Calcio Debate: Inter Outplay Juve, Mourinho Outwits Ranieri

There have been a number of Derby d’Italia games over the years that have finished with a 1-0 scoreline. Two that immediately spring to mind were from the 1997/98 season, with Inter winning through a Youri Djorkaeff goal at San Siro, and Alessandro Del Piero making the difference during a controversial clash at the Stadio Delle Alpi.

However, there has perhaps never been such a one-sided 1-0 in this fixture, as the one at the Giuseppe Meazza on Saturday evening. Inter were dominant from start to finish, in every area of the pitch, and missed a whole host of chances to really embarrass their bitter rivals.

Walter Samuel and Marco Materazzi were impenetrable in defence. Amauri, who is a beast in the air, did not win a header all night, and indeed the only time Juve threatened was a late Alessandro Del Piero flick-on, which was brilliantly saved by Julio Cesar.

In midfield, Esteban Cambiasso dictated the tempo, while Javier Zanetti, Dejan Stankovic and goalscorer Sulley Muntari had too much energy for the Juve midfield. In attack, Adriano threw his weight around, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s build-up play was good although, once again in a big game, his finishing was dreadful, as he fluffed two one-on-ones.

Nevertheless, this was Inter’s best performance of the season so far, even more impressive than the 4-0 thrashing of Roma in the Olimpico. In that game the Nerazzurri were playing against a team with real problems, but on Saturday night they were facing a side who, despite having a few injuries, were full of confidence having registered seven wins in succession.

There is no doubt in my mind that one of the reasons why Inter were so authoritative was due to Jose Mourinho’s employment of the 4-4-2 formation. The players are so at home in this system, unlike the 4-3-3 in which they look painfully uncomfortable.

As for Juventus, well they were as disappointing as Inter were impressive. The back four, with the exception of the heroic Giorgio Chiellini, were all over the place. The offside trap was like a George Graham nightmare (the old Arsenal coach who championed this defensive ambush), and Cristian Molinaro still doesn’t understand what the words ‘step-up’ mean. It really is quite amusing, at times, just how bad a left back Molinaro can be. His passing and crossing is even worse than that of Momo Sissoko.

This last comment is perhaps inappropriate as, just like Chiellini was a one-man defence, Sissoko was a one-man midfield. Although he gave the ball away, he did the work of four men – early substitute Claudio Marchisio, Pavel Nedved and Marco Marchionni were all disappointing.

This brings me on nicely to Claudio Ranieri. 'The Tinkerman' versus 'The Special One' in a tactical battle – there really was only ever going to be one winner. Some of Ranieri’s moves were definitely wrong. The biggest mistake he made was before kick off when he left Mauro Camoranesi on the bench in favour of Marchionni.

This is the perfect example of Ranieri being too nice to be successful. “Marchionni has been part of a seven-game winning streak so it will be unfair to drop him.” These are the thoughts that would have passed through Ranieri’s head when deciding his team.

If Mourinho had been coach of Juventus, he would have instead said to himself, “Camoranesi was superb in midweek for Italy, Juve are always better when he plays, and the Argentine is Inter’s bogey-man – scoring against them home-and-away last season. Marchionni, on the other hand, has been nothing more than average all season, and Inter have nothing to fear against him.”

As it happened Marchionni had a stinker, yet Ranieri waited until the 70th minute to replace him with Camoranesi, who immediately threatened and ran at defenders. The Tinkerman’s refusal to take an attacking risk also showed when he introduced Vincenzo Iaquinta with 13 minutes remaining for another attacker. If you are losing 1-0, why not go for broke and put three men up-front? What do you have to lose? Mourinho would not have been so cowardly had he been in Ranieri’s shoes. Then of course there is the bench-rotting Sebastian Giovinco to think about, but lets not even start any analysis about him.

Mourinho outwitted Ranieri, Inter outplayed Juventus, and the result was the Nerazzurri opening up a healthy six point gap over the Bianconeri.

What are your views on this topic? Were Inter deserved winners of the Derby d'Italia? Did Mourinho outwit Ranieri? Goal.com wants to know what YOU think…

Carlo Garganese