Sh1t

Just checked the player ratings in the Italian media. Julio Cesar was given an 8. That's scarily high, especially for a keeper.

He deserved a 9. The best player on the pitch, with CR at second.

Really? I thought both Cambiasso and Carrick were very good. I thought CR was a bit foolish drifiting in , when Santon was obviously struggling with CR whenever CR put him onto his weaker foot.

Mourinho lost out when he played Santon there. He has no left foot, they were toothless down the left. Left Carrick free to help out with Maicon. It was only in the second half, when the two strikers decided to play a bit deeper, that they created anything.

The first 30 minutes of the match were . Inter looked like they were a B-rate team.

You know he didn't. Cristiano's touch pushed the ball too deep and Santon ran over and blocked it with his body. It wasn't even a tackle. Don't really think Santon did anything great. But he did nothing wrong unlike Rivas. He makes Favalli look good that one.

I think CR was stupid not to pressurize Santon more. It could have changed the match. Instead the idiot did his usual drifting in from right to left thing.

I don't know about you, but the fact that a '91 born who's barely played 8 games for Inter comes play in the derby and at this stage of the CL, in front of Man U and its best player in the world and other stars and not only doesn't make a fool out of himself, but manages to rather handle them deserves my utmost praise!

Of course he's praiseworthy. I was referring to that particular incident. While I think he's got potential, I don't think he's all that yet. Another 2-4 years will tell if he can replace Zambrotta for the Azzuri.

Also, I don't think he had to 'handle' CR all that much. Which was my point. They didn't exploit the right as much as they should have, or put Santon in any 'undue' pressure. Santon's forward runs were also not great primarily because he's right footed. The time it took him to cut onto his stronger foot from the flank, he'd been closed down proper.

He's ok, but if he keeps at this level there's really no point. He'll really need to scale up big time. Pound for pound at the moment, Balotelli is a better 'prodigy' than him. Of course your homeboy rules the roost.

Utmost praise = Santon did good.

To owe CR is another level, not reached in yesterdays match.

(Note: Jack's analasis was correct - Santon concentrated only on defense and paralized the left side partially)

Hmm... that was not so... special from Inter... Either side could have scored but 0-0 is not a bad result for inter in my eyes, it leaves the tie on 50-50. I prefer Mourinho to go out but I would not be all too sad if they eliminated United.

Santon was good. But once again, only defensively. He will never become an attacking full-back playing on the left.

Ibra was the worst player for Inter, Cesar once again made a couple of amazing saves.


Man, that's the point he does not think away goals should count for anything.

PS 1 Roma were soooo bad! They are chickens and they are lucky Arsenal failed to convert their chances. It should have ended 2-0 or maybe 3-0. I can't believe the chance Eboue missed.
PS 2 Atletico defense...
PS 3 Also Lyon should have scored another. They paid for it in the end. Juninho's FK was excellent. At first it looked like a big mistake by Valdes but it was not such a grave one as the curl was deceiving and it was perfectly placed.

I can tell when I see a great potential! the first second I saw highlights of Pato's Inter games I knew he was special. same for Santon. time will tell.

@ Jack

Scale up?! did you expect him to play like the best LB in the world does?! for god's sake, he's 18. he hasn't even played 10 games yet. still, he comes and plays against Milan and Man U and doesn't lose Inter the game! don't you see that? that's amazing!

Anyone can tell he has to improve a lot. that's like the most obvious thing. we're talking about a potential. not an already world class player.

Santon's performance against Man U: average.
Santon's performance against Man U as an 18yo with no experience at all: amazing.

That's stupid! because every team gets a chance to score away goals! Wenger should have seen his team finish 1st in their group instead of suggesting that the rule should change!

I don't think first place has to do with anything. Playing the second leg at home is in my view an advantage with or without the away goals rule.

Anyway, I don't think it has to change.


The only bad thing for him is Maicon... he will not be able to develop his attacking skills as much as he would on the right.

I really dislike the inflationary use of the word "amazing" when it comes to football. Amazing is what Maradonna did in '86, amazing is van Bastens goal against Germany in the Euro 1998, Klinsmanns performance against the Netherlands during the WC in Italy or Cristiano Ronaldo scoring 31 goals in the EPL. A solid performance of a kid in a CL game isn't amazing.
Plus, judged by two important games Lars Ricken would be the best kid in the world. Yet, people barely know him nowadays.

I agree, still, I'm not writing him off as a LB yet. because.. he has played 6-7 games! but obviously there's a better chance for him to become a great player if he played on the right, which with Maicon there, it's impossible.



Amazing is a relative word...

I never quite understood what happened to him. He could still be playing, if it came down to age? But...injuries? Or? I mean, he never was a superstar, but all in all more then just a good player.

Hardly. I didn't expect him to play like the best LB in the world. But I did expect him to show some glimpses of the future. Some kinda uniqueness or specialty that would mark him out as special. I saw a 18 year old kid go out, make his CL debut, do alright, nothing great. About a 6.5-7.5 match rating. So what's your point? That he's got mental character? Great! Good for him. But it still proves nothing.

Yes defensively he was solid, and didn't make any serious mistakes.

And this line totally gets me. He 'doesn't' lose Inter the game. That's a sign of greatness?

Like when Pato flipped the ball up onto his shoulder and went with it. That's a sign of serious talent.

I mean, in Santon didn't see extra offensive ability. Any sign of keeping his team in when the defence was a mess in the first half. Doing more than his share of work. Nothing. Inter were playing a diamond mid-field, which means the fullbacks are supposed to provide width. I honestly didn't see that. In fact, take a look at Santon again and tell me what makes him so different from someone like Jonny Evans. Evans made his debut in the CL at the same age against Roma in 2007, and now he's doing great for Manchester as first change CB.

I could argue Evans was even better, going to an away ground and replacing Nemanja Vidic in the most dominant defensive pairing in Europe. Taking on supposedly the world's best player (in Mourinho's book and really keeping him in check etc.

They've both got equal potential, but nothing to suggest they're the future world numero uno. It would take 2 or 3 more seasons to predict where they're headed. Unlike a certain Pato.

Of course, if Santon were to work hard and truly become two-footed etc. that's something. In other words, he's got work to do. It's not like Pato, where he can keep playing and he just needs to develop game smarts. Santon's got a lot of deficiencies skill-wise and gameplay-wise at this stage.


That being said respect to Mourinho for playing him. I could be uncharitable and say the reputation-conscious Mourinho was playing the one Italian player he had and could fit in, but that's totally unfair. If Mourinho keeps at him, and makes sure he's developing, this boy could be special by 24 or 25.

And yes...Carlo would never have played Santon. Coz Carlo only deals in finished products. Milan would have farmed out someone like Santon to play regularly elsewhere and develop. Just like we did with Paloschi.

I'm not saying either is right. They're different philosophies.

mourinho's got this match up in the bag hahaha. United knocked out in round of 16 hahhahahaha. forza mourinho

Either way is good for me.

How so?

Coz Mourinho's hardcore biatch! Are you asking Bluey why Mourinho is better than SAF? How about you ask Pana why Paolo Maldini is better than Zanetti?

Special news for dst: Captain Fantastic is NOT in the starting XI for the dirtyrottenscousers tonight. He IS on the bench, however.

Hala Madrid!

Gee, what a boring match yet again. Including yesterdays match 120 minutes of goalless football...even my exam literature starts to look more and more tempting.

blue is the color! 1-0

well i think it's safe to say bayern are through

edit make that 5-0, toni again

embarrassing

Real Madrid 0-1 Liverpool
Sporting Lisbon 0-5 Bayern Munich
Chelsea 1-0 Juventus
Villarreal 1-1 Pathaniakos

Bayern go to 5-0, Toni again..

What a dreadful game, and dreadful performance by both Real and Liverpool.

I can't see Madrid winning at Anfield (as I predicted Liverpool would go through)

I am amazed at, not just the results, but the performances of the English sides. Liverpool and United were slightly the better teams in their games, but were both playing away to very good teams. Arsenal-Roma was one of the most one-sided games I've seen this season, Juventus fared well against Juve and probably deserved a draw.. no goas conceeded by any of the 4, what's going on!?

I hope I'm wrong but I think all the Italian sides will go out.

i have the feeling inter might go through, and hopefully roma make arsenal pay for all their missed chances.

I think Inter still have a decent chance. Juve can't afford to conceed or they're out, Roma don't stand a chance.

I think about Inter's 1st half performance and I think they're already out. then I think about their 2nd half performance and I say they still have a chance. I don't know... they play away but Juve and Roma play at home. that will make at least a little difference.



They both lost 0-1 away from home. what's the difference? did Arsenal outclass Roma that badly that they're already out?

Watching a rerun of the Chelsea-Juve game. Juve definitely deserved more than a defeat... if they can repeat this performance in Turin, there's a good chance they will go through.

Chelsea's attack doesn't look THAT dangerous at all. at least not against Juve.

Stupid Madrid, the one time that I want them to win... Go beat the divers at their stupid home!!

I think Juve deserved a draw. Roma.. had Arsenal had actual footballers, instead of Bendtner and Eboue, they'd have scored 3/4.

inter are lucky the special one is their coach. Beating united at old trafford is a piece of cake for the genius running the milanese trash.

SAF who? Mourinho baby! 1-1 with mourinho going through.

I know, still that game ended 1-0 not 2-0, 3-0, etc. Just because Arsenal owned Roma at the Emirates doesn't necessarily mean they'll do it at the Olimpico too, does it?

That's low. Even for them! It's one thing for working class fans sitting in a large group to lose temper...but these are suits in executive boxes.

and thats calcio for ya hahah

And that's an insulting comment for you.

Oh please.
It seems like you've turned into a complete sucker for all thing Mourinhese.

I know. But I think Arsenal are just a much better team than Roma. Of course, Roma could win the 2nd leg 3-0 or something, but on the evidence of the first leg, they just couldn't cope with the way Arsenal play.


It may be seen as low, but they're right. Platini is a Class A prick, in my opinion.

Come again?

Edited. My bad.

really? Do i look like i'm supporting inter? I just think what he says for the most part is true and very analytical.

Like the comparison of english/italian football. He said english football there passion and athelticism is the main keys and in italy he said the brain and techincality is the main keys here.

oh comon i was just joking. We all poke fun at other leagues and teams, why is it so taboo to make a comment about italy. Its not like our league is perfect.

On the evidence of the first leg, Roma would not even survive relegation in the Greek league... they're just a bunch of chickens, not a bad team.

They're right but they've gone as low as he is... so now he can call them the same...

So, injury issues for the Italian teams: Sissoko has a broken foot and is out, Materazzi and Burdisso are out with injury, and Totti is probably also out too.

As much as I respect SAF this is retarded and does not even make sense.

It's for things like this that I will not be sad if inert go through.