Inter Club Focus: Confidence key for Nerazzurri this Spring

Published on: 09 March 2016

Following a miserable two-month stretch, it has been a rather stimulating week for Inter and those who surround the club, one that seemed to come out of the (black and) blue.

After a well-earned loss at the hands of Juventus two weekends ago, it appeared to be all doom and gloom for the Beneamata. In the subsequent two matches, however, it would appear that there may just be some light at the end of the long dark tunnel. A 3-0 midweek dismantling of the Bianconeri in the Coppa Italia followed by a 3-1 triumph over Palermo last weekend has reminded Italian football as to what this team can do when carrying their apparent x-factor: confidence.

Many would have expected Inter to lie dead and buried after their initial 3-0 thrashing against their bitter rivals after the first leg of the domestic cup competition. However, with seemingly nothing but pride to play for, the Nerazzurri came out flying and could have reversed the first leg scoreline in the first half alone. It became apparent that the lack of expectation was just what Inter needed as they competed with a sense of freedom with a bit of pressure off of their shoulders.

Coach Roberto Mancini reverted back to the more familiar four-man defense and it paid dividends as his men found the necessary comfort to be able to play with purpose and dominate the midfield. While it should be noted that Juve did not field their best XI, Inter were also forced to make do without regulars, although with the constant tinkering of his lineups it is difficult to judge exactly what Mancini’s preferred XI this season really is.

Inter went on to lose the tie on penalties but finished the match with 21 attempts at goal and 64 % of the total possession against the current holders of the domestic double who have been steamrolling once again. Arguably, the performance was always going to be more important than the result and cannot be explained without attributing the team’s positive mentality as a major cause for their success.

Four days later, Inter were back in league action against Palermo. On the heels of the confidence-boosting midweek match, Inter came out flying against the Rosanero and could have put the match to bed by the half hour mark. Complacency set in and the defense conceded an unnecessary goal just before the interval which seemed to shake their confidence a bit early in the second half. After fighting for the third goal they regained their confidence and cruised to victory.

Inter’s season can currently be defined as one of elongated stretches of form. The Nerazzurri began the year with 11 wins in 17 Serie A matches sat pretty atop the table. From that point forward until last week, they had amassed a total of four victories in 11 matches which has seen them fall out of the coveted Champions League spot.

Mental fragility is quite often at the heart of teams who tend to go on streaks; teams who lack the necessary consistency to succeed over the long haul. Inter will undoubtedly be hoping that this past week is the beginning of another strong run of form which they continue to build off of this weekend against Bologna before their crunch match away to Roma that may ultimately decide their European fate. Nevertheless, they will need to go on yet another strong run to close out the season in order to have any hope of Champions League football which looked all but assured two and a half months ago.

In addition to finding a working tactical formula, Mancini must find a way in which to adequately rally his troops for the remaining 10 matches of the season. The burden of instilling consistent sense of confidence is not one that he faces alone, however. Each player that dons that black and blue shirt faces the challenge of readying himself for the tasks that lie ahead. These last two months will demonstrate whether or not Inter have the mental makeup to stake a legitimate claim for Champions League football and if each player can find within himself the confidence of a champion.

Source: forzaitalianfootball.com

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
Learn more