APPIANO GENTILE - Diego Milito and Dejan Stankovic are back in the squad for tomorrow's game against Chievo and with their help Andrea Stramaccioni hopes to make a clean break between what has been and what is to come. "Now we know what we have to work with, both in terms of our new signings and players returning from injury. We've got Milito back too and regardless of what formation we go with I think Siena marked the point where we have say: 'Let's get back to being Inter.' This is a crucial period for us, although we've already been through good and bad moments. What's changed now is that there are more teams vying for third place but we're confident and we're determined to return to winning ways. All of us, including the president, know that we must be competing with the top teams again. We've eased Milito back slowly and carefully with professor Combi's help. In theory he could have featured for a few minutes against Siena but we opted to play safe and now we have him here with us after two weeks of full training. He's fired up and can't wait to lend us a hand again."
At this point the coach was asked if the change of formation is due to him having a larger squad again. "Yes, it's partly down to that. Having Stankovic available again in midfield gives me more options. But then even before we were playing with four, or with three up top. We've been working for six months, let's not forget. Having more individuals means I have a stronger alternative. But as I said, leaving aside all of these tactical considerations, we must start playing like Inter again, as we did in the early part of the season."
From Stankovic to Kuzmanovic and Kovacic: "Kuzmanovic is a central midfielder who can play as part of a two or a three in the middle. He gives the best of himself in front of the defence, because he can break up play and dictate the tempo for us. He and Kovacic showed their ability against Siena. As for Mateo, the numbers speak for themselves: he's already made 40 first-team appearances, including lots in the Champions League. Serie A is tough of course, especially tactically for a young lad, but he's perfectly capable of playing anywhere in midfield - in a two- or three-man midfield, or even sitting deep. But for the moment I need someone who shields the defence. Mateo's an extremely skilful player, he doesn't give you that protection in front of the back line but he can certainly float between those positions. He won't be playing in the hole as he did as a kid, but he didn't do that at Dinamo Zagreb either."
