Hello Interfriends,

Its been a while since I wrote about an Inter win in Serie A, and today I still do not have the pleasure as they draw once again against Bologna. Call it a curse, call it bad luck, but once again Inter deserved to win. They had the lead twice in the match via Mijahlovic and Adriano. But goals by Petruzzi at the 4th and Belluci at the 42nd of the second half earned Inter a 2-2 draw at home.

Mancini changes things up again which is another fustrating point and invents an entire new defence with Mijahlovic, Burdisso and Pasquale along with J. Zanetti. Mancini also goes back to the Rombo (Diamond) midfield and starts Adriano and Martins up front.

Bologna are a far inferior team and also had 8 players out for injury. Bologna's game plan right from the start was to block the space and play all out defence. For Inter it was important to get an early goal but again bad luck is hurting Inter. They hit 2 posts in the first half, one by Martins and another by Burdisso.

If that was not enough bad luck, Veron gets hurt early in the match and is forced to come off for C. Zanetti. With the pitch not in perfect condition and rain falling in Milan it was tough to play tecnical football and that hurt Inter even more, forcing the long ball to move up the pitch.

With Veron out and Stankovic suspended, Emre seemed to be the only person who could beat his man in the midfield and Bologna quickly put a player to man mark him leaving Inter with little creativity in the middle of the pitch. Adriano seemed a little off but the Bologna defence did well to keep him in check, and also played very deep in front of Pagliuca which took away much of the open space for Martins to run on to.

Bologna defended at all costs and left Locatelli and Cipriani all alone up front. It finally took a set piece by Mijahlovic to open the match as he scores a great free kick putting the ball in the top left hand corner to make it 1-0 at the 40th minute of the first half.

The same eleven come out for the second half but with Bologna making there first attempt on goal in the whole match they score. At the 4th minute Bologna gets a corner kick which is met by Cipriani. Toldo gets a hand to it to make the save but no Inter defender is there to help him out and Petruzzi puts in the rebound to tie the match at 1-1.

Inter re-group but without the creative influence of players like Veron and Stankovic Inter find it hard to put together consistant attacks. Mancini decides to bring on Vieri for Martins and once again its Adriano who seems to save the day as he scores from a corner kick at the 26th minute to make it 2-1.

It should have once again been game over with Inter controlling the match. But this is like watching a film we have all seen and Inter start to lose there grip on the lead. Bologna never really came forward all match but again on there second attack they score at the 42nd minute to tie the match.

Capuano is allowed space on the left wing and he crosses into the area. Toldo does not come out to challenge and Mijalhovic is beaten in the air again by Bellucci who puts the ball into the net to end the game at 2-2.

Inter now have 9 draws in 11 games, they are 13 points out of first and only 4 points out of the relegation zone. They are undefeated but have nothing to show for it. Good play or bad play, I am more convinced each match that Inter have some type of complex that does not allow the players to win. Inter do not seem to hold a lead or control a match for a full 90 minutes and this is an ongoing problem for years now. Bologna scored 2 goals with only two shots in the whole match, while Inter hit posts and have missed many chances in all the games.

Inter have lost precious points, all in games that should have been easily won. Juve seem to find a way to win every week, while Inter find a way to lose points every week. Its hard to critisize the squad becasue they are playing attractive football, moving the ball well and creating chances. But lack of finishing up front and poor defending at the back have cost Inter all year. The players need to search within themselvs for the solution and Mancini needs to correct the errors, that is the bottom line.

Eddy Lio