Palermo's first attack was successful; Ilicic passed the ball to the right wing, where Cassani broke free from Santon and crossed the ball. Following up in the center, Miccoli faced Cesar directly and cleanly scored. Afterwards, perhaps trying to make amends, Santon frequently crossed the midfield line to participate in attacks, with Cambiasso also actively advancing in front of him. This caused continuous open spaces on Inter Milan's left flank. In the first half, Palermo penetrated this area at least four times, scoring two goals and hitting the post once.
After halftime, the left flank defended by Santon immediately became the focus of the opponent's offense. Palermo's right-side duo of Ilicic and Cassani often appeared in front of Santon (the usually active assisting left-back Balzaretti was steady in the first half). Moreover, there was a lack of midfield cover in front of Santon. Throughout the game, Cambiasso had far more touches in the opponent's half than in his own.
In this match, Inter Milan's starting lineup was 4-3-1-2. The four defenders from right to left were Maicon, Ranocchia, Lucio, and Santon. In front of them were three midfielders: Zanetti, Motta, and Cambiasso. Coutinho played as the attacking midfielder, while the two forwards were Eto'o (#9) and Milito (#22).
Based on this match's performance, Inter Milan's defense had flaws, but these were more related to issues of coordinated protection rather than individual ability. Defense is not just the responsibility of the four defenders. Offensively, Pazzini stood out prominently. He is currently one of Italy's best native strikers, possessing top-notch opportunity-grasping ability and good cooperation awareness. The next step is to determine who will pass the ball to him. Players skilled at making passes, such as Pandev, who can break through on the flanks and deliver crosses like Eto'o, and Motta, who has a knack for through balls, will all have their roles to play.
Firstly, the efficient captain Zanetti improved the defense on the left flank and continued to actively participate in attacks. Secondly, in midfield, Halja replaced Coutinho as the organizer, participating in both defense and attack, delivering a precise assist that helped Pazzini score the first goal. Finally, the striker Pazzini, added to the forward line, scored twice and created the penalty that Eto'o converted.
Inter Milan's defense in the first half was not tight enough, with both full-backs Santon and Maicon frequently joining the attack, while the two center-backs performed adequately. Offensively, Inter Milan mainly relied on Eto'o's impact on the left flank, Coutinho's passing, and Maicon's assistance on the right flank. A lobbed pass by Coutinho and a run into the box by Cambiasso created a combination, but the young Brazilian's defensive capabilities were limited.
At halftime, Leonardo made substitutions, replacing Santon with Halja and Coutinho with Pazzini. The adjusted formation resembled a 4-3-3, with Zanetti moving to left-back, and the midfield consisting of the relatively deeper-lying Cambiasso and Motta, along with Halja organizing the offense. Up front were Eto'o, Milito, and Pazzini. Compared to the first half, three key adjustments were made, all of which proved effective.