Hello Interfriends,

Inter finish off 2004 with a 1-0 victory over Brescia giving them 3 points to savor over the christmas break after a season full of draws. The match was not an easy one to win as Inter seem to be playing with the handbrake on and a very low tempo of play. Inter clinged to a first half free kick goal by Mihajlovic and then created very little to close the match. Brescia made it difficult in the second but this time Inter held on even though they suffered a bit but earned the points.

Mancini decides to put differences between Recoba and himself aside and starts the Uraguayan in a trident attack with Vieri and Adriano in a 4-3-3 formation. Emre, Cambiasso and Stankovic take to the midfield with the usual Toldo in goal and Zanetti, Cordoba, Mijahlovic and Pasquale in defence taking over for suspended Favalli.

As is expected Inter take control of the match from the start as Brescia sits deep in there own half and look to counter attack when possible. With DiBiagio managing the midfield and with Shopp and Stankevicius playing support for the lone striker it was easy for Inter to manage any attacks as Brescia were predictable coming forward.

With only 3 men in the midfield Inter do not have much width and use the center of the park to attack. With five men in the midfield for Brescia however the job is easier said than done. With numerical advantage in the middle for Brescia it was difficult for Inter to spring players and put passes together.

Recoba never really enters the match while Vieri and Adriano combine well playing one two's off eachother with Vieri being the target man and nudging headers into the path of Adriano on a few occasions. Despite some half chances though niether striker could work an opening.

Inter then start to get hit with the bad luck bug and lose Emre to injury in the middle of the first half. Mancini is forced to bring on C. Zanetti for the injured player but Mancini does not change the tactics of the match and keeps the 4-3-3 formation. At the 25th minute Mihajlovic breaks the dead lock as he puts a great curling free kick into the bottom right corner to beat the keeper and make it 1-0.

Inter hold the lead well until the half time whistle only allowing Bresica one shot on net but Toldo does well to stop Caracciolo who broke down the left side. Although he was on a tough angle he sent in a good strike that Toldo punches away to keep Inter in the lead.

Pasquale and J. Zanetti keep the Brescia wide players in check leaving Caracciolo alone up front and Inter made easy work of defending. They forced Brescia to play horizontal balls to keep possesion or launch long balls to the lone striker that were easy for Toldo and Co. to handle.

Inter should have pushed forward given Brescia's limited play but once again they were slow in building counter attacks and the low tempo allowed Brescia to gain back position. It seemed almost that Inter are grappling with the mental image of conceeding a goal and they stop short of going forward at full force not to expose themselves in search of the second goal.

Cambiasso does well to hold the midfield but rarely moves up with the ball past the center half. C. Zanetti does much of the same and that left all the work for Stankovic to provide some creativity but it is evident that he is no longer at the top of his form. With Recoba barely in the match chances to gain the second goal were very few and far between.

The second half begins with no changes but with Brescia looking much more aggressive in attack. Instead of the long balls they used the numerical advantage in the middle of the pitch to spread the ball around and work wide on the wings in hope of exposing Inter's defence.

Once again bad luck hits and Mancini loses both Mihajlovic and Pasquale to injury in a matter of minutes. Like the first half he is forced to make changes and brings on Materazzi and Burdisso to fill the back line.

With a revamped defence Bresica look to draw blood as Guana, Milanetto and Dallamano begin to push Brescia forward and put Inter under pressure on a few occasions. Cambiasso is forced to sit deep and help out in cover. With the loss of Emre there is no outlet when in possesion as C. Zanetti provided much cover but little distribution.

Recoba moves back into midfield and with Brescia pressing was forced almost in line with the defence. For a good spell Brescia had Inter pinned in there own half especially when Recoba gets himself injured with no changes left and is forced to play on.

Without real cover on the left side Brescia attack the area and send in cross after cross behind the Inter defence. Luckily Toldo was the leader of the box and came out bravely on every occasion to catch the incoming balls. Inter made many mistakes in front but with Brescia attacking had room to counter attack as well.

Unfortunatly Stankovic missed a sitter one on one with the goalie. Adriano did his best to launch attacks but his layoffs to Vieri were not converted by the big striker. J. Zanetti also got in on the action making a trademark run and great cross but this time Adriano himself missed a header in front of goal and could not score a second goal.

Although looking nervous at times, Inter held strong and played more with grit rather than flair to pull out the result. They buckled down and defended how they could, essentially playing with 10 men as Recoba could do little but hold the ball and pass without movement.

All in all its 3 points earned and even 2 points gained in the standings as Milan and Juve tied yesterday. Of course the Scudetto is out of reach at the moment but the christmas break should allow a few players to get back into form like Stankovic and Veron who were the catalysts for Inter's fluid play at the start of the season.

Happy Holidays from me to you and all the best in the New Year !!! I hope 2005 brings us all peace, joy and happiness as we embark on another year with family, friends and of course the dream of a winning INTER side

Eddy Lio