Inter Milan's Great Escape: Jose Mourinho's Magic Or Just Good Fortune

From bleacher report

Inter Milan made a huge withdrawal from the Bank of Lucky on Saturday night.

Or, if you prefer, Jose Mourinho pulled off another managerial masterstroke.

Whatever your viewpoint, there is little doubt that the Milan giants completed one of the most amazing comebacks of the season to overcome Siena. The fact that they needed to produce such a performance is worthy of some reflection.

So let's work this through from back to front.

League-leading Inter defeated bottom-of-the-table Siena 4-3 with a Walter Samuel goal in injury time.

That was the equivalent of a kicker catching a winning touchdown pass or perhaps a pitcher thumping a vital home run.

The big Argentinian defender does not score many goals and those that he does are usually with his head, not a sweet turn and shot worthy of his countryman Diego Milito.

It was a finale fitting for such a crazy game.

Massimo Maccarone had given the visitors the lead only for Milito and Wesley Sneijder to turn the game on its head. That should have been the end of the story.

Instead, Albin Ekdal and Maccarone struck again to put the little Tuscan side on the brink of victory.

Jose Mourinho's famous unbeaten home record, which has lasted longer than most modern marriages, was suddenly under threat.

Inter looked tired, jaded and out of sorts. Siena were worth their win, or so it seemed.

The final minutes, however, were cruel to Alberto Malesani's side. Firstly, Sneijder curled home another beautiful free-kick to equalise. Then Samuel, put up front to help hunt an improbable winner, stuck the knife in still further.

It was a script we have seen several times before.

Mourinho loves to shove men forward in a desperate attempt to win a match, often asking his defenders to improvise an attacking role. It worked out perfectly this time.

The question is just how long can it go on working?

Inter's squad has been hurt by injuries and Sammy Eto'o heading off to the African Cup of Nations, but still they should have brushed Siena aside with ease.

But for much of the weekend's game, the side with the best attack in Italy looked unable to beat the nation's weakest defence.

Spectators were left struggling to decipher what the result actually meant.

Was it a sign of weakness that Inter nearly lost to one of the poorest sides in Serie A? Or did their never-say-die attitude send out a signal of intent to their rivals?

Maybe it was a bit of both.

The side from the San Siro have been far from convincing of late and have a tough run of matches coming up.

So far, they have shown enough resilience to maintain a healthy lead at the top of the league and the Siena game demonstrated they will not give it up easily.

Indeed, if there is a lesson to be learned, it is possibly a simple one.

If Juve and Milan are serious about taking Inter's crown they will have to show the same hunger as Mourinho's men did on Saturday night.

Countdown to the new season - Part Two

Tuscany has never had it so good with four teams in Serie A again this season. They all have different hopes and expectations, having pretty much flourished last term. Here is my forecast for what lies in store. Remember, just over a week to go now!

Siena: It was a long, hard battle last season to survive by the skin of their teeth. I fear, however, that this time around the competition looks too strong. I like the strike force of Maccarone and Chiesa but I believe the support behind them may not be enough. I think the dreams of the Palio town are over. Rinaldi's forecast: 19th.

Livorno: A real surprise package of recent times, I believe the bubble will burst this season. The loss of Lucarelli is a big one both in terms of goals and influence. And, ultimately, the volatile nature of their president must take its toll. Hopefully the Tavano/Tristan partnership can gel nicely but, if not, their drop could be rapid. Rinaldi's forecast: 16th.

Empoli: They have already over-achieved by getting into European competition and that might be a hard burden to take. Just the same, they have shown in recent times they know how to get the best out of their resources. Maybe not the revelation of last year but still solid. Rinaldi's forecast: 10th.

Fiorentina: There are a lot of unknowns making the Viola hard to judge. On the one hand, their form of recent seasons suggests a top four finish but, on the other, they have lost Luca Toni. That puts extra pressure on Adrian Mutu and Giampaolo Pazzini - not to mention Bobo Vieri. Still, the rest of the team remains intact with a few interesting young additions. I think they might go close to the Champions League placings but not quite make it. Rinaldi's forecast: 5th.