Team Focus: The Same But Different: What's Behind Inter's Revival?

During the early 1960's, New York Yankees legend Yogi Berra watched two other greats - Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris - repeatedly hit back-to-back home runs and commented; "it's déjà vu all over again". While Inter's black and blue shirts could never be confused with the Bronx Bombers famous pinstripes, it is hard to ignore a similar feeling of repetition when watching the Nerazzurri during the current campaign. Much like last season when they got off to a disastrous start under Rafael Benitez only to rediscover their old resilience and quality under Leonardo, a similar resurgence has taken place since Claudio Ranieri arrived at Giuseppe Meazza.

From winning just two of their first nine games - a run which yielded a meagre eight points and left Gian Piero Gasperini's team perilously close to the relegation places - Inter have lost just once in the last ten Serie A matches, emerging with three points in all the other nine. Currently on a seven game winning streak - the longest among the continents elite leagues - the former Roma and Chelsea boss has them as high as fourth place in the table. That incredible run has brought them to within three points of the Champions League places and just six behind first placed Juventus. Here are four reasons behind their re-emergence as a serious contender in a league that at one stage this term looked to be leaving them behind;

Clean Sheets

'Defence wins Championships' may not be a Yogi-ism but the new-found solidity of the Nerazzurri back-line is a major reason for their rise up the table. Over their current winning run they have conceded just two goals, an incredible achievement which has increased their total number of clean sheets to eight. Key factors include allowing just 10.9 shots per game (3rd least in the league) and 20.1 interceptions (4th highest). The latter category is one in which Lucio leads Serie A with five per game, an accomplishment he also repeats with a league high 10.2 clearances per game.

The Return Of Maicon

During the early part of the season the Brazilian full-back was out injured and the team were forced to swap Yuto Nagatomo out to the right and use Cristian Chivu as a left-back. The Romanian's best days there are long since gone and a succession of players tormented the skull-capped defender but Maicon is a huge upgrade, currently sitting in the on-going WhoScored.com Team Of The Season with a 7.4 average rating. He leads the league in Key Passes made (3.4 per game) and is comfortably the sides best crosser of the ball, a fact alluded to by Giampaolo Pazzini when asked who he missed most between Maicon and Wesley Sneijder. He told Gazzetta dello Sport;

"Maic, Maic. I told him every morning when he was out with injury. ‘When are you coming back because I feel all alone up there without your crosses?' Wes is more fundamental to the team. Maicon is the perfect player for me."

Ricky Alvarez

While Pazzini was at pains to point out the value of Wesley Sneijder, his absence has allowed Ranieri to switch to a 4-4-2 formation which has been key in improving both defensive solidity and attacking intent. Vital to the success of that framework has been the work ethic and influence of the Argentine play-maker, deployed in very much a free-role when in possession but asked to protect the left-back once the Nerazzurri lose the ball. Defensively he has put in much effort but his impact offensively has been incredible. He leads Inter with five assists, as well as recording a team high in through balls while sitting second in successful dribbles (1.6 per game) and key passes (18).

Goal Twins

Immediately dismissed as being poorly suited to playing together due to their almost identical styles, Giampaolo Pazzini and Diego Milito have gone from looking far too similar to being one of the most lethal duos in the league. Indeed, since their 1-0 loss at home to Udinese on December 3, the two have been outstanding, netting seven goals and an assist in as many matches. Thrown together out of nessecity, Milito has gone from 'winning' the 2011 Bidone d'oro (Serie A's worst player) to being Inter's leading scorer with eight goals with Pazzini just behind on five, making returns for other squad members increasingly difficult.

Claudio Ranieri has seemingly discovered what looks to be a winning formula, but it is one that will be sorely tested as Wesley Sneijder and Diego Forlan push for regular starting spots and the club return to Champions League action. If he can find a solution that keeps their superb form together then perhaps they can once again press on to mount a title bid, just like they did last season. After all, as that most quotable Yankee's catcher also once said, "it ain't over till it's over"...