Another Code Against The (G)One

The match against Inter takes centre stage today, and more specifically, Jose Mourinho. James Lawton sums it up best when he says, in The Independent:

He remains uniquely special in the scene he ruled for two years of intense effort that brought two Premier League titles. In Italy, despite Internazionale’s current Serie A lead of nine points, it is not so, at least not yet. A formidable figure like Marcello Lippi extends his respect and speaks for many Italian pros when he says that Mourinho has great force and powers of motivation, but the media critics are, so far, much less devoted than their English counterparts.

It is the presence of Mourinho that makes the tie something different. Without him it would be Man Utd vs a fairly ordinary Inter side, a tie that over 2 legs we should be expected to win comfortably. Add Mourinho and it becomes a something else, a battle of wills and mind games. Forgotten in it all is the fact that Inter aren't that good. As pointed out by Kevin McCarra in The Guardian, Inter are the:

possessors of the worst record of any qualifiers in the last 16

Kevin Garside in The Telegraph continues this theme:

Mourinho walks a tight line between fantasy and ridicule. He must balance expectation with an understanding that Serie A does not bear the scrutiny it once did as the world's pre-eminent stage. Inter strolled to a 2-1 victory last Saturday against a Bologna side who, according to the English eyes that bore witness, would struggle to hold their own against Milton Keynes Dons.

The truth is Mourinho cannot be certain how his team will go on Tuesday night. The exaggerated claims on behalf of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whom he boasted was ready to topple Cristiano Ronaldo from his Fifa world player of the year station, reflect the need for a stellar contribution rather than the reality and have yet to be born out by the player himself in games that really matter.

We should not be fooled by Mourinho into believing that, no matter how special he might be, his Inter side are the same.Matt Lawton in The Mail has an interesting quote which fits nicely on the "fine line between fantasy and ridicule:

In his carefully prepared words, though, came the real magic. 'I have paid great attention to every match in the previous year in the Champions League,' said Mourinho. 'Man United changed.
'Remember the way they played against Barcelona, for example. They go to this game with a different approach. I know Sir Alex doesn't like the word and a team like Man United doesn't like the word, so I'm not saying they are afraid of us, but they respect us.'

Barcelona are a great side, using how we played against them as a guide to how we'll play against Inter seems to be a ploy to talk his own side up, rather than any guide to reality. However it had its desired effect on Matt Lawton:

Mourinho does have a point about last season's game at the Nou Camp and even Ferguson admitted he had 'one slight modification' in mind for this contest. A move away, one would assume, from 4-4-2 to a 4-3-2-1 formation that sees Berbatov deployed as a lone striker with Wayne Rooney to his left and Cristiano Ronaldo to his right. Not a bad team, but not as aggressive as it could be.

Our away formation in Europe very often reverts to a different system than our Premier League games, nothing to do with Mourinho. Similarly his claim that we'll change the personnel:

'We have no fear to admit this is how we will play. Man United will not play like they do in the Premier League with Ronaldo, Tevez, Berbatov and Rooney. They will go with Scholes, Carrick, Giggs, Park, more defensive. I don't think they are coming here to play eye to eye, to try to win the game here.'

I'm not exactly sure how many games we've started with Ronaldo, Tevez, Berbatov and Rooney, I can remember one, so again, to suggest that we'll change from this fantasy side is slightly disingenuous. But again it works, Sam Wallace in The Independent, says without qualification:

It was Mourinho who made the running yesterday, predicting that United would not dare to play all four of their big attacking players as they do in the Premier League.

The Daily Star claim that Sir Alex won the battle of the pre-game press conferences:

The Special One and The Master exchanged blows here yesterday on the eve of their big fight. Fergie won by a knockout. ‘You’ll change tactics,’ claimed Jose Mourinho. ‘No we won’t,’ replied Sir Alex. ‘This will go to extra-time at Old Trafford,’ added Jose. ‘It will be finished here,’ said Fergie.

Mourinho was far more serious, not smiling and talking with a deadpan expression. It was compelling listening – but he looked worried.

Ferguson laughed his way through, taking delivery of what Mourinho had said earlier and batting it back with the style of someone confident of retaining the Champions League.

Oliver Kay in The Times concentrates on our defensive problems:

United are without Nemanja Vidic, Wes Brown, Gary Neville and Rafael Da Silva for the first leg of their first knockout round tie against Inter. Ferguson was relieved to see John O’Shea, who has been troubled by a heel injury, train at the stadium last night, when David Beckham watched his former team-mates, but there remains a serious doubt about Jonny Evans, who had been earmarked to deputise for the suspended Vidic.
Evans, 21, would lack experience for such a big game but, if he fails a fit-ness test on his ankle, Ferguson may be forced to use O’Shea at centre half and either Darren Fletcher, a midfield player, or Fábio Da Silva, Rafael’s less experienced twin brother, at right back. Asked what his options were if O’Shea and Evans miss out, Ferguson, tongue in cheek, replied: “We panic.”

Ian Ladyman in The Mail is more reassuring on the subject of injuries:

Last night, O’Shea trained with his team-mates while Evans looked on from the sidelines, suggesting that the former will partner Rio Ferdinand in the centre of defence while Darren Fletcher will fill in at right-back.

However, it is understood that Evans has a much better chance than Ferguson has suggested of shrugging off his ankle injury.

Elsewhere, Paolo Bandini on The Guardian Blog takes a closer look at Zlatan Ibrahimovic; also on The Guardian Blog Kevin McCarra looks at the state of Italian football; The Telegraph report that David Beckham and Eric Cantona will be in town to watch the game; and Graham Poll has absolutely nothing of any interest to say in The Mail.
Finally, there's some quotes from Ronaldo in most of the papers today, I'll just point to this in The Daily Star, which has one unnecessary sentence, or at least, only necessary to have a go...

Ronaldo, who was booked for diving and accused of kicking out at David Dunn in Saturday’s game against Blackburn, added: “They are a team we need to respect. They are a good side and first in Serie A so we need to be very careful.

“They are a team with very experienced players, but we also have our aces and great players. We are the reigning champions.”