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6 Things we noticed from the Inter V Chelsea game last night…

Published by Ian John on February 26, 2010

1. Julio Cesar, the Inter goalkeeper, needs driving lessons. No really, did you see the mess he’d made of his face? The poor bloke had obviously been hurt in the car crash that he was involved in at the weekend in Italy (no, this isn’t a cue to lambaste Italian drivers, though I can see where you are coming from). With his box like head, sunken, swollen eyes and copious bruising he bore an uncanny resemblance to Frankenstein. I think that is why Nicolas Anelka spent most of the night running down the wings away from goal, the sensitive French striker was obviously afraid. Gareth Southgate on the commentary team wondered if an injury sustained in the crash was to blame for him letting in Kalou’s shot. It could well be, or it could just be crap goalkeeping Gareth.

2. Celio Lucio is 90% legs. Honestly, the man is some kind of genetic freak. He is mile upon mile of leg with a coiffuired Brazilian head on the top and two arms sticking out where his hips should be. It’s staggering to me to think he is the Brazilian captain if I am honest.

3. Jose Mourinho is making it really rather easy for Inter president Massimo Moratti to sack him at the end of the season. Forget the success he has had with Inter, two of the last three Italian league games have seen Inter finish with nine men, he received a 3 match touchline ban after the referee in the Sampdoria game rightly sent off two of his players, causing Jose to indicate to the crowd that he felt his team was being “handcuffed” by officialdom (and to-whit, the Italian FA). Then after the Chelsea game he says Chelsea should have had a penalty (and thus, Walter Samuel would have definitely had to have been sent off – he was already on a yellow card and it would have been a straight red card offence anyway) and then slams Italian football for the Calciopoly when he said it made him feel ashamed he was earning money from football and that the Italians had brought about one of the lowest points in football’s history. CV’s will be winging their way to Anfield and the Bernebeu as we speak.

4. They have dangerous grass at the San Siro. This can be the only explanation for Peter Cech’s injury. Thankfully it only seems to be a calf injury and not knee ligaments as first feared. I am just wondering now whether Cech will wear some kind of weird calf support to match the one he dons on his head for Chelsea games.

5. John Terry’s form is chronic. All those plaudits about John Terry being the ultimate professional and never allowing off field issues to permeate through and affect his game look a little silly now. He made mistakes in the Everton game and last night was entirely at fault for Inter’s first goal, showing Milito onto his right foot and towards the goal, instead of forcing him onto his left foot and away from goal. Our English commentator desperately wanted Peter Cech to take the blame for the goal, but it was Terry at fault again.

6. Both teams will be happy with the result. Inter ideally would have liked to keep a clean sheet, Chelsea would like to be level, but I think both teams would have taken the scoreline if offered at the start of the game. It gives the Italians a chance to hit Chelsea on the break at Stamford Bridge (something Everton did to perfection in the league a few weeks back) but also gives Chelsea the knowledge that a single goal will be enough for them to go through. It’s beautifully poised for a cracking second leg in just twelve days time…

And I have no idea who will win.

Image courtesy of ***Tin Mot Tam Muoi*** at flickr.com

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