St Etienne vs. Inter Milan: Lessons Learned from Europa League Game
Saint-Etienne and Inter Milan played out a 1-1 draw in their Europa league encounter in France on Thursday, which was a result that suited the Italian side more.
Inter remain top of Group F, while the French team now have just four points from four matches after notching up yet another draw.
Walter Mazzarri's side can be disappointed they didn't take a bigger lead into the half-time break after dominating the first 45 minutes, but they registered just the one Dodo goal.
Saint-Etienne came out after half-time with much more intent, and found an equaliser through giant defender Moustapha Sall.
It was Inter defending their line until the full-time whistle, but they managed to hang on to notch up one more valuable point.
Positivity Works for Inter
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Inter played some of their most vibrant football of the season in the first half, passing the ball around quickly and with precision, and getting forward in numbers.
The full-backs overlapped regularly and the more creative midfielders, in Zdravko Kuzmanovic and Mateo Kovacic, probed constantly.
Saint-Etienne appeared rushed and a little bit flustered much of the time, playing more like an away team hoping for a draw rather than a home team needing a win, and that can be put down to Inter's positive attitude.
Walter Mazzarri got the tactics right on this occasion, in the first half at least.
Dodo Is Becoming Inter's Most Important Player Going Forward
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Brazilian full-back Dodo is really hitting his straps now for Inter, after joining the club on loan from Roma at the start of the season.
This type of match suited him perfectly. He nullified the threat of Saint-Etienne's dangerous right-back, Kevin Theophile-Catherine, by bombing forward constantly and keeping him busy with defensive duties.
Dodo's crosses came in frequently from the left, and he was lurking at the back post to side-foot in the opening goal in the 33rd minute.
Vidic Is Still Having a Few Issues
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Serbian powerhouse Nemanja Vidic played an almost flawless game.
He was dominant in the air, strong in the tackle and positionally sound.
The problem is, the one mistake he did make resulted in the home side scoring an equalising goal.
A Saint-Etienne corner ended up at the feet of Vidic, but the veteran defender lost his balance and lost control of the ball, and Sall needed no second invitation to slam it into the back of the net.
It is the kind of error that was rarely seen from Vidic in his Manchester United days. His initiation at Inter hasn't been as easy as expected.
A More Direct Approach Suits Saint-Etienne
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Saint-Etienne came out looking like a different side after the half-time break.
Rather than absorbing Inter pressure and passing the ball from side to side when they had possession, they attempted to attack more vertically, and the approach paid off.
Not only did it result in a goal, it made Inter become more defensive as well.
Mazzarri's swap of Joel Obi for Kovacic just after the hour mark was an admission that he wanted his side to consolidate the draw, and refrain from pushing forward as much.
Inter Need a Fully Fit Dani Osvaldo
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Dani Osvaldo made a brief second-half appearance as he returns from an adductor strain and, although he had little impact on this match, he will obviously be very useful for Inter once he is back to match fitness.
Numerous crosses were fired in from the Nerazzurri from both flanks, with nobody there to get on the end of them.
Rodrigo Palacio is quick and skilful, but not exactly a traditional target man, while the other starting forward, Federico Bonazzoli, dropped deep and helped link up play, and thus was also not there to head home crosses.
Osvaldo is an expert at lurking around the six-yard box and finishing chances, and Inter need just that kind of player at the moment.
