Inter v Sampdoria: Same Old Zlatan, Always Scoring
By: Martha | September 26th, 2007
Holy cow, an Inter game that wasn’t a struggle, and in which they didn’t need Julio Cesar to be inhuman in order to eek out a point. Instead, it was an easy 3-0 win, and Julio Cesar may not have made a single save — look out for flying pigs.
Zlatan got two more, and is so freaking good you actually have the urge to laugh sometimes, watching him toy with people. What’s impressed me most so far this season, though, is how hard he’s working — the team are totally relying on him right now, and he’s completely embracing it. In the past he’d take breaks to pout, and very rarely bothered to defend; the former are few and far between now, and when he’s needed he’ll drop all the way into Inter’s box to help out the (often shambolic) defense. [Knock on wood he keeps it up.]
For once, the defense was reasonably comfortable and didn’t need his help, and there was something resembling an attack! [Gasp!] Though Zlatan and Hernan Crespo didn’t combine particularly well, Crespo worked well with Figo, who was doing his periodic turning-back-the-years thing and running rampant, and Cesar ran tirelessly opposite Figo, driving in crosses, tracking down through balls, and only narrowly missing his second goal of the season. Javier Zanetti, too, was pretending he was much younger than he is — he and Figo were fantastic on Inter’s right.
On Samp’s side of the ball, Antonio Cassano got another run out (he spent some time as a target player, which seems a very odd use of someone with his foot skills), and young Reto Ziegler (with whom I have the great honor of sharing a birthday) ran his legs off in between fouling the hell out of everyone who came near him and getting used by Figo. Most troubling, though, was the realization that Ziegler is Philippe Mexes’ long-lost twin. Seriously, how many pouty defenders with long, highlighted hair could we possibly need?
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Comments
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That was the Inter I know and Love!! Great game for the Nerazzurri and just what they needed heading into Saturday’s match. Ibra is just sick, his first goal was awesome and his second goal was just plain ridiculous. It always awesome when Figo scores. AAAAnd… is there anybody better or more consitent at winning the ball taking it up field then nostra Capitano? Zanetti is the man, he’s awesome! Lets hope this was the turning point and we start to see that dominating Inter from last season!
Posted from
United States
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So everything was awesome eh Paolo?
Posted from
United Kingdom -
It’s all relative, Taib — Inter have been so dismal that a game in which there are actual shots and no one’s head falls off and rolls away is a freaking miracle. That said, it was miles better and, as Paolo said, is a HUUUUUGE shot in the arm heading into the Roma match.
Paolo, from your mouth to god’s ears regarding the turning point. Fingers crossed over here!
Posted from
United States -
Martha: I was refering to where Paolo described Zlatan’s first goal, when Figo scores and Javier Zanetti. Apparantly they are all “awesome”. I must conclude on that evidence it was an awesome match for Internazionale.
Posted from
United Kingdom -
You got it Taib, those 3 things were AWESOME, which you obviously picked up on, and it was a Great match for Inter.
Martha, I am sure that 3-0 win has put some confidence and flare back into the squad. Hopefully Saturday’s fixture will carry the same result as it did last season… Inter winning at the Olimpico! Forza Inter!
Posted from
United States -
Mark these words: the only downside to Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s game since he started his career, was that he was not enough of a goalscorer. Sure he scored some amazing spectacular goals (the Ajax goal against NAC Breda comes to mind, or the goal vs. Roma in his 2nd Juve season), but his goal/shooting ratio wasn’t very big to say the least.
Well all of this has changed now: he shoots, he scores, he’s a monster. You can’t knock him off his feet no matter how hard you try, and when you do try, he slips the ball past you (and two of your teammates, like he did today) with so much ease that it’s almost unreal. Embarassing for any defender.
My candidate for the Golden Ball 2008 award is the magnificent Swede.
Posted from
United States -
Zanetti’s energy is amazing: he’s fitter than guys almost half his age. I read that he wants to go on for as long as Maldini has - who knows, he might just be able to.
Posted from
Australia
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