Player of the Decade: Alessandro Nesta?
By: cathal |
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Sorry for the lack of posts in recent days, I got rather embroiled in my home country’s Henry-incident which you may have read about (still hurts) and spent much of the last few days voicing my opinions on matters that may not be closer to my heart, but matters that certainly turned that way over the course of the week. I’m working on quite an exciting project for the blog too which I hope to unveil next week. Keep your eyes peeled for that. For now, I’m posing a poll with a difference to you. A fortnight or so ago, the Offside bloggers were asked to give their opinion on the top 20 players of the decade that is soon to be passed. I put forward a potentially controversial candidate for my “Player of the Decade:” Alessandro Nesta. Call me biased, but he just so happens to be an ex-laziale. Am I an idiot? You will decide.
Firstly, I would like to point out that compiling a list of this nature is no easy task and it took numerous hours of thought. One of the main problems I had was how I should judge the players; on their ability? On their achievements? On their personalities? On their influence on the game? There are various slants one could take. However, as I considered all these factors, I quickly realised that Ale’ ticked all the boxes. As the likes of Zidane, Messi, Ronaldo and Henry (angry face) top the majority of people’s selections, I ask myself two questions; have they delivered for a 10-year period and are they regarded as being among the best in the world? Well, the aforementioned names are similar in that they are all attack-minded players who will rarely be mentioned in the same breath as a certain Brazilian and an overweight Argentine. On the other hand, if I asked you all to name me the best defender of all time, many of you would say Nesta. I know you would and therein lies the difference.
He is quite simply an astonishing act; a defender who can read the game like a book, who delivers every time he sets foot on the pitch and a guy who rarely makes a mistake of any importance. We are not talking about someone who has yet to peak here or a man who likes to headbutt his opponents in World Cup finals or even a player who can destroy a reputation with sleight of hand. We are talking about a model professional, a true great who has achieved as much as anyone in the game. He has almost literally won everything, having been Serie A Defender of the Year on five occasions, in UEFA’s Team of the Year on four occasions and he is one of an illustrious bunch in the Fifa 100. Did I mention his Scudetti, three Coppa Italias, the UEFA Champions League or the World Cup? I think I’ve proved my point.
The rest is up to you. Does anyone out there dare to disagree with me? Do you think another ex-laziale would be a better candidate? Or do you believe my bold choice is the correct one. Vote below and let me know. Forza Lazio!
Alessandro Nesta: “Player of the Decade?”(polling)
Category: PollsSomebody Snap Up Sinisa
By: cathal | 7 Comments
Over the course of the weekend, I asked you to choose your successor for Ballardini should he be shown the door at Formello and we have a comfortable winner. It seems many fans are hoping and praying for the return of a former legend and if the choice is between Edy Reja and the volatile Sinisa Mihajlovic, it really is a no-brainer for some people. Is our hearts ruling our heads on this one or do people genuinely think Sinisa can do a job for us? That’s a tough question to answer.
For me, the left-footed wizard never got a proper shot at things in Bologna. The team was poor, they were relegation candidates at the very least and I think what he achieved there in his short managerial stint was respectable. In saying that, the challenge of taking the reigns at Lazio would be a colossal task and one I don’t think he is ready for. What I feel we need now is an old, wise head on hardy shoulders; someone who has been down every road and seen it all. I think one of the greaest obstacles with Ballardini is that despite his obvious intelligence, he hasn’t experienced a crisis of this nature in his career before and he is stumbling. Legend or not, if Davide can’t hack it, I can’t for the life of me see how Sinisa can. One for the future perhaps but I think what we already have is better.
As for Reja, he fits the bill aside from two potential problems. Firstly, I don’t rate him highly as a coach although he has all the essential qualities I think we need. The fact he likes to roam around a bit is not exactly a negative at present but he has carved his reputation from being an excellent Serie B coach and you have to wonder if he has the class to push us up the table. Secondly, he is still contracted and will cost some cash; not much, but I think there may be one or two free options that could be better. Would I prefer him over Sinisa though? Yes, every day of the week.
I already said it last week but I’ll say it again, if it was my decision, I would stick with what we have got but if the gaffer is sacked, my choice for the job would be Walter Novellino. Over the last ten years, I think he has shown that he is a good option and worth consideration. He lead Venezia into A, then Napoli, then Piacenza and finally Sampdoria where he had a very successful five-year spell. Torino brought its ups and downs and a terrible start to the season cost him his job at Reggina but I still feel he would have the experience to do a solid job with us. Forza Lazio!
Category: PollsDavide Ballardini: The Verdict
By: cathal | 6 Comments
A couple of week’s ago, I asked you to vote on whether you thought Ballardini was responsible and should be held accountable for Lazio’s poor run of form. Since then, the situation has only worsened but I think it would be fair to say that the tifosi are somewhat split and undecided. 62% of you thought he should be given more time or that his dismissal would make no difference whereas 35% of you want to call time on the coach with half of those voters asking where Delio has been hanging out recently. Thanks for all the votes; this is what I think of the situation.
I’m with the slight majority. Since his appointment, I have not been able to grasp what the new “project” is and why Davide was selected to oversee it. However, Ballardini is a renowned youth coach who is partially responsible for a vast number of underage talents emerging in Serie A. At Cagliari and Palermo, he took sides who were slowly degressing and pulled them out of their respective holes. He brought the best out of their youth, worked wonders tactically and managed to take them to very respectable league positions. He has many positive attributes and all the credentials needed to take this Lazio forward but it hasn’t happened. Nevertheless, my finger doesn’t point at the bald man with the sunglasses but rather the balding man with the lighter spectacles.
Why? Firstly, it is Lotito’s responsibility to pick the right coach and if Davide is guilty of anything, he is guilty for being the wrong coach to walk into Formello at the wrong time. The summer was a disaster; Claudio went out and blew the transfer kitty on Zarate, made things personal between himself, Pandev and Ledesma (rightly or wrongly) and compromised the overall side by not bringing in good players for key positions. For this, I do not hold the coach responsible. As a result, Davide has had to choose between Baronio, Manfredini and Perpetuini for his midfield, a choice I believe he has got correct and in addition to this, he has had very little to work with in attack. Putting that aside for the timebeing, he has also had to choose between a Brazilian who is low on confidence, a 36 year-old centre-back who can no longer defy age and two inexperienced whippersnappers who are on the verge of great things but still falling short. His hands have been tied by the president and I am not sure what he is supposed to do; at least until January.
I think the lump that stuck in many a fan’s throat was the decision to leave Foggia on the bench regularly. There is no doubt that Pasqualino is a fan favourite and the type of player who can change a game in a second but Davide has worked with the Napolitan long before they renewed conversation in Rome and questioning his judgement on this issue is difficult for me. Perhaps he has got it wrong but in the last couple of games, the little guy has done nothing of any relevance. Then again, not many people have which begs the question; do the problems extend beyond the coach and on that one, I can say “yes” without hesitation. The atmosphere is atrocious, otherwise, there would be no ritiro and as far as I am aware, Ballardini has no magic wand. We simply have more problems than you can shake a stick at.
Thus, I will stand by the eyewear guru. A change of coach may benefit us in the short-term but if we want to rediscover the glory days, we need to be prepared to walk a long, hard road with a young, talented coach who can deliver the goods. In time, I think Davide will prove he is the man; I just wonder and ever so slightly doubt if he will be given that opportunity. Which brings me to this week’s poll; I want you to choose a possible successor from the two most likely candidates; Edy Reja and Sinisa Mihajlovic. If you have the time, please explain your reasons in the comments section and on Monday, I will reveal the results and voice my opinion. Forza Lazio!
Out of the Two Frontrunners, Who Would You Pick; Reja or Mihajlovic?(online surveys)
Category: Polls
Tags: Ballardini, Baronio, Cagliari, Foggia, Ledesma, Lotito, Manfredini, Mihajlovic, Palermo, Pandev, Perpetuini, Polls, Reja, ZarateThe Primavera
By: cathal | 4 Comments
As many keep asking and as goal.com did a feature on it, I felt it’s about time I did my own segment on it. I must admit, the Primavera is not something I keep close tabs on, mainly because it’s difficult to outside of Rome but I’ll do my best. Here it goes:
Antony Iannarilli
Antony is a first-teamer but is only deployed to make up the numbers. At such a young age, it’s very difficult to judge a goalkeeper’s ability but with Carrizo unlikely to return, the French-Italian may find himself shooting up the ranks. I would like to see him get a proper shot at some point but obviously that is not going to happen this early in the season.
Alessio Luciani
Alessio made his brief Serie A debut against Fiorentina recently and is one of the main protagonists of our Primavera side. Luciani is a decent age now (approaching 20) and while I think there is definitely a back-up spot for him at Lazio, I’m not sure how long he will accept being Kolarov’s understudy. Does he have the talent to usurp the Serbian? No, I don’t believe so but it would be nice to see him make the step up and chip in with the odd performance. A good player but not enough potential to get too excited about him just yet.
Alessandro Tuia
Currently playing in Italy’s third tier for AC Monza, Ale is not getting too many chances to show that “huge” potential that has been expressed. The next Nesta he is not but he is still very young, especially for a central defender and his trip out on loan will certainly do him good. However, the guy needs to play regularly and next season, when he returns, he has to go back out somewhere he can get a significant amount of game time. My hopes for him are still high but they are certainly fading.
Marco Davide Faraoni
Honestly, I view MD’s injury as one of our biggest losses this season. The right-back, who can potentially play in the centre and also as a winger is supposedly a huge talent and possibly one of the factor’s behind the decision to let De Silvestri go. He will be sidelined for another 4-6 months but I truly believe he was on the verge of a first-team breakthrough and I feel he will make his mark on Serie A next season. It’s a tough ask to put Lichtsteiner out of the side but in Faraoni, I think we have the talent to do so.
Riccardo Perpetuini
The versatile midfielder has had occasional opportunities to show what he can do this season and I have to admit, he has surprised me. I think in terms of ability, he is fairly limited but I think he can develop into a very useful squad player; a dependable set of legs for an injury crisis. His adaptability is a key facet to his game and I assume we will see plenty more of this kid over the remainder of the season.
Federico Sevieri
This is the one youth player I am desperate to see in action. At 18, he is still very young but is technically a member of the main team. I expect to see him get a chance fairly soon as he is well-regarded by many but other than what I’ve heard, I have no idea what kind of player he is aside from the fact that he is a midfielder. I really want to see this player.
Jacopo Sciamanna
Jacopo is the main forward of our Primavera at present. He has been banging in goals in various youth competitions for a number of years now and started this season impressively. The competition in our forward line is ridiculous but with only three players assured of a role, Sciamanna could well be in line for a promotion if he keeps playing like he has been of late. It will be by no means easy, but I have more confidence in Jacopo than I do in the others.
Lorenzo Cinque
Lorenzo made a big impression a couple of seasons ago with his goal tally after virtually taking up calcio as a teenager. Injury problems have blighted his development but many big guns were chasing him with Cinque rejecting all advances. Hopefully he can put his issues aside very quickly and make the step up that he should be capable of.
Libor Kozak
Libor has been criticised immensely but I have never quite understood why. He was relatively prolific last season and featured in a couple of Serie A games at the end of the year. At Brescia, he has played almost all games in some shape and form and has already got his name on the scoresheet. I fully expect him to be the eventual replacement for Cruz and I think we have a very useful forward on our books.
Ettore Mendicino
He made quite the quick impression in a pre-season friendly against Liverpool but has done little of note since. Yes, he is young but top strikers should find their feet in Serie A in no time and Ettore did not look at home at all. He is currently on loan at Crotone and there has been nothing to get our knickers in a twist. I think he could be a decent utility player at best.
I would estimate that four or five of the above names will make it in the top-tier; I just question if they will do so with us and if so, to what capacity. Forza Lazio!
Category: Team NewsGabbo: Never Forgotten
By: cathal | 11 Comments
Forever in our hearts and minds.
Gabriele uno di noi!!! Forza Lazio!
Category: Team NewsStung
By: cathal | 3 Comments
Due to an invasion of wasps in my kitchen (I kid you not!) it was impossible for me to get a preview out there on time but where I was lucky to evade any harm, Lazio found themselves stung by a superior Milan side. With another international break looming, there is no quick-fix to this situation and our boys will have to take a long hard look at themselves over the next two weeks, wipe the slate clean and start again. That is easier said than done but we no longer have a choice; the result must come.
I’m sick of saying this but I’ll say it once more and be done with it; yet again, we were not played off the park but as always, the creativity and cutting-edge factor eluded us. The result in itself was by no means shameful. We lost the corresponding fixture by three goals last season and today was certainly a marked improvement on that effort but when you haven’t won a league game for as long as you can remember then that means relatively little. The fixture list doesn’t get any easier and I have no choice but to concede the fact that our backs are against a rather hard, cold wall and it is going to be one hell of a fight to even make a proper fist of it.
The problems are evident. It is only minor details that everybody appears to be disagreeing on but I don’t think we are going to see any major shocks over the break. Pandev will not return, the chances of Ledesma entering the fold are slim at best and most probably none and I have severe doubts that Ballardini’s sacking will come any time soon but that will be discussed later. For now, we will have to prepare to endure another ritiro and that means an absence of any noteworthy in-camp news. The joys of being a laziale. Forza Lazio!
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Reaction:
None; silenzio stampa.
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Highlights:
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Pictures: None at Lazialita, trying to find Reuters. If you find any, please post in comments box.
Category: ReviewsIpsa Facto
By: cathal | 15 Comments
It might not be the most exciting of rumours and perhaps not the most convincing either but in recent days, there has been much speculation that Lazio are chasing 23 year-old Kristijan Ipsa; a Croatian centre-back who currently plays for Danish side, FC Midtjylland. I’d be lying if I said I knew this guy like the back of my hand but having checked out his credentials, he is certainly an intriguing prospect.
After missing out on Bengtsson over the summer, it is no surprise that we are being linked to another young and hot prospect in Scandinavia. There is a firm media belief that Ballardini is searching for the next Kjaer and on first glance, Kristijan fits the bill. In terms of stature, he is around the same height as Radu and you begin to wonder if we would look to pair them together. His career is actually fairly impressive considering his age; as a teenager, he broke into the Varteks side which he followed up with a short stint with Cottbus in Germany before moving to the formidable Danish side. He has a significant number of underage national caps too so I don’t think his talent can be denied. As always, the big question marks will surround his compatibility for Serie A but Croatians and Scandinavians have always done well in Italy so I can’t see any particular reason as to why a Croatian with experience in Scandinavia would fail. He definitely looks to be one for the future; it’s just a question of how keen we are and if we have the capabilities to seal the deal.
As a fan of calculated risks, I’m all for this one but whether or not he could be the top notch centre-back we are all hoping for remains to be seen. Forza Lazio!
Category: Team NewsHanging Our Heads In Shame
By: cathal | 5 Comments
What have we all done to deserve this? Lazio succumbed to a killer 4-1 defeat at the hands of Villarreal in a game that quickly became excruciating to watch and got progressively more painful. It was my intention to bring you a LiveBlog but having been delayed and returning home to a 3-0 deficit, I could not muster the courage. Where do we go from here?
There are various incidents of the game I could focus on but I think they have already been discussed so to cut a long story short:
The referee? Yes, he was dire.
Baronio? He was an idiot but the sending off was still farcical.
Ballardini? Let’s discuss that one later.
Lotito? Let’s not.
We have issues and if you haven’t realised that by now, you have gone into hibernation way too early. However, it seems to me that people are very much forgetting about the fact we conceded four goals, played the majority of the game with the same number of men and couldn’t take a single chance to save our lives (well, maybe one). Of course our luck is part of the issue or issues but as I’ve said time after time in the last few weeks, if you’re going to miss the simplest of chances, you are going to lose games. Once again, it happened and in spectacular fashion. It is the minor names that are shining right now and it is the major stars who are failing to make the grade and for that reason, we are starting to look second-rate. When Baronio is the showstopper or Mauri is the creative spark, you know that wounds lie beneath the surface and until we stop the rot, these wounds won’t heal. One day all the elements will come together and that day can’t come soon enough. Hopefully Milan are the ones to fall. Forza Lazio!
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Reaction:
Silenzio stampa is still very much in force and one could argue that it has been reinforced. Seemingly the club believe they were mistreated by Villarreal and a few words could be had with UEFA. As for any insightful thoughts on the match, you will have to conjure up your own; our media men are not feeling talkative.
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Highlights:
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Pictures: http://www.daylife.com/photo/0fqxbwza4OfCh
Category: ReviewsDrawing Blanks
By: cathal | 34 Comments
Laziali across the world demanded a response yesterday and found nothing. We may have picked up a point against our mercurial foes in Siena but it does little to relieve the pressure, strain and just about everything else that makes it difficult to get out of bed these mornings (or afternoons if you’ve hit that point). Under normal circumstances, the die-hard statisticians would see this as a point gained rather than two points lost but when your current stats are gloomy to the point where you can barely look yourself straight in the mirror, it is of little consolation.
The key to picking up three points yesterday was keeping Maccarone quiet but our boys, and in particular, Siviglia, made him look like Sammy Eto’o. You can understand nerves at this time and a lack of confidence but when you know the opposition has one threat and (with all respect to the Tuscans) one threat only then you have to keep the danger at bay. Sebastiano was handing Massimo belated birthday presents all day long, one of which ended in a horrendous goal and another should have ended in the dismissal of Muslera, if I’m being honest. From the little I saw, two players derailed our comeback yesterday and of course, one of them would have to be our most experienced centre-back. Good omens for Villarreal. Not.
As for our tactics, I thought we had it spot on prior to the game. Rocchi has been so poor recently, he deserved to be dropped and I thought Cruz would be able to hold the ball up, bring Zarate and Foggia into the game and feed off their scraps. It seems that plan failed and for an attack that many hailed as one of the best in Serie A to be misfiring in all cyclinders is frankly unforgivable. I realise Maurito is suffering from a bad case of second season syndrome, I understand Tommaso is probably past it, I’ve noticed that Julio lacks fitness and I appreciate that Pasquale tends to resemble a lost sheep all too often but surely we can sort this one out at the very least? It’s frightening. We can’t miss Goran that much surely?
Next up; Villarreal. At least we have a table there that we find ourselves in the top half of. Having lost touch with that ridiculous 13 team pack in Serie A, we need to grab something in the Europa League. A single point would put us in a great position; that needs to be the aim. Small steps and perhaps we can escape this mess. Forza Lazio!
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Reaction:
http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2009/11/01/1597854/lazio-impose-press-silence-following-draw-with-siena – technically a reaction but it looks like we may have to cut this part of the review for at least a few weeks…
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Highlights:
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Pictures: http://www.lazialita.com/VisualizzaSezione.asp?IdArticolo=6088#
Category: ReviewsSiena – Lazio
By: cathal | 11 Comments
Tough times could be about to get tougher as a troubled Lazio side travel to an unfavourable hunting ground to take on the only Serie A side who are having it worse than us; Siena. With a poor away record against the Tuscans, we haven’t got much to lose here but considering the current situation, there is absolutely everything to be gained. It should be a fascinating but nervy encounter.
It is difficult to know how we should approach this game today but I think the key is to not get caught in two minds. We can go for the tactical masterclass; stifle Siena as best we can and hit them on the counter or we can throw caution to the wind, go for it and see what happens. As long as everybody is on the one wavelength, we have a chance. I would tend to opt for the latter option. Matuzalem is suspended which is probably going to force Ballardini to play 4-3-3. It looks as though Rocchi will be dropped in favour of fielding Cruz up on his own, flanked either side by Zarate and Foggia. Mauri, Baronio and Brocchi should form a midfield trio with Radu and Siviglia stationed behind them. Kolarov, Lichtsteiner and Muslera completes the line-up. Here is what I expect in full:
Lazio (4-3-3): Muslera, Kolarov, Radu, Siviglia, Lichtsteiner, Mauri, Baronio, Brocchi, Zarate, Cruz, Foggia.
As for Siena, they are not the plucky side of last season. Giampaolo has recently departed which should work in our favour and key players such as Kharja have also came and gone. The main man is obviously Massimo Maccarone and we will need to keep him quiet if we want to control the game. All in all, there is not much to be afraid of but there never was in previous seasons and picking up points here has always been a struggle. Nevertheless, I think they will be more afraid of us than we will be with them and with some much needed luck, this can be the beginning of a fightback. Forza Lazio!
Previous Encounter: Siena 2-0 Lazio (Calaio’, 25, Maccarone, 85)
Last Season: As above
Stream: www.myp2p.eu
Category: Team News
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