02-12-2012, 01:31 PM
(02-12-2012, 11:36 AM)Nalx Wrote: Apart from the last 15-20 mins I wouldn't call we actually played with intensity Dev. We were garbage in the first half and Udinese should've sealed the game by then. We improved in the 2nd, which in itself wasn't that much since we couldn't play worse than we already did, but again Udinese wasted their chances to put the game to bed.
The 2nd half was more like a boxing game between two sluggers. Udinese played their normal game with powerful and lightning counter-attack but just couldn't find the second goal to kill off the game (Amelia deserved credit too); Allegri, perhaps sensing that losing 0-1 or 0-3 isn't that different, decided to gamble. He took the least creative midfield Nocerino (Ambro was needed as an anchor) and sent Maxi in. And suddenly we have some outlet to which our passing game can be directed.
Also Guidolin took that undercover Juventini Di Natale out (admittedly, he was limping of cramp perhaps). It was then when things changed and we began to play intensely like a shark sensing a blood.
In the past we've been through many games like this where we didn't take our chances and the opponents took theirs to punish us. Last night was the other way around. The anger and disappointment from our 1st half display, and the gamble and the heroic performance towards the last quarter, those what made the victory worths more than 3 points IMO.
In the first half, I was actually relatively satisfied with our opening 10-15 minutes as we actually pressed Udinese pretty well when they had the ball (we weren't good on the ball mind). We lost a goal, a fairly lucky one, and after that we really fell apart for the rest of the half.
I can't really disagree with what you said because as I said I ended missing most of the second half. My comments are mostly based on what I did see in the highlights. However, the opening 10 minutes I did see of the second half and we already went onto the pitch with greater focus, as our ball movement was much quicker and we pressed more like we did in the opening stages of the match.
However, I missed the rest and I trust you we didn't play particularly great. What I did notice, other than during our worst period of the game (i.e. first half after the goal) though was that when we pushed forward, we did so in numbers, averaging around 4-5 players all pushing up into attack together. This was even the case during the opening 10 minutes of the second half that I saw. I think your boxing slug match analogy fits well here, as ultimately we were on the ropes and yet we still managed to fight our way back. Unless we had intensity and desire, this would never have happened, and truthfully it's been a long time since I saw us really fight our way back in such a match.
It's the pressing off the ball and willingness to attack in numbers on the ball that I was referring to when I spoke of intensity. It doesn't mean the pace of our game was much quicker or that we did particularly good things, just that we were working more as a unit than I've seen for months. When Ibra plays, we never press that much off the ball or attack in such numbers and I think it's a lot to do with playing for him, or rather, expecting him to get us the result.
Maxi, in the very little I saw of him on the pitch also showed a willingness to move and work for the team more than Ibra. This isn't to say he's a better player for us than Ibra (that'd be stupid), but in this instance we benefited from this as much as we benefit from Ibra's moments of individual brilliance.
When all is said and done though, our performance yesterday won't win us anything as we came out pretty damn lucky. However, I can hope that yesterday's result gave us confidence and a burning urge to fight for results which has generally been awol this season.