Cristian Chivu demands 'ferocious' Inter improvements despite spirited comeback against Roma

Inter’s penchant for dramatic recoveries continued in the capital as they fought back from a 2-2 draw, but the nature of the performance left Chivu demanding more from his players. For the third time this season, the Nerazzurri found themselves trailing by two goals before finding their rhythm, a trend that the former defender is eager to eradicate. Speaking after the final whistle, Chivu made it clear that while the spirit shown in the second half was commendable, the initial lack of bite was a serious cause for concern.

"I’ll start from the second half, as I told the players what I thought of that during the half-time break and it remains between us," Chivu explained. "It is the absolute truth, it is what I think, and I am convinced they know it too. I told them during the week as well."

The pattern of falling behind has become a recurring theme for this Inter side, and Chivu is determined to see his players take the initiative rather than waiting for a crisis to spark them into life. He believes the squad possesses the physical and technical attributes to dominate matches from the first whistle, yet they often fail to impose themselves until their backs are against the wall.

Chivu elaborated on the psychological barrier his team needs to overcome to become a more consistent force. "We must not wait and react, but act from the beginning: we have what it takes to play a certain type of match," he continued. "We don't look ferocious and big, but we show it when we go down and we must do it from the start. When the match lasts 100 minutes you have to approach it in the right way, I would start from the reaction against a strong team, which can always put you in difficulty. We need to correct certain things, I hope we all understood what needs to be improved."

Beyond the specific issues within his own squad, Chivu reflected on the changing landscape of Italian football. He noted that the league is moving toward a more open, high-intensity style reminiscent of the Premier League. The introduction of new rules and longer periods of effective playing time has contributed to more high-scoring affairs, something the Inter boss finds exciting despite the defensive challenges it poses for coaches. He suggested that the modern game demands a higher level of concentration throughout the entire duration of the match.

"Premier League style match? Quality and intensity have improved. We play more openly, we are on the right path. The new rules have given more vivacity and removed dead times where someone might have thought about catching their breath. I like it, you also have to accept that sometimes games can end 5-2, 5-3, 4-4. It will be our problem to solve certain things, but I like these things," he noted.

As the domestic season pauses for the international break, Chivu took a moment to evaluate Inter's overall standing compared to the previous campaign. Despite the recurring issues with their starts, the Nerazzurri are mathematically in a stronger position than they were at this stage last year. Having already navigated difficult fixtures against top-tier opposition like Napoli and Roma, the manager remains optimistic that the foundation for a successful season is present, provided they sharpen their work off the ball.

"Compared to last year at this point in the season we are better off and let's not forget that we have already faced two direct clashes with Napoli and Roma. We know that there is a long way to go, many things to work on but I'll take what good we did in the second half. In football there are always two phases, when you have the ball and when you don't. We must improve the one in which we don't have it," Chivu said.