
It’s very possible.
On one hand, you need a goal and stretching play would get it, on the other hand, that’s Krasic’s side and he was willing to counter.
I say they should have attacked, and it’s hard to tell whether that was a Leonardo instruction or just the players’ reluctance.
If it was Leonardo’s instruction for them to stay back, however, why then would he sub the more attack-minded Nagatomo on when he had a very capable left-back in Zanetti?
Bonucci is class
Marchisio was all over Kharja, taking away some (most) of Maicons service. This contributed to take away Inters width, which mostly comes from their fullbacks. I fear we are seeing a blueprint here.
Inter also seemed completely determined to find Pazzini with a deep pass over the top. It didn’t work a single time. Perhaps their backup plan was short passing through the middle, but because Juve crowded the middle, they needed some width which was absent due to Marchisio. Speculation, I admit, but Delneri did a good job of closing down Inters plans one by one.
I found the substitution of Nakatomo for Cambiasso strange. I’d have taken Motta off, and kept the superior passer Cambiasso on the pitch. Cambiasso is hardly a slouch defensively and Juventus wasn’t attacking much at that point anyway.
I was interested in seeing your take on the game. I thought with Inter seeming to embrace the ‘we’ll score one more than you’ mentality it would be an exciting Sunday night, but I switched off after a poor first half – the final nail in the coffin was when Fox Soccer brought up their Match Stats and revealed the goal was the only shot on target. Tactically a great ’shut out’ performance from Juve, but not a game for the neutral.
It felt to me like Kharja was playing even more centrally than your line up suggests. Maicon had a lot of freedom on the right, but he didn’t drive at the fullback and go for the byline and with no wide-ish midfielder he couldn’t get on the overlap.
Great.. Always great ZM!
Mentioned by some friend above, Inter’s full backs.. Actually, the question is, did Maicon play less effective or was it Chiellini who gets used to his left back role more, every day and match? I liked him more than anyone else on field.
And if i had been in Leonardo’s place, my first move would be an early switch, Kharja-Cambiasso, left to right!
An out of form Krasic and less effective Sorensen can be outplayed with Kharja and Zanetti. No need to spend your defensive power with Cambiasso on that side. Cambiasso-Maicon would also suit well against Marchisio-Chiellini. And i’m sure, Maicon could be more brave on using that right side more if he had Cambiasso next to him (even Zanetti would i accept there but not Kharja!)
All in one, Delneri did all good but it was not a tactical winner. Eto’o, Pazzini, Kharja… All had their bad days. Maybe better to see Juve back, i liked the result. Its better for the Serie A. Still my opinion, Inter Milan will win the Scudetto.
Thanks. Worth pointing out that Chiellini started out as a left-back with Fiorentina, so not a completely unknown position for him
Chiellini was even a left back for his first couple of seasons at Juve. It’s far from a new position for him.
Chiellini was very good
Jose,good observation.lol.ZM,Any chance of you covering the Espanyol MAdrid game?
Dude, check the upcoming section: http://www.zonalmarking.net/upcoming/
Kharja’s passing was dreadful. In fact too often in the first half Inter looked to play the pass from deep, seemingly trying to break Juve’s offside trap. It almost worked, and at least once the call seemed to be incorrect.
This was a problem for two reasons. Firstly Kharja had an off game, Sneijder was effectively muzzled, and Cambiasso was preccupied with Krasic. The quality of passing was poor. Secondly, as much as his goals Milito brings exceptional movement to the side. Pazzini’s was too predictable, tending to run in straight lines down the field, from straightish balls. Vertical balls + vertical runs require perfect timing and weight of both run and pass. That was lacking and so the enduring memory of Pazzini last night is of him trying to bring balls down a metre and a half off the ground.
A draw, in any event, was probably the correct result.
I agree a draw will be correct result. That Eto’o miss was very unlucky.
In Italian: http://www.uccellinodidelpiero.com/analisi-tattica-juventus-inter-1-0-25a-giornata-campionato/
for anyone interested Fabio Barcellona’s analysis of Juve games are top notch. He reviews every game Juve plays, with pics and videos.
You just have to learn italian, but believe me, it’s worth it!!!
We are waiting for a preview on the game of the year so far, namely, Arsenal-Barcelona. I hope you will not disappoint us
click upcoming maybe it could help you in a small way
i am watching Fenerbahce vs Kayserispor …good game…dont understand the commentary, though.
Fenerbahce plays boring football; try to keep up with Galatasaray’s home games and Besiktas’s home and away games; those are more exciting! (btw, I am a Gala fan
))
Biabiany hardly runs to the byline and crosses. Instead, he cuts in despite playing as a right winger with a right foot, and produces absolutely nothing doing that.
He was used because Inter wereplaying 4-2-3-1 with Rafa, but since Leo took over Inter, Leo has opted more for 4-3-1-2 instead, thus Biabiany is not really needed in the squad, considering how rarely Leo changes his formation despite the team playing dreadful in many games against deep and narrow opponents (i.e Juve, Bari).
Inter actually played a 4-3-3 with Eto’o/Milito/Pazzini against Bari. In the second half, Leo switched back to 4-3-1-2 and Inter won.
Isn’t this game bit like Derby Milano? Milan went one goal up and shut the game for the rest of time.