Ask the experts. Ask the fans. Or ask the media. There is only one word that can describe the season of the European Champions Inter at the moment, and that is “Inconsistent”. The team that was virtually unbeatable, untouchable and unmatchable has become tenuous, mediocre and inconsistent this season so far. What is it that a span of sixty days can do to change a team which was the envy of all the other European Giants?
There is no doubt that Inter have started in a better way than most of the clubs in the Seria A. They lie second in the Italian Championship table, and that is not a bad start compared to the other powerhouses in Europe. But there is a lack of spark in the team to rip apart their counterparts and foes.
World Cup Hangover
Ten Inter players participated in the grandest football stage, in the World cup finals in South Africa this year; none of them could lift the coveted trophy with their respective countries. Dutchman and Ballon D’or favorite Wesley Sneijder was the closest to win it, playing in the final and painfully losing in the extra-time to the eventual champions Spain.
Meanwhile, Brazilians Maicon, Lucio and Julio Cesar were knocked out by Sneijder and co in the quarter finals. Cambiasso and the legendary Zanetti weren’t called up for Argentina, and missing the World Cup would have hurt them Their fellow Argentinians Milito and Samuel weren’t too successful either, having been thrashed by the impressive Germans. So, one can say that all of Inter’s players were keen to win the World cup along with the Champions League, but fell short.
Senescence
Most of Inter’s players are on the wrong side of twenty, and some of them are even above thirty. Is it age that is catching up with the Nerazzurri, or is it just a mental block, considering how Chelsea’s old rearguard are demolishing every team in Premier League and taking it by storm? It’s fair to say that Inter have played a lot of matches over the past year, and considering that most of their players have even appeared at the World Cup, it had been a long season last time out. But as professional footballers, these men are trained to play football virtually every day. So, it is reasonable to say that they are suffering from a mental block; though they are an aging team, most of them are physically fit. As they say, with age comes experience. Freshness will be induced in the squad, if a couple of players are signed in the winter transfer window.
Motivation
“It is hard to go to the top and it is harder to stay up there”, God bless the man who uttered those golden words. This has been experienced by literally all the sportsmen, be it a Roger Federer, a Michael Schumacher or a Tiger Woods. All these men are born winners, but have found it difficult to keep themselves motivated all the times.
Samu : Properly Motivated
Maybe, Inter might be facing some motivational problems, since they have won it all last year. Eto’o is perhaps one of the very few players who are highly motivated, and wants to prove his worth to the team at the moment. But, the rest of the side have plenty of reasons to gear up, as they can be the only team to defend the Champions league if they do manage to achieve that feat.
Injury Problems
Inter are having a torrid time dealing with the injuries to their key players, such as Milito and Zanetti. When you lose these kind of influential players, it is hard to find direct replacements. But, as they say, injuries are a part and parcel of a hard game like football.
Milito injured again!
What is going on with the backroom staff at the Meazza is unknown. But Inter do have the quality and depth to start winning games consistently and stay on top of the others. How they do it is left to the fitness and the medical team, and their manager.
Changes
Things have changed at the San Siro over the summer, with the exit of “The Special One” and the inception of the currently “Not So Popular” Benitez. When things are going good and there are sudden changes, it is pretty difficult to co-operate and collaborate.
Since the advent of Benitez, only few players have been in good touch, and Eto’o is the only one who has found blistering form. Although Benitez is a great tactician, some of his players are finding it difficult to play according to his style. This can be a major factor which might kill the players’ confidence, and it certainly should be addressed by the man in charge.
Maicon Misery and Wesley Woes
Maicon and Sneijder along with Milito were arguably the most influential players for the Nerazzuri last year. This year though, all the three have found it difficult to find their feet with the Italian champions. While Sniejder has been good, he is far from the player he was last year in the Champions league and the World cup. Sneijder was a major summer target for most of the reviving European clubs such as Manchester United. Although he did say that he didn’t want to leave Italy for a move to England, there is a chance that the Dutchman might bid goodbye to the Italians if the contract negotiations fail. Yet, there are hopes that the little man from Utrecht can come to an agreement and commit himself to the Inter faithful.
Maicon in Misery!!!
On the other hand, Maicon has been a shadow of his former self, performing way below par from what the Inter fans know of him. His agent has pointed the finger towards Inter and their manager for his miserable form, and he is a New Year target for the ever buying Spanish giants Real Madrid.
There are several reasons for the Inter fans to feel dismayed right now, but at the same time there are more things to look forward to with excitement. The first of the lot is the Club World Cup in December, which the Nerazzuri haven’t won even once, and they have a chance to change that. It’s time for the players to buckle up and start performing to the level expected from them. Benitez has to make sure that his players are kept on the ground and properly motivated to challenge on all the fronts. Whether they’ll do it is a different question altogether. The upcoming weeks will show us what Inter are capable of this season.
