[han2503]

Some crucial players will be back for this one. But our problems have now shifted to the attack. Since we lost Biglia and Bonaventura we have struggled to score regularly. As I said from the beginning, the double pivot of Kessie and Bakayoko won't work long term as there's not enough creativity and we're struggling to bring in the attacking players into the game

After the harrowing midweek venture against Olympiacos it has become even more imperative that we perform in these upcoming games/ We don't have EL to distract us anymore and key players are starting to return from their injuries. So we need to make sure we collect max points from tomorrow to the end of the year

[han2503]

Yeah, all in all, I think I agree with you han. I was quick to criticize Gattuso but it seems he has sorted things out. I think having Higuain out will be a good long run decision. To be honest, I never much liked him, always thought he failed to show up in the big games. He was never a good fit here where we need someone to work to take us back. Higuain needs the team to play for him and I think he upset the atmosphere we have under Gattuso.

The next few games are a good test for us. If we can manage 4 points from those two games with Napoli and Roma we might be looking good. I still have my eye on the transfer window though I think we will bring someone else in on top of Piatek.

Agreed about Higuain. I still don't understand why he even agreed to the move if he wasn't willing to do the work it takes when you join a team who are going through a rebuilding phase. Such a complete lack of character

Perhaps. I do understand that the situation Rino got himself into isn't easy to deal with. But we had injury crisis like this under Allegri as well. Only our expectations were higher, and granted, our team better. Yet who said anything about being on pair with Napoli? But we are unable to be on pair with Lazio or Roma as well.

Yes, results are momentarily good. But we had a golden opportunity in December when Lazio and Roma were in crisis and Inter also started shaking to take a grittier approach and win points against the likes of Torino, Bologna, etc. But we never found an ounce of strength to show some face. Just like last season when the team simply disappeared on the first real European test against Arsenal, or like we hit numerous times self-destruct in important games - we caved. I really do not believe Rino can stir us to 4th place and the temporarily good position is just that - temporal. Soon we'll find ourselves back in 6th or 7th.

Conti has been very good I must admit, just what we needed. Hopefully he can maintain this form.

Yes, we had an injury crises with Allegri, and what happened? We conceded the Scudetto to Juve while having the best team in the league by a good margin, and it wasn't a team that was lacking in resources be any stretch of the imagination either, we had a a deep squad that Allegri could use, the same cannot be said now.

As for not taking advantage of the crises, yes it is disappointing, but you have to take into consideration that we have been in our very own crises since September with all the injuries we had to deal with, and this is not Alegri's Milan, if a player like Bona, Biglia or Suso go down, we have no alternatives that would allow us to still maintain the same level of quality without them in the starting 11. We've at least been lucky that Bakayoko has recovered his form and has been producing great performances since Biglia's been out or our crises would have been much worse, and I attribute Bakayoko's retun to form in part to Rino as well.

Look I'm not someone who's blind to Rino's faults (which mostly are due to his lack of experience), would I still like a Conte or Klopp? Of coure, but those guys are unrealistic, and given all the challenges Rino has faced, you simply cannot deny that he's done a commendable job. And I think if we can give him the backing he has so far deserved, he'll continue to grow and improve as a coach and we'll reap those benefits.

Also I said Napoli because that's where we should be aspiring to in the short term, I already think we're on par with Roma and Lazio now, and as for where we'll finish, we'll see, we're lucky because the majority of our difficult fixtures are all clumped in the coming weeks, so we'll be able to get those out of the way and re-assess after that. Hopefully we can make 1 more signing and bring the winger we need in and it will give us that added push.