Lazio – Milan

By: salvatore | September 20th, 2008

For as far as I can remember, the prospect of facing Milan has been something to worry about. No matter how strong a team we are, or how many great payers we have had at any particular time, we just can’t beat them. How bad is it? Well, the Biancoceleste have not beaten Milan since 1998.

1998!

That’s 21 meetings if you’re keeping track, 21. Obviously, not all of those have been losses, but I think the point is made: Meeting the Rossoneri has been a fucking mess.

Oh, and did I fail to mention that Lazio hasn’t won in Milan since 1989?

Sigh.

A quick look at the Serie A standings should inspire some confidence in a turnaround then, right? I mean, if Lazio fans were asked to script their ideal situation going into this game, they probably wouldn’t have written anything much different from reality. Let’s see, a mostly injury-free team (save Rocchi and Dabo), two great wins, an inspiring forward partnership that’s working wonders, a real keeper playing with authority, and a renewed sense of optimism among the faithful. In fact, enthusiasm is so high, close to four thousand Biancoceleste fans are making the trip to the San Siro on Sunday.

All of this is a marked difference from the last few years, of course, and it’s hard not to feel like the team is finally emerging from a difficult transitional phase.

Meanwhile, Milan, (as everyone knows) is in serious trouble. I don’t think anyone could have predicted a 0-2 start to their season, not with the kind of firepower they have at their disposal, but that’s where they are, desperate for a much-needed win. I won’t even pretend like I know what their problems are, particularly since I thought they looked fairly strong against Bologna, but the pressure is definitely on them. In fact at this point, you can pretty much say they’re playing to save Riommanista Ancelotti’s job.

Which begs the question, are we meeting them at the right moment? Are they really weakened, disorganized and unsteady? Or will Lazio walk into a trap and end up the sacrificial lamb for a team that needs to find itself and get out of the bottom of the table?

Any other opponent and I’d say the former without hesitation. But with our track record against Milan, and versus a team with three Ballon D’or winners, it’s never a good idea to get cocky. So I just don’t know.

Delio too has been pressed to say something cocky or arrogant, as if two wins was enough to justify being a prick. Maybe because he knows the history all too well though, or because he doesn’t want to jinx anything, he’s called it “just another test” instead.

Goran and the kid are getting all the attention going into this one, but personally, I think the game will be won in the midfield, and we might have caught a bit of a break there. The eternally underrated (and stoned looking) Andrea Pirlo is out for two months with an injury, and we’ve recovered Foggia and Matuzalem (both were doubtful this week). Personally, I would start Pasquale to take advantage of his speed, but Rossi is likely to keep using him as a type of energy boosting, super sub. The midfield will probably end up being Matuzalem, Ledesma and Brocchi then, with Mauri playing slightly behind Pandev and Zarate. Again, not my first choice, but to be fair to Stefano, he has played well so far this season.

The key may very well end up being hometown boy Cristian Brocchi. Broch’n'Roll was a beast against Sampdoria, running things down, defending well and even helping with the offense. He’s bound to be out to prove something against his former team, and he’ll be counted on to help contain some of their big guns.

Defensively, the Aquile have been solid two games in, with much of it attributable to the play of Carrizo, Lichsteiner and Rozehnal. Obviously these three need to be on the top of their games tomorrow. Milan may not be playing like a cohesive team right now, but they have an inordinate amount of players who can take a ginormous crap on us if they’re allowed time and space.

Patience, organization and toughness are needed then, and whether or not we finally turn around that horrific record against this team, I think we’re at least in the right mindset for the challenge.
Forza Lazio.

Probable formations (taken from Gazzetta. They list Gattuso starting for Milan, but isn’t he injured?):