BILLY BUNTER

Weblog: The football punter

Ranieri tactics as smart as ever

CLAUDIO RANIERI'S Inter pulled themselves back into the Serie A title race with a derby win over Milan at the weekend and though you would think the fans would be happy, there have been a few moaners about the lack of entertainment on offer.

Come on, they aren't exactly playing like an Alex McLeish side. Keeping it tight at the back and snaffling up your chances, who'd have thought you could get grief for that in Italy?

I enjoyed Ranieri's sarcastic response to the criticism, the former Chelsea gaffer said: "It's nice to see that we all want to be Spanish now."

It's a fair point and characteristically smart, because it means that whenever Italians all over the capital are moaning into their coffees about how dull Inter are, their mates can fire straight back with some quip such as: "What are you, a Spaniard?"

Anyway, the Nerazzurri play Genoa in the Coppa Italia on Thursday and though I don't expect anything other than another Inter victory, I might back them to be drawing at the break before coming good.

These guys aren't in a rush to put a show on for anybody.