Mancio's new Inter paradigm

Well, Mancio is up and running in Milano once again. There's been an air of enthusiasm surrounding his arrival. He's been welcomed as one of our own and the fans seem to have the utmost confidence that he will duly deliver the promise that his future can someday replicate the lavishness of his past.

As we prepare to see Mancio back on the Inter bench for the first time since that Scudetto-winning game against Parma in 2008, there is no doubt that everyone's eyes are aimed at the tactical changes he is about to make in the team. Perhaps the biggest reason for this is the aversion the fans have bred for Mazzarri's 3-5-2 after seeing some torrid performances in that system, especially this season.
Hoping that we will no longer see the pointless continuous back-passes in lack of ideas for going forward, an isolated Icardi in the opposition box begging to get some decent service so he can score etc. I've set out to designate several defining developments that could take place if Mancio's changes are indeed as I've anticipated.

I believe that as most people expect, Mancini will go with 4-3-1-2 (his "rombo", a narrow diamond that he used at Inter last time around, a bit like a 4-1-2-1-2) as one of his trademark formations and one that would more or less suit the players he has at disposal for now. Apart from his usual affinity to this formation, the fact that he used it in his first few training sessions with the squad gives us additional reason to expect a lineup in this structure.

In order to fully explain the reasons why I believe the concrete changes will occur, I will also give a short description of how the system works in principle as I go.

This is more or less (with a couple of fluctuations) the lineup that I expect to see Mancio present on perfect days - ones with no injuries or suspensions. Before I go explaining my anticipation of Mancini's choices, a short explanation about the system itself:

As you can see, there is a shift to a 4-man defense, with a diamond in midfield consisting of one deeper lying (in most cases defensive-minded) midfielder, 2 central midfielders, a single advanced midfielder in the hole between midfield and attack and finally 2 strikers. This is a system that offers good vertical penetration and provides good balance for playing a game based both on possession or on more direct passes. A very good side of it is the fact that it creates numerical advantage in midfield, without sacrificing any of the attacking potential, but one of the system's inherent weaknesses is one that could hurt us in particular, as I will point out later - the lack of wingers calls for the full backs to bomb ahead to provide width. As the full backs penetrate ahead, it is the job of one of the midfielders (the deeper-lying one) to stay further back and provide cover from counter attacks for the defense, until the team manages to retake its defensive shape. It is also a system that necessitates midfielders who are good on the ball, because losing the ball in midfield easily leaves the defense exposed, considering the fact that the full backs are moved in front during the offensive phase.

So, the first development I expect is:

1. We will see a lot more goals and more interesting football.

Yes, I will be expecting Inter's games to produce more goals now that Mancini has arrived (we'll probably score more, but we'll probably concede easily as well, which we've been doing often lately anyway; all in all, less people will fall asleep during the games). The football Mancio's first Inter side adopted was quite attractive as well, and now the fact that we've moved one of the stoppers behind the strikers indicates that we should see a lot more action up front. No more Icardi standing on his own in the opposition box, no more boring passing in our own half (and hopefully no more "long balls" from Ranocchia and his defensive partner in lack of other solutions). 

I did have a few dilemmas in predicting the starters, as I don't know if Mancini will prefer Vidic or JJ alongside captain Ranocchia. Vidic has been a proper menace so far, as opposed to JJ who has impressed me with his grit and bravery (the only player alongside Palacio who gives 100% every single game), but turning to a 4-man defense could be a real game-changer as far as this paradigm is concerned.

... Which brings me to my second point:

2. Vidic - reborn! (his name is Nemanja, he comes from Serbia, he'll f***ing murder yaaaa...)

It doesn't matter if he starts or not, I expect Vidic's individual performances to improve massively under Mancini, not only because of his experience in 4-man defense systems (not to mention the fact that SAF has used this particular formation with United in the past), but also because Mancini would have less problems in communicating with Vidic, being able to speak English himself. I expect Mancini will also be able to better point out the differences between Italian and English football to Vidic (with his substantial experience in both leagues), which I think he desperately needs.

Should Vidic start instead of JJ (and Mancini likes him, tried to snap him up while at Galatasaray, but failed because Ausilio concluded the business swiftly on Inter's part), it would open up a difficult choice for the new coach - should JJ be left on the bench? Seeing as how Ranocchia is captain (and Conte seems to be having a very good effect on him in the national team - was GdS's highest rated player against Croatia) and if Vidic does indeed go through a renaissance - the only other option for Mancio will be to deploy Juan as a left full back. 

Speaking of full backs...

3. Inter's biggest problem will be on the flanks.

Yes, this is by far the most problematic area of the squad should we adopt this system. I'm not sure any of the full backs we currently have are up to such a task. Dodo, Danilo and perhaps even Nagatomo and JJ are decent at best - not complete full backs that you can rely on to that extent which this system beckons. I'm not counting Jonathan there (I've given up on him) and it's much too early to talk of Mbaye. Dodo's got a lot of potential, but he's a liability defensively, JJ's got the problem inverted. I think a lot of work will have to be invested in those positions, no matter who starts on either side. Our full backs can't cross a ball for their lives, and being the only players that provide width to the game, it will be expected of them quite often. I'm quite certain that this area of the squad will be the first one mentioned should Mancini think of reinforcements.

Lucky we don't have any reckless midfield mavericks to lose balls all the time... Oh, wait... 

4. The Guarin conundrum

Now that we've reached midfield... I heard Mancio say in his unveiling press conference that he holds Fredy Guarin in very high regard. He said he could be "key", called him a "great player" and said he would discuss with him his favorite position (also reportedly wanted to bring him to Galatasaray in the past, another indication of high esteem). I think that normally places him in central midfield, because it's the only spot that doesn't have much better fitting players already (Medel is sure to start deep, as his versatility will be useful when he needs to act as a central defender to cover; Kovacic is undisputed up front). What worries me about Guarin is tightly connected to what I mentioned about the requirements of the midfield earlier, in the system "intro". For a system that requires players in midfield who are rational with the ball (because lost balls mean fast counter attacks on an exposed defense), Guarin is an awfully risky choice. He's also very unstable psychologically and his work rate varies greatly due to this. I'd take M'Vila in serious consideration for that spot, at least depending on the opponents, because he is very composed (despite the fact that he won't provide a creative spark as good as Guarin's in attack) and also provides great physicality that allows Inter to win balls further upfield. Seeing as how the midfielders we have are quite versatile and can play in various positions, I'm sure we'll get to see them in a variety of roles, so I won't be surprised to see him as trequartista from time to time, a role that he spent a lot of time working on under Mazzarri. 

And speaking of trequartistas...

5. Mancini will elevate Kovacic to new heights.

This is one of the biggest benefits of Mancini's arrival. He has spoken very highly of Kovacic in the past, calling him the "biggest talent in Europe, a born champion" while Mateo was still in Dinamo. Though Kovacic has already been stellar in our shirt, I expect Mancini to take him to a whole new level. The reason? Mancini is an expert on the trequartista role and Kovacic has all it takes to make it there. Actually, upon receiving his coaching badges, Mancio wrote a thesis about the trequartista role, and having played as one himself, he knows quite a lot about it. He writes in his thesis that the trequartista is an "artist with 360 degree vision, and can create something new and unexpected with a single move". The role demands great mobility and generally allows great creative freedom. Though this is difficult to implement in modern football (having a player that provides little defensive contribution), it's a perfect role for Kovacic.

I've been thinking whether Kovacic should swap positions with Hernanes, because he plays better in more space and Inter could benefit from Hernanes' shooting abilities while not losing too much creative output, but I think that Mancio's expertise in the role combined with his appreciation for Il Professore nudged my decision the right way. Expect him to become the very core of this team.

We should expect a lot of assists from little Mateo, and we also have quite the player to score goals off them...

6. Icardi to leapfrog competition to become Capocannoniere. 

... Don't get me wrong, Mauro has already been exquisite for Inter! He is a predator in front of the goal; a very balanced combination of excellent movement (as pointed out by Mancio himself before he returned), aerial prowess, speed, physicality and above all world class finishing ability. He is currently sitting third on the charts with 7 goals to his name, only 1 goal behind Tevez and Callejon who are tied for 1st place each having scored 8.

The biggest (and perhaps, only) reason Mauro Icardi is not #1 on that list in my humble opinion has been the disgraceful lack of service he'd been victim of under Mazzarri. Walter may have had a positive effect on him as an individual as far as his game is concerned, but one of the most frustrating things about Mazzarri's reign was seeing Icardi all alone up front, receiving 70m long balls from Ranocchia/Vidic/JJ and being left to wait for the rest of the team to come up and help him; receiving barely 1 decent cross from which he can make a proper finish through 90 minutes (which could continue to be a problem, as I've mentioned above) etc. This has to stop, Icardi can be the best striker in Italy by a mile and Mancini needs to look to this.

Apart from Maurito, I am quite confident Rodrigo will come around soon enough and will be back to his best (I have HUGE respect for him). I am a little scared about Osvaldo, who has done well so far and needs to keep up the good work despite the change of coaches.

Having re-read what I've written above, it seems like a very optimistic scenario (a feeling I generally don't emit when speaking of Inter lately). If Mancini can gain control over things in the short time that he's been given and resist the pressure, I expect to start seeing glimpses of what I've written above (it's easier to see these things when there's order instead of chaos). Roberto has a very difficult time ahead and he will need unconditional support for at least a while. I hope that we will see improvements compared to Mazzarri's time (which isn't too much to ask for starters!) and that we finish in a European spot in May. Meanwhile, Thohir has to do all that is possible to keep hold of our best players (and we have several good ones) so that the project may kick off. Mancini has experience in building good teams, and though he hasn't got the budget to build a world class one in a short time, I'm confident he'll set the right foundations.

Changing for the sake of change shouldn't cut it for Inter

Waking up quite late this morning, I was welcomed to Twitter by utter and complete chaos.
Being among the first to find out (as always), my friends at SempreInter.com had announced that Inter have sacked Walter Mazzarri and will be signing Roberto Mancini to be his replacement at the Meazza. Mancini has agreed on a contract binding the sides to each other until the end of 2017. Everywhere, fans going wild, acting like we've re-signed Mourinho and the treble winners (all 5 years younger), glorifying the triumphs that Mancini had at the head of Inter during his first tenure and expecting them to reoccur as soon as next season.

I will attempt to present a summary of my feelings about this development in the remainder of this post. I hope that it will provoke my fellow Inter fans to think deeper and more long term about the situation at our club.

First of all, the feelings I got upon reading the article were a chaotic mixture of everything - relief, anger, disappointment... you name it.
Walter Mazzarri clearly saw no exit from the chaos that he's overseen this season, and coaches always being the first ones to take blame - this was a logical outcome, bound to happen sooner or later.
It's worth noting that Mazzarri has been ridiculously disappointing in his rhetoric and his excuses, so he kind of had it coming.
After seeing so many rash decisions being taken as far as coaches were concerned during the Moratti era and evaluating how much it has cost us, I have been of the opinion that we must not make the next changes impulsively, but rather with careful calculation. I thought that if we wanted a serious project to take off for our club, we had to find a very good coach, one that's known to work with enthusiasm, has good man management skills, is tactically knowledgeable and perhaps most important of all, is good under pressure. I believe that Thohir held the same opinion, but Mazzarri has not been making things easy for him. Game after game this season, we've looked like anything but a side that is developing and building potential to become a league winner in the foreseeable future. We constantly hear talk about the team "growing" and "playing with character", but everyone who's seen our games this season knows it has been anything but the case in reality. Mazzarri should have done much, much better this season - it's his second season, he's had time to get to know the club, and was brought new players that fit his criteria (Osvaldo, Medel were both his choices according to the public). Even he himself noted on several occasions that our team is complete and that they are "brimming with motivation".

Roberto Mancini, as dear as he might be to all Inter fans for the beautiful memories we have of his first tenure on our bench, doesn't quite convince me. To start with the good things, though, I'm quite sure that he will make improvements to the faulty machine that Mazzarri is leaving behind.
It is widely expected that Mancini will employ a different tactical approach to Mazzarri. We will finally say goodbye to 3-5-2, which wasn't working too well for us and it is logical that Mancini will use a 4-1-2-1-2 (tight diamond/rombo) formation. Considering the fact that our lack of wingers doesn't allow us to go for 4-2-3-1 and lack of squad depth in attack forbids 4-3-3, the rombo is a decent option as long as it is played well, provides good chances for direct football with fast vertical penetration. Another one of the positive things about Mancini arriving compared to Mazzarri is the fact that he's been known to accommodate players in positions that suit them very well. As it has been pointed out to me by Mr. Cristiano Acconci of WhoScored earlier today, it was Mancini's decision to employ Maicon as a right back and move Zanetti elsewhere (which was no problem at all for our Captain), Julio Cesar instead of Toldo, Cambiasso for Davids, Yaya as AMC at City etc. In that context, I am particularly happy about knowing that Mancini is very fond of Kovacic, by far our brightest player, and I expect him to grow even faster now, for I believe his potential is much greater than even the great performances that he's been putting up in our shirt since he arrived. We've also got a couple more great players, who have blended in the sterile style of Mazzarri and have underperformed, in Hernanes, Medel, perhaps M'Vila etc; then we've got Icardi who is clearly Capocannoniere material and has been left with zero service (now with one of Hernanes/Kovacic right behind him in the team sheet and Palacio/Osvaldo beside him, I expect him to take his place as one of the best goalscorers in Italy) etc. They've produced some results, but they can do much more (as opposed to players like Kuzmanovic, Jonathan, Obi, Krhin etc. who clearly need to go, ASAP).

The problem I have with Mancini perhaps comes down in great part to the expectations that people will have of him, and I think that it is exactly these expectations opposed to the reality of our predicament that will eventually bring about his demise. The scenario that I expect to come to pass is perhaps a good performance against Milan, one to come from a reinvigorated team, eager and motivated from the new potential of change. It is a common phenomenon with new coaches, but the difference between a good choice and a bad one when it comes to new coaches comes down to whether one can keep up the good performances long term and gain complete control over his team, really make it grow with his own influence. Then it will be Dnipro, probably a happy qualification for us into the next round of the EL, and Roma, where I don't suppose anyone will expect us to have a particularly pleasing result anyway, so no one will be left disappointed if we don't play well, and it's all happiness and ecstasy if we do well. My worries come mainly after the starting "fix" fades away. Obviously, Mancini has too little time at his disposal to get his tactical ideas through to the team well enough to create balance and coordination before this starting euphoria wears out. After this, as opponents slowly realize what Mancini's ideas are, they will learn how we play and will expose the fact that this team was not bred according to Mancio's ideas (nor by his standards, financially speaking)...
Which leads me to my long term concerns. Roberto Mancini to me is one of the most overrated coaches in world football. Yes, he's won the Scudetto for Inter after a terribly long drought. Please don't speak to me of his previous success with Inter, it's distant history. There should be no comparison at all between the team that Mancini left in 2008 and the one he will find tomorrow. The same goes for the level of competition that he left in 2008 (0) and the one he will have to cross horns with this season. Actually, come to think of it, Mancini has had the very best squad in the league on each occasion since his first tenure at Inter (City afforded him a dream squad and Galatasaray were by far the best team in Turkey). Yes, he's won things, and good for him! But his failures outweigh his success considering the circumstances he was working in (he failed to get past the group stages in the CL with City twice, and had Inter lose out to Valencia and Liverpool in the CL in the last 16), and most people who've watched his games anywhere will know exactly why. Mancini is no tactical genius, he's got no particularly good man management skills, doesn't have ANY authority and isn't a top motivator either. He's had problems with keeping his squad in control on countless occasions while at Inter (Figo refusing to enter the pitch; Crespo, Ibrahimovic, Materazzi...) City (Balotelli...), and he was exiled quite swiftly from the Galatasaray fans. I would have had no problem at all if he were taken up as an interim coach until the end of this season, even with the chance of re-evaluating in May and extending his stay - but a 2.5 year contract from the off?! In situations like Inter's current predicament, when the shine wears off he will not have a world class squad to depend on to fill his lack of tactical knowledge or time to calibrate the team, and Thohir sure as hell won't get him any notable reinforcements in January (we would have had another forward this summer if we could afford it). The world class squads he had at his disposal often kept him afloat when he faltered. I can't say he is BAD, he's just not good enough to launch us into success (and, this IS what we want, isn't it?). I would only have followed this scenario (a long term contract in the middle of the season) if there was a game-changer in question (one like Simeone, Bielsa, Martinez...)
We are now at risk of finding ourselves in a very similar situation to the current one in a year's time or so. Now the squad will have to undergo further changes to accommodate to Mancini, and it will be another "transition" (I've gotten used to those), setting back the club's plans of financial growth among other things as well. It's funny how we almost constantly have the highest-paid coaches in the league, and only end up paying them for sitting at home for half the length of their contracts. Unfortunately, I believe the same will happen with Mancini.
On a brighter note, last time Mancini was removed, we got Mourinho (could use a joke right about here).

Finally, I want to make it clear that I will support Mancini with all my heart. He doesn't have an easy mission at hand, and after all, like all Inter fans, I want to see my team winning again, my whistles won't do them any good. Ultimately, my post is more directed at the lack of long-term vision of the management than Mancini himself (we can't blame the guy for being average).

Finally, I will quote a wise man in white robes, wearing a long, white beard from some movie I've seen a million times.
"There never was much hope... only a fool's hope."

Good luck, Mancio! (you're gonna need it)

Thank You, Massimo: A tribute to the greatest gentleman in Italian football

Uno di noi!

Two days ago, the final link to the greatness of Massimo Moratti at Inter was severed. El Presidente himself finally stepped down as Inter's honorary president, forsaking his participation in the club's management for good and leaving it completely in the hands of Thohir in that sense. 

I've sensed a friction between the old and new boss ever since Thohir arrived. Perhaps it was because of Thohir's systematic changing of many things that were "Moratti" at Inter (the insignificant change of the logo, getting rid of the "Senatori" - especially Cambiasso etc.) I never thought I would have to worry about Inter supporting a racist president of the Federation, but despite being contrary to what this club has had in its DNA since the day it was founded, it has come to pass. Our club has lost its personality and soul, and must now begin the search of a new one. I sure as hell hope the new world Thohir creates for us Interisti will be half as good as the one Moratti had. 

There's probably a lot going on in the mind of this great man these days. He has given so much to football and football has given so much back to him, especially on that fantastic, unforgettable night in Madrid. I cannot imagine how hard this choice must have been for him, after spending years struggling with the idea that he had to let go. I knew this moment would come myself, though I personally was not quite prepared for it.

This man has given more to this club, not just in terms of finance, but also in terms of emotion, than anyone else in the world ever could! He is the greatest fan this club can ever have. Though I have to admit to myself He is partly at fault that Inter did not use the Treble as a springboard to greater success, but came to ruin instead - what I will miss about this man is the image he gave to our club. Moratti has been elegance personified for the last 19 years, and this always transferred to our club. Take the countless words of countless great names of football that have had nothing but the best to say about our President and you will know what it meant to be a gentleman in a world of businessmen. 

P.S. I have a crazy vision of them returning one day, with lessons well learned, taking back what is theirs. Ultimately, Inter has always been Moratti and Moratti has always been Inter. 

Thank You for a magnificent rollercoaster ride lasting 19 years! Goodbye, Massimo. You will be greatly missed!

Why we'll regret what (didn't) happened on the market for us - Inter's transfer market evaluated

September 1st - last day of the transfer period this summer. We all know it's the day when the most exciting action happens on the market. We hear things about top players like Falcao jumping ships every hour, while giants like Man City, Man Utd, Real Madrid etc. cross swords and create bidding wars that spiral out of control. Us Interisti also had the rare pleasure of watching Rube's fans nurture empty hopes for the Colombian.You win some, you lose some.

I personally woke up the morning of September 1st with a keen air of hope around me. The first thing I did with my eyes half closed was get my laptop into bed, turn it on and start Twitter to see if my Inter is involved in the action yet. I still had the taste of Il Professore's hat trick against Sjarnan, the wonderful night when there was magic in the air even though we were playing a squad that was impressed by simply being at the Meazza. I wanted to forget the poor game against Torino - this was the year those performances become the exception instead of the rule. I went to sleep the night before with a perfect scenario in my mind. Inter had given away Ricky Alvarez on loan to Sunderland with an option to buy set at 11 million euros. We'd got rid of Silvestre and Schelotto, gave away a couple of youngsters, gave Taider away (twice!). We only lacked getting rid of Guarin and Kuzmanovic, at which point a new era would have begun. We even sent Ruben Botta out on loan to Chievo. At this point, the squad was more or less clear - especially the attack. Two days prior to this I read that Walter Mazzarri had left Fredy Guarin out of the squad to face Toro. Not an hour later it was announced that PSG coach Laurent Blanc left out Lavezzi for the weekend out of a personal decision - there were no injuries or suspensions involved. The situation picked up steam as Inter's fans remembered that not 3 days earlier, Thohir came out and said that Ausilio was talking to PSG about Lavezzi. Meanwhile, Valencia started bidding for Guarin. It was there, it was about to happen. We were loaning out Guarin and had Valencia buy him next May and our target was none other but the long expected Pocho.

September the 1st was very disappointing for me, as I think it was for most Interisti around the world. There was barely a whisper about Lavezzi all day long, as Giacomo Bonaventura from Atalanta emerged as the new main target for Inter - IF they managed to sell Guarin. I asked myself how I could be so wrong in judging the situation. "It was Thohir who said it!", I said to myself. Some 3-4 hours before the Mercato ended, I accepted the fact that we weren't getting Lavezzi and pretty much stopped following what happened next. I remember seeing Milan getting Biabiany, then he went back, then they signed Bonaventura (in what looked like a minute). Inter were left bare.
I'd like to explain why September 1st disappointed me so much as an Interista. I don't think Ezequiel Lavezzi is a class above Inter in terms of quality. There are players on our squad that can give him a run for his money and I refuse to accept the crazy regulations of the market as the standard by which I measure the quality of a player. There is one fact that remains, though - Lavezzi would have been the perfect piece to finish a wonderful puzzle that Ausilio started putting together this summer. Why I think so? Well, Pocho is a very good player, obviously. He is also one who had the best days of his career in Italy. By some chance, it happened while under our very own Captain Caveman (Walter Mazzarri). Apart from this, as I mentioned above, Inter had sold their forwards (all but Icardi, Palacio and Osvaldo) and now needed another one to give WM the necessary attacking options for us to play different formations and avoid the predictability that defined us last season (4-3-3; 4-3-2-1; 3-4-2-1 were all mentioned this summer). We can't play 4-3-3 with only Icardi/Palacio/Osvaldo. We can't play 3-4-2-1 with Kovacic and Hernanes behind Icardi. They're both better in midfield, not to mention we lack the squad depth.

Here's my scenario now (mind you, it's a dark one): First, we all saw the game against Toro. I'll be the first one to say I don't give a crap about the referee's performance when I look at our own (the referee, the disgrace that he was, didn't kill our game). We were slow, lacking ideas and aggression, seemed demotivated and lazy. It was like it was the middle of the season and we were worn out by the fantastic 15 games we'd played before. Except we hadn't.

Now, fast forward a couple of months. It happens sometimes that we play a game every 3 days. Imagine Rodrigo Palacio, the poor guy we've been mercilessly draining for the past 2 seasons, at age 32 with an ankle injury he's been carrying since the World Cup this summer. Imagine if he goes down injured, knowing just how much he's been doing for the team since he arrived (seriously, by far our best player over the last few seasons, amazing work rate too, wish we'd bought him sooner). Now take into consideration Osvaldo's inconsistency in the past. Icardi's need for good service (the boy's a killer, but ONLY when provided with a good ball to nest into the net). And, Guarin, I hear, is our 4th forward for this season. "Don't buy the tickets for the seats behind the goals" says enough, I believe. Finally, imagine Mazzarri's 3-5-1-1 and picture Icardi all alone in front of the opposition's goal - not a single ball spelling danger for their goalkeeper. Now move on to hearing what Mazzarri has to say after we draw at home v.s. Cesena. One of the excuses will be that we lack the firepower up front. The tragic part is - he'll be right and this will mask all the other mistakes he might be making in the meantime. Suddenly, we are fighting with claws and nails to stay in the Europa League and to qualify for it again next season. The Champions League is beyond imagination at this point. Even if we get to buy a fantastic forward in January, the damage will most likely already be done. Then comes next summer, when our brightest like Kovacic, Icardi, Handanovic, Juan Jesus etc. decide that they are worth more than this. They've been promised more than this and will get better offers elsewhere. Suddenly, we might even struggle to pay off Medel, M'Vila, Dodo and Osvaldo. Even Vidic might realize what a mistake he's made coming to a club that doesn't match his ambition, playing in a league where touching a player gets you punished with a penalty and applauding the referee gets you sent off in your first game in the league.
You can imagine what's next.

To clarify, I am a huge fan of Ausilio's work this summer, prior to September 1st. I think that buying Vidic, M'Vila, Medel, Dodo and Osvaldo gives us huge potential. We barely wasted any money on them, too!
BUT! Failing to buy a forward and leaving the squad incomplete YET AGAIN will cost us dearly, especially now that the rebuilding is well under way and the club has already started investing in it. The way I see it, we've created an Achilles' heel that will bring down the entire machine. I understand Thohir that football's about money to a huge extent today. I think the part he doesn't understand is that the money still comes mostly from good football results, it's a two way street. We simply never learn.

End note: After Juventus won their first game (with Max Allegri instead of Conte, mind you...) in a sparkling fashion (despite the result), with newbie Kingsley Coman getting the Man of the Match award... the joke seems to be on us, for now... 

Why Hamsik to Inter is "mission impossible"

During the last couple of days, especially in the wake of Inter's fixture against Napoli in the Serie A, rumors started circulating that Napoli's talisman of the last few seasons - Marek Hamsik - could end up wearing our shirt next season. 
Word on the street is that Hamsik is unhappy with life in Naples this season, since Rafa Benitez (imagine that) came to take the place of Walter Mazzarri at the helm of the Partenopei. Of course, probably having nothing smarter to write about, the media are always waiting for this kind of situations to spark a fire in fans' hearts. 
Even though there are obvious reasons to believe that there is, indeed, interest from Inter to land the Slovak (he played the best football of his career under Mazzarri, who is now at Inter, and during this time he rose up to the very peak of Italian football; he has been having problems with his game and with injuries this season at Napoli and it is logical that he would consider leaving etc.), there are also some reasons that counter those arguments, and to me, the latter easily outweigh the former. 

There are two sets of reasons that assure me Hamsik won't be an Inter player next season; some related to Napoli and others related to Inter. 

Lets have a look at Napoli first. Napoli are sitting third on the table, seemingly surprised and very irritated by the fact that Roma are having a better season than they are, especially after all the investment they've made this season (investment which included Gonzalo Higuain, surely one of the best strikers in the world). Inter, on the other hand have appointed a new president, who is proving to be very ambitious and clear-minded, and who intends to bring Inter back to the top in the next few seasons. 
After spending so much time in the shadows (practically until Mazzarri came along), Napoli surely want to keep up the good work they've been doing in the last few years, and remain in contention for the CL spots each season, or even reach as high as the Scudetto should they be a little lucky (since Juventus is high above everyone else in Italy at this moment). Selling one of their best players, no matter how big a dip in form he has undergone this season, to one of their biggest rivals will surely not help them. De Laurentiis will surely not be excited by the prospect of Hamsik wearing an Inter shirt and reuniting with Mazzarri, because he knows the potential of the Slovak far too well. 
Even though chance inevitably survives that Inter could end up getting the midfielder for next season, this chance is minimal. Some say Inter's pursuit of Hernanes this winter had a very similar ring to it. Hernanes was Lazio's best player (he was also having a horrific season), and knowing Lazio's president, I don't think many people expected we would be able to land the Brazilian. After all, Hernanes is now wearing an Inter shirt, his arrival has had a rejuvenating effect on the team, and he hasn't even struck top form by a mile yet (I'm very enthusiastic about his potential progress this summer in the training camps with Mazzarri)! But, the situation with Napoli and Hamsik is actually very different. Lotito was forced to sell Hernanes because his contract was running out and because Lazio desperately needed to make some money off the transfer market. Napoli have taken in more cash in the last 2 years alone than Inter have in the last 5, more than anything by selling Cavani and Lavezzi to PSG. Napoli are a club that makes more money than Inter right now, they really won't be under pressure to sell Hamsik, because De Laurentiis has already stated that he is prepared to invest further to satisfy the expectations of Benitez. Least of all, Napoli won't sell to Inter, because after what Hamsik has done, he will surely attract the interest of many other clubs outside of Italy; clubs that are riched than Inter and can afford to splash more money on the Slovak, and clubs that won't be direct rivals to Napoli's yearly objectives in the Serie A. 

The second set of reasons is related to Inter. No matter how bad a season he's had, Marek Hamsik is a high profile player and commands a hefty price and probably pretty big wage demands as well. Unless Napoli are stupid enough to perform a "Sneijder exile" on Hamsik, Inter will have to waste a huge chunk of their transfer funds for this summer on one player. Also, it has to be mentioned that if Hamsik arrives, someone would have to leave, as the midfield is already overcrowded with players that think they deserve a starting spot. Hernanes will surely not be benched, the fans would go crazy if they see even less of Kovacic, and it will not sit well with Guarin if he has to sit out a season on the bench after signing a new contract with the club (surely he was promised to remain in the starting lineup, as he seemed to be one of Mazzarri's favorites until the recent game against Livorno, after which he was rested, in my opinion not because Mazzarri thought he wasn't good enough, but because he was under pressure of having to play Kovacic and because the fans were getting pretty frustrated with Guarin's latest show of inconsistency). There is also Alvarez, who I would gladly sell if I were in Thohir's stead, seeing as how he is back to being pretty average on the field, and he reportedly wants a huge wage for it now too. A midfield of Hernanes/Kovacic/Guarin/Alvarez/Cambiasso/Hamsik and perhaps one of Nilton/Obi Mikel is surely too much to expect for next season (I do hope we sell Kuzmanovic, Mudingayi and the other unnecessary players, though). Thohir says that we have to balance the money books all the time. Though this can't mean we won't buy any players at all, it surely also means we can't afford to buy a high profile player for an area of the field that already has a couple of good players that want to play all the time, in a time when we are also after a striker and perhaps a defender and wing back as well. 

So, bottom line:
* Napoli aren't under pressure to sell Hamsik, as the club is making lots of money lately, constantly qualifying for the CL
* Even if Benitez doesn't like Hamsik, De Laurentiis won't be dumb enough to let Hamsik reunite with Mazzarri at Inter, as he knows the player's potential
* Inter can't afford a player like Hamsik at a time when they have other positions in greater need of coverage, as the team is not complete yet
* Even if they decided upon splashing most of their transfer funds for this season on Hamsik, they would have to sell one of their current midfielders, and also bench someone who deserves to start (whether it's Kovacic or Guarin, doesn't matter), which can't be good for the team chemistry

As good as the thought sounds, seeing Hamsik at Inter is just a dream right now, and I think it won't turn into anything more, at least not this summer. The reasons for it are more than obvious.