Italy

Phalanx Prophecy: Wesley's Winner

Wesley Sneijder provided the game winner against Dynamo Kiev midweek. Zac Lee Rigg says Inter found itself a winner with the dynamic Dutchman before previewing the weekend's Serie A action.

Nov 6, 2009 6:43:57 AM

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Wesley Sneijder - Inter (Getty Images)

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Wesley Sneijder

Like the sputtering bursts of a firecracker, when Wesley Sneijder plays you can't look away.

The diminutive Dutchman proved his worth more emphatically than he has all season against Dynamo Kiev in Champions League action midweek.

After frantic play all game in an attempt to get back in the match, Sneijder accepted a simple pass from Javier Zanetti in the 86th minute. Facing away from goal, he burst sideways back toward his own net to round two markers and practically cannoned a ball into the box. Striker Diego Milito trapped with a delicate first touch and then craftily slid past the 'keeper. Three minutes later, after Milito poked a spilled ball back at the net and it fell temptingly in front of the goalie, Sneijder bravely nipped ahead of two Kiev players to poke home the winner.

The goal and the assist put Inter on top of Group F in the Champions League, after some suggested a loss could indicate the Italian champions would crash out at the group stages.

Sneijder isn't a traditional playmaker. Whereas others like Juan Roman Riquelme like to spend hefty amounts of time on the ball, slowing down play and building intricate moves, Sneijder is in a perpetual rush. He works in small bursts, getting rid of the ball quickly by either shoving it forward or firing off audacious shots from distance. It helps that his long range shooting is among the best in the business. For a team that sometimes struggles with excessive sluggishness, Sneijder provides a gust of fresh wind.

His value to the side cannot be underestimated. Inter hasn't lost with him in the team. Of the two draws suffered when he played, one came against Barcelona. In the handful of matches he's missed, the team lost one and drew two more.

He also allows the talented Dejan Stankovic to play in his proper midfield position. The Serb supplies his fair share of goals from late runs and distance shooting, but is wasted when asked to act as a playmaker. Finding someone who more naturally fits that role was a must for Inter this summer.

Jose Mourinho may have lucked out by capturing Sneijder. Rumor has it the Portuguese tactician scrawled in countrymen Deco and Ricardo Carvalho at the tippy-top of his wanted list. Priced out of the Carvalho move and rejected by Deco, the Special One turned to the more sturdy duo of Lucio and Sneijder, both of whom look like they've ground out results at the San Siro for years, despite having only joined the club a few short months ago.

Sneijder is among the world's elite players. For fans, it's a plus that he's only mildly less enticing than illegal fireworks.

Last week: 3/4 (75%)
For the season: 8/14 (57%)

Centurion – Roma @ Inter
2:30 p.m. EST, Sunday, Nov. 8
Fox Soccer Channel

It feels much longer than the year and a half it's been since these two clubs finished within three points at the top of the Serie A table. Missing out on the Champions League last year, insufficient funds stemming from poor ownership, a coaching change, and three consecutive league defeats mean the second placed finish in 2007 has aged quickly for Roma. (A win last week against Bologna and a comeback victory over Fulham in Europa League action helped alleviate the downward spiral.) Inter, on the other hand, has everything going for it. Besides midweek's late heroics, the team can boast five consecutive league victories and some roaring form throughout the season that has opened a seven point gap at the top of the table. To make matters worse for the visitors, Francesco Totti is injured, which robs the capital club of its only elite attacking force.
Key man: Wesley Sneijder (Inter) faces a late fitness test, but given the resolve he showed against Kiev, don't count against him starting this match. Be it in the first or the last minute, Sneijder can provide the difference between the teams.
Prediction: Inter win. PP lacks the testicular fortitude to vote against the overwhelming indication that Inter will win this match. It's almost too perfectly set up for an upset.

Optio – AC Milan @ Lazio
9:00 a.m. EST, Sunday, Nov. 8
Fox Soccer Channel

A day earlier, it's the first part of Milan versus Rome this weekend. Lazio hasn't won away against AC Milan in the last 10 tries. Facing a mini injury crisis and with his job on the line, this isn't the sort of game Lazio coach Davide Ballardini will want right now. Milan seem rejuvenated in a new 4-3-3 formation, with even goalkeeper Dida rolling back the years to pull off a string of acrobatic saves. Up front the duo that gunned down Parma last week, Ronaldinho feeding Marco Borriello, will likely continue next to Pato.

Key Man: Dida (Milan) was past it. He was washed up, one foot in retirement, forgotten. And then Milan's first two choice goalkeepers got injured. Dida stepped in, and Milan started winning. In each game he's pulled off a save or two that require enough agility to make a feline blush. Of all the redeemed Brazilians on Milan, Dida's comeback has been the most remarkable.
Prediction: Milan win. Lazio isn't coaxing the goals out of what looks a potent attack on paper.

Decurion – Juventus @ Atalanta
11:30 a.m. EST, Saturday, Nov. 7
Fox Soccer Channel

Juventus might boast a more talented team of injured and suspended players than Atalanta's first choice XI right now. That list includes Amauri, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Alessandro Del Piero, Hasan Salihamidzic, Claudio Marchisio, Jonathan Zebina, Sebastian Giovinco, and Momo Sissoko. Former Juve midfielder Antonio Conte helped right the ship at Atalanta, but has hit a blip the last two games, losing to Livorno and Cagliari. He'll need fatigue and missing bodies to weigh down his former team if he's to bring his current side back to winning ways.
Key man: Felipe Melo (Juventus) starts next to a rotating cast in midfield and has yet to build up the formidable fulcrum in the middle of the park that he's capable of. He'll need to dominate this match to give a thinning forward line all the chances it needs to finish off the match.
Prediction: Juventus win. Despite looking sluggish after midweek games, Juve should take advantage of Atalanta's losing skid to score three points here.

Centurion – Napoli @ Catania
2:00 p.m. EST, Saturday, Nov. 7
Fox Sports en Espanol

There's no hotter team in the world than Napoli since Walter Mazzarri took over. PP predicted a coaching change would yield short term dividends, but didn't expect them to roll in quite so quickly. In the four games under Mazzarri, Napoli has scored five times in the last ten minutes, earning wins against Juventus and Fiorentina and drawing with Milan. That's the sort of scintillating form that will have Catania coach Gianluca Atzori quaking in his soon-to-be-unemployed boots. Catania is doing a frightfully good impression of relegation fodder, and three defeats on the trot won't brighten the mood for the Elefanti.
Key man: Marek Hamsik (Napoli) had to respectfully deny rumors that he will join Juventus after masterminding Juve's demise last weekend. It's safe to say no one will link him with Catania even if he adds to his seven league goals.
Prediction: Napoli win. This one should be pretty straight forward.

Zac Lee Rigg is an associate editor of Goal.com

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