After disappointing campaigns in the 2010-11 Serie A season, both AS Roma and Inter Milan felt that they needed to go in a new direction with their managers. In both cases, the clubs made major changes with new managers who set up their teams in systems unlike what the clubs utilized in the recent past. Gian Piero Gasperini has brought his aggressive 3-4-3 to Inter, while Luis Enrique has attempted to bring a fluid 4-3-3 to Roma from Barcelona. In Europe and in Week 1 of the Serie A season, the results have been less than flattering for both teams.
Roma Vs. Inter Milan, 2011 Italian Serie A: Week 2, Both Managers Need Wins
Inter Milan and Roma’s new managers are off to bad starts with their new clubs. Both are in near must-win situations, and it’s only Week 2 of the Serie A season.
It's too early to call this game a must-win for either manager, but neither is in the good graces of their club's fans at the moment. Roma's defending was shambolic in their loss to Cagliari in Week 1, and Inter's defending was somehow even worse. Roma didn't play mid-week on account of being knocked out of Europe, while Inter lost 1-0 to Trabzonspor.
These teams aren’t built for the new systems, the new signings have not yet gelled, and the fans aren’t buying what their new managers are selling. If either team is able to score a convincing win, it would buy that team’s manager some slack with the fans and the board. But, more than that, it would absolutely cripple the faith of the powers that be in the losing man. This is as close to a must-win match as you’re ever going to see in Week 2, and both teams are in the exact same situation.
AS Roma vs. Inter Milan
Venue: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro), Milan, Italy
Time: 2:45 pm ET, 8:45 pm local
TV: Fox Soccer Channel (USA), The Score (Canada), ESPN (UK), ESPN Dos (Central/Latin America, including Mexico)
Online: ESPN3.com (USA)
We'll have coverage of AS Roma vs. Inter Milan right here at SB Nation. In the build-up to the match, head over to Inter Milan Offside and Roma Offside. For coverage of all of this week's Serie A matches, including this one and Napoli-AC Milan, check out our Serie A Week 2 StoryStream. For more on all of world football, bookmark SB Nation Soccer.
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