Get It On

By: cathal | November 12th, 2008

Let’s get it on and get it over with. Bring on the Rioma!

This is the kind of week that gets the blood pumping and the heart beating ferociously. To be honest, there’s nothing better than the Derby. In fact, do the test I do. List out all your vices on a sheet of paper and include the derby as one of them and see which one you can’t live without (i don’t really do that but if it helps put things in perspective…). I’m looking forward to this one to the point where I may actually combust. There’s so much at stake this time out; theoretically we could go top of the table and they could be in so much trouble that not even Spaghetti could untangle himself. Perhaps we should empathise (not sympathise) with their predicament. At -14, it must be damn cold down there!

They must be crapping themselves though. This is the first time all season that we (hopefully) have the ability to unleash the tridente for a full game. Combined, Za-Pa-Ro have managed a total of 15 goals in the league this season and to think they haven’t had a whole game together!? Compare that to Rioma’s top goalscorer, Panucci (2 goals). Enough said me thinks. However, I’m sure they will get by with Bullio Craptista, defender-turned-centre forward Cicinho and Riise, who is a constant threat in the penalty area (his own penalty area).

Don’t slag off Rioma in the build up this match. As they continually remind us, they are giants of European football and have turned in some highly impressive performances this season. Let me remind you of one game in particular:

Anyway, I’ll not continue to dwell on the game ahead as I have the preview to do that, but I thought it would be nice to reflect on the 19th of March 2008.

As great an occasion as this was, it will be, for the timebeing, symbolic of the rise and fall of Behrami. This was the day he wrote his name into Lazio history and as much as some would like to write him out of the script, he is the tragic hero of the latest chapter in our journey. But who can forget the emotion, the passion within those scenes? It was something quite spectacular; a last gasp goal, the difference between success and, well let’s face it, failure. It was the high point in a low season, where frowns became smiles, where sadness evolved into joy. Certainly one of the most memorable derbies in recent years and for all the right reasons. In the end, Rioma were simply:

It seems we will field our favoured eleven on Sunday although I will talk about this more in the preview. With all the media hype, some news does slip beneath the radar. However, what I do know is Foggia has had to miss training but from what I have read, expect him to come on as a sub on Sunday. Also, Lotito has jetted out to Argentina to broker a permanent deal for Zarate. Great move and I applaud the decision but surely if he has time to fly half way across the world, he could at least find a time slot in his seemingly busy schedule to discuss contracts with Pandev and Ledesma?

As you can see, there is much to be optimistic about. I admit it, I am a tad nervous but no matter what the outcome on Sunday, I know one thing for sure; Rioma ain’t winning no Scudetto:

And if there’s one thing you can always count on, it’s Lazio fans declaring their true feelings towards riomanistas on derby day:

Ok, ok, I think I’ll leave it at that for now. Sal should be about with a post tomorrow as I take some time to contain my excitement. On Friday, I plan to put up a post about streams which I hope some of you find useful in the lead up the big match and of course, on Saturday, there will be a preview made ever the more special in light of the opposition. Forza Lazio!