Chievo – Lazio

By: cathal | October 28th, 2008

Lazio will travel to Verona tomorrow evening to take on a Chievo side desperate to pick up points to aid their survival campaign.

Cue another Bologna. Once again we face a team in turmoil. Chievo have only the one win to their name this season but they have managed a few draws and thus proven to be stubborn opposition. What made Bologna dangerous was they had a strategy and they had the ammunition to carry it out. Chievo will need to do the same to stop a (hopefully!) resurgent Lazio.

We are now in a crisis. Whether it is minor or major only time will tell but the bad news keeps on coming. If you thought one point in nine was unbearable, please refrain from reading the remainder of the next few paragraphs. Let’s get the suspension issue out of the way. Mauri and Foggia were both given two match bans yesterday for mouthing off to the referee after the Napoli game. A bit harsh I think you would agree, especially when that notorious cheat Gilardino got the same for his horizontal impression of Maradona. Since that ban was issued however, we have appealed and it has now been reduced to one game. Not so bad then but not exactly worth cracking open a bit of bubbly for.

Foggia and Mauri’s ban does leave us in quite the predicament. It means we have no trequartista available (Meghni is still injured). This seems to leave Rossi with two options. Makinwa and Mendicino are not logical choices (although both made the squad) so it seems Inzaghi could be the one. I throw my weight behind this concept; Chievo is made for Inzaghi to deliver. Option two is completely and utterly senseless if you ask me. What it would mean is that we would finally see the tridente in operation but it would also mean that an injured Rocchi would start the game. I don’t see the logic in risking Tommaso considering we have some big games ahead. I hope Delio thinks twice about this one.

The bans have not just been detrimental to the attack. In fact, one could say our midfield is screwed. Matuzalem is still out and Manfredini has picked up a knock too. Now, while some of you quietly rejoice at Sinostro’s misfortune, keep in mind that this means we have just the three midfielders fit and available; Dabo, Ledesma and Brocchi. I am worried about this as Ousmane was horrendous in the little time he played against Bologna, Ledesma has been horribly inconsistent and Brocchi can’t keep things going on his own. Cinelli has been taken as a back up but I just wonder if it would be a clever ploy to start him? I guess the alternative would be to move one of the wing backs into a midfield slot. Hardly ideal though, is it?

Cribari is unavailable too which means we should expect the old unreliable Rozehnal-Siviglia combination. Against the fast Chievo forwards of Pelissier and Esposito, this strikes me as suicide and in my opinion, this is where Diakité needs to be risked. The wing back selection is most definitely not a foregone conclusion. It appeared likely that Kolarov and De Silvestri would begin but with all this suspension/injury mayhem, I’m not sure anyone knows. What does seem obvious to me is that we need to deal with the Chievo attack because I feel they have yet to hit top gear this season. Chievo have individuals who have bagged a lot of goals in Serie A so we need to be wary. In saying that, we need to attack from the off. Another loss, dare I say it, is simply unforgivable.

Taking all this into account, it should be a beautiful game of football. It’s a dangerous tie for us but three points is necessary. I assume both sides will attack so I expect goals. Fasten your seatbelts because I sense a bumpy ride. Forza Lazio!

I would just like to finish this preview by remembering Vincenzo Paparelli. He was one of us and an unfortunate victim of stadium violence 29 years ago. May he rest in peace.