Inter manager Cristian Chivu admitted his side risked “running into trouble” after failing to turn a dominant performance into a more comfortable victory against Cagliari.
The Nerazzurri preserved their 100% start to the Serie A season with a narrow win in Sardinia, although the match was considerably more difficult than their 4-1 success against Monza last week.
Hakan Calhanoglu settled the contest with another long-range effort, although this strike relied more on accuracy than power. Inter created 31 shots, with seven on target, and recorded an expected goals figure of 3.9, but their failure to add to the lead allowed Cagliari to threaten a late equaliser.
“These are your classic games where if you don’t kill them off, you can run into trouble,” Chivu told Sky Sport Italia.
“We got a bit chaotic and stretched out in the second half, we panicked all by ourselves. We created a lot, so if there are any regrets, it’s that we didn’t convert more of the many scoring opportunities.
“It might not be good to suffer like this late on, but considering our fitness levels and the players who just came back from the World Cup, we leave Sardinia with three points and some more minutes in the legs of our players. Marcus Thuram managed 30 minutes too, Jones had his first, Stones adds some more minutes.
“The only way to get those fitness levels up is to get them playing football, so it takes time, but we’re pleased with the result.”
Chivu made three changes to the starting XI that defeated Monza, with Benjamin Pavard, Luis Henrique and Petar Sucic coming into the side. Curtis Jones was introduced from the bench for his Inter debut.
The manager explained that defensive adjustments were required during a tense conclusion, with Pavard moved into a wing-back role and Yann Bisseck operating centrally.
“Unfortunately, I had to adapt Pavard as a wing-back and put Bisseck in the middle, because I realised there were issues at that moment, then Bisseck made a great block. I would’ve preferred to control the game better in those closing stages, the way we did in the first half and some of the second, but during a moment of tension and confusion, the coach has to make adjustments.
“Juve and Roma lost here last season, so Cagliari is tough for everyone, and we haven’t exactly had a walk in the park here either.”
John Stones and Jones were brought on to add experience, while Djed Spence remains short of full fitness and must wait longer for his first appearance since joining from Tottenham Hotspur.
“They have quality and experience, coming from Manchester City and Liverpool, so playing with a certain type of pressure is their bread and butter. They need to rediscover their fitness levels, John a little more courage to adapt to our style of football, but I have no complaints about their attitude. They put their soul and enthusiasm into it, so we are pleased to have them with us.”
Chivu said Inter’s recruitment had been shaped not only by positional requirements but also by a desire to strengthen the character within the squad.
“We lost five players, so we had to replace them,” noted Chivu.
“There were situations where we lost Palestra and Khalaili, so we had to understand what was needed. Diouf gave good signs of improvement in that role, so we decided to seek a more defensive profile who can also play on the right or left.
“In midfield, we’d beenthinking about Curtis Jones for a while, for his intensity, determination and the calm he has on the ball. We have a group of great midfielders, and it’s my job to put them together well and keep everyone happy. That is the hardest part for a coach with a competitive squad.
“Right now we need to keep getting players to reach fitness and have smiles on their faces every Monday, and that is not easy.”
Inter’s Champions League campaign begins away to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. The Spanish side are managed by Jose Mourinho, who coached Chivu when Inter won the Treble in 2010, with the Romanian playing in defence.
Asked about the fixture, Chivu smiled and said: “I thought about Napoli, because I’m going to have to play those two in a row. It’s the Champions League, we want to be competitive and also know more or less the number of points we need to avoid the play-offs.”
