Archive for November, 2008

Reports from Formello suggest that Delio Rossi may well have to be without 2 more important players: Rozenhal (fevers) and Foggia (muscle injury). When you add to that Pandev and Siviglia, we enter this match with almost without half of our team.

As things stand for the moment, we may see the following formation:

Carrizo; Lichsteiner-Diakite-Cribari-Radu; Brocchi – Ledesma – Manfredini; Mauri; Rocchi and Zarate

What is important today is the fact that Delio Rossi will most probable return to 4-3-1-2 and it appears he finally listened to me. hehehe.

All right, let`s see what this match brings. Avanti ragazzi.

vs.   

After 2 weeks without a win, we travel to Bergamo to face Atalanta, who are always very dangerous at home. The latter team is having ups and downs so far this season, but I expect a tough encounter, as Del Neri`s teams always cause difficultys for us (see last season`s defeat 2-1).

As for the team that will face Atalanta, there are minor and expected changes. Ledesma returns to his position in the central midfield, accompanied by Brocchi and most probably Cristian Manfredini(!). If the latter starts, it will be Delio Rossi`s another surprise which would most probably translate into another weak performance by midfield. Since Pandev is having some difficulties this week, I expect him to rest this match, giving Foggia, Zarate and Rocchi the starting places. In defense, only Radu may step-in for Kolarov.

All in all, I don`t know what to expect from this match. This season, we have played consistently bad in the first 45 minutes, only to wake up after half-time. I really want Lazio to score early and then strike back on the counter attacks with Foggia and Zarate playing wider than usual. Also, I wish Rossi fields a classic 4-3-1-2 with Foggia a trequartista, rather than 4-3-2-1, which leaves Foggia and especially Zarate too far away from the oposition goal.

After this match, we face Inter at home and other strong teams like Juve, Palermo, Udinese, therefore a win would be much welcomed.

Quite a blog title a ? I was forced to write regarding this issue as it is all over the Italian and international sport web sites, including goal.com and channel4.

As usual, media had made this issue much bigger than it actually deserves to be. But journalists like these things when a player critisizes his coach/team or vice-versa.

Nevertheless, even though in principle I dislike when players go public speaking instead of resolving issue personally with the staff, this time I tend to sympathyze with our captain, as I think (and you could notice in my latest blog posts) that Delio Rossi is quite confused latetly as to his first team choices. Fact of the matter is that Rocchi was tipped to start from the beggining with Zarate and Foggia because Pandev had a mid-week match with his NT and was rightfully considered that he would be more tired. He was coming back only later Thursday and available for training only the next day. Meanwhile, Rocchi was in the training all the week and fully fit. So far so good, but on Saturday, Delio Rossi changes his mind and inserts Pandev into starting 11 leavig Rocchi on the bench! That is why I completely understand his outburst or an honest conversation with the media (call it as you wish).

I really hope such situations don`t repeat anymore cause instead of concentrating on matches, now the team is focused on this issue. Delio Rossi must have better ideas regarding what he wants. Rocchi has been our best striker in the last years and he is capable of scoring at any given chance. Therefore, I don`t mind if Zarate or Pandev have to sit to make room for him.

In what was another poor performance by our team, we hardly managed to grab a draw against Genoa. I can freely say we were the lucky side yesterday, as Genoa was denied a goal and Milito missed a penalty. On the other hand, we continue to walk in the pitch for 45 minutes, and play only the onle half of the match. Delio Rossi once again made a strange call with regards to the starting 11 by including a tired Pandev instead of Rocchi who was there all week and trained hard for this match.

The match was a bit awkward, with Lazio trying to do something in the first half, but achieing nothing except for a nice run and dribble by Meghni which ended with a nice shot but just wide. The second half was by far a better match (Rocchi replaced Pandev) but brought nothing in terms of concrete chances of scoring. It is not that Lazio did not have the initiative, but Genoa must be given credit as a well organized team and always dangerous. Gaby Milito is the best striker in Serie A this season for a reason. The latter missed a penalty, but moments later scored a terrific goal making the team forget his miss.

And as usual, it is only after we concede that we start to play. Chances kept coming but Genoa was tight in defense. And somewhere on the 77th minute, Ausmane Dabo stroke a bounced ball which Roubinho failed to grab properly and ended in the net. Then the team tried again but to no aveil. Draw was a more just result, considering Genoa missed a penalty and also a clear goal which was dissallowed to them.

  vs.          

After that derby defeat which was one of the hardest defeats for me to swallow for the reasons I provided in blog posts following the match, we face Genoa in our 4th straight math at Olimpico. Italian media report what I suggested yesterday: that Pandev will most probably start from the bench and Pasquale Foggia is expected to start alongside Rocchi and Zarate. In the middle, Dabo will replace Ledesma and will be accompanied by Brocchi and Meghni, who is preferred this time over Mauri who wasn`t that good in the derby. However, knowing our coach`s sympathy for Mauri, I won`t rule our his start once again. Kolarov will replaced suspended Radu on the left flank while in case Siviglia misses this match, Diakite is reported to start. All in all, I expect this line up:

Carrizo: Lichtsteiner, Rozenhal, Diakite, Kolarov; Brocchi-Ledesma-Meghni; Foggia, Zarate and Rocchi.

On the other hand, our defense faces quite a challenge from the best scorer in Serie A this season: Diego Milito, who is powerful and dangerous. In general, Genoa is having a positive season and I expect a tough match. A win would be very welcomed and would help the team to bounce back from derby defeat.

Delio Rossi calls for all of us to forget about the derby and concentrate on other upcoming matches. But somehow, I can`t do that. At least until the kick off against Genoa, this Sunday at 3 PM. Defeats or wins in derbies include just too much emotions to forget them easily. For instance, when we lost 5-1 in a derby few seasons ago, I suffered a trauma, I could not concetrate at work and my boss noticed that. I was devastated to say the least. It took me a week to get over it. The oposite happened the last season`s derby when Behrami scored in the last minute to clinch a win. I was just too happy for the whole week. Never mind, I guess you have had enough of it with me this week.

On other news, it appears that Siviglia got injured and could miss the Genoa clash. The same goes for Ledesma and Radu who will miss through suspensions. Also, Rossi is thinking of resting Pandev and playing with Foggia-Rocchi-Zarate upfront. It will also be interesting to see our midfield without Ledesma. Dabo is expected to replace him. Brocchi and Meghni may start as well in the middle of the park. And if Siviglia doen`t make it, Diakite may see some playing minutes.

In an interesting story at corrieredellosport.it, it says that Lazio is trying to sign Javier Mascherano from Liverpoo. According to the same papers, the contacts with his manager have already been established. However, given his salary demands, I doubt he would join us. If he was available, I think many clubs would be after him.