Serie A: LAZIO-ATALANTA, Sunday, 23-08-09

Would be nice to be able to welcome back Foggia & Rocchi to the starting line-up.

That Atalanta team is certainly much stronger than last year, despite the loss of Flocarri.

Hopefully though with confidence high, we can get the 3 points.

it kills Ledesma to see that Baronio is excelling at the moment !!! have u seen the chants and the cheers for him yesterday against Elfsborg?

Yeah the fans recognized the effort he was putting in, still he is miles and miles from Cristian in terms of quality.

I really really hope we can keep the momentum going, the Supercoppa and the Uefa game showed how well we can play against even the toughest opponents when there's heart and effort.

Thing is with Baronio, he was a massive fan favourite back in 1998/99 and many fans including myself, really want to see him do well after so much disappointment. Really hope he continue his good form.

We must concentrate on shutting down Doni and Acqua and IMO everything will be ok. Not an easy game but we can do it!

not easy at all,but its the game where we can see our real potencial.atalanta is a solid team(better than maybe half of serie-a teams) and a victory will be great start(wich we are waiting),3 points are the only solotuion for us.by the way where can we whatch the game?

PER LA BERGAMO MERDA!!!

Let's start this season whit a win, whit passion and glory.
DAJE LAZIO!!!

I'm very optimistic for the new season. The way Balla handles things is far more great then Rossi. He has done a great team work, something that Rossi couldn't. When we are attacking we are dangerous from all positions and when defending the hole team is helping the defense. I remember now how much problems we had because of that in the past and of course the failed tridente. We all know which positions are weak and Lotito must do something to cover them up. I also hope that finally we will offload the deadwood that cost this team too much. Good that Zarate is back in shape, Mussy is numero uno, lich and Kolarov are also great. I must say that Baronio is playing decent and I'm very surprised because of that but lets face it, he is not Serie A material. I really don't know why Foggia is playing so little but my guess is that he isn't fitting Balla's tactical plans. Eliseu on other hand (even though he didn't played much) is disappointing. I simply didn't see anything from him and start to wonder me if except of economical nature is there anything else good about him. Its far too early so we will give him the chance. Now with Zarate, Foggia and Eliseu on left and none on the right I think we are little off balanced. We can't expect from Lich to handle the right flank hole game and either we will take someone in that position or we can adjust some of the players mentioned like Foggia (he already had games on the right side) and Eliseu.
It is very important to handle as fast as we can the disidenti situation. I think that both Pandev and Lollo will leave and Ledesma is back in game. Everybody here can agree that he is not my/yours favorite but i would definitively want to see him more over Baronio or Dabo.

Atalanta is far better then last year and they get great players on the mercato. However we are playing home and this should be an easy.

FORZA LAZIO FOR THE NEW VICTORIES

I actually don't see how Atalanta are better; I think they are worse. Doni is one year older, Cigarini is gone, Acquafresca is not as well rounded or dynamic as Floccari and is Gregucci as good as Del Neri? That remains to be seen.

It's still a difficult tie because we know they have talent and are yet something of an unknown. We need to focus on our game and not theirs.

Looking forward to finaly have the real season kicking off for us this weekend!

Jofo, just have to ask you one thing, (absolutly not acusing you of anything! just wondering) Did you think Rossi was a bad tactician when we where on top of Serie A after some rounds last season to, Or the season when we did our great finish to acquire the CL spot? Not saying Rossi was a super coach, but just think that it's maybee to soon on the season to say what real impact Balla has had on the team. If it's him who have got them acting in a much moore "team-minded" way or if it's moore on inspiration since it's this early in the season and they want to show their best sides. I definetly hope it's the former, and that we will have a great season to come with Balla but as I said I think it's a little to early to start evaluate him and compare him to Rossi. The team played great football under Rossi era some matches just to play like a Serie B team the other. So what I want to see from Balla before I praise him or pick on him for that matter is how he succeed to get the team to play with some kind of consictency in their game! And if he gives Foggia the starting place he deserves that will of course give him a little extra golden star

This will be a good test for us, as you said Atalanta is a little like us we don't really know where they're standing so this will be intresting. Hope to se Foggia from start, and why not a goal from Cruz so he comes in to it!

hope and think we will get the 3 points!!!

Ermin, Balla with Baronio and without Rocchi, Foggia, Ledesma and Pandev show me (us) that he is good motivator and players have different approach to the game. Maybe its only me but I don't see that in Rossi's Lazio. I don't say that he was bad but only that I see some positive improvements.

However, Forza Lazio

update last hour:

Zarate and Cruz won't be at the starting line up... Rocchi and Foggia will start upfront together, the formation will be 4-3-1-2, matuzalem will be the trequartista and the 3 dmc's will be Mauri (left), Baronio (center) and Brocchi (right), defenders will be the same as usual except Diakite which will replace Cribari's place from the last Europe League game..

surprise.. surprise...

I like Ballardini more and more, he's giving everyone chance to show up... and makes the opponent confuse on how to face our changing attackers..
Delio's last year formations were like a children's book, with big and bold alphabets and everyone could easily read (the tactics) from far far away... well, i still have to see more before make a conclusion whether Balla's tactics working or not... but i feel really positive about it...

If Broenco's last update is right - I am all for giving everyone a go but isn't it slightly worrying to go into the first Serie A match and still not really have a best formation or tactic and to be leaving out our best player when we've played just 2 important games? No one needs resting yet so how can you leave Zarate on the bench? Foggia should never be playing as a striker in a 2 man attack. That is just stupid including him in an unfamiliar position, especially when leaving a player as trequartista who isn't really accustomed to that, although Ballar obviously sees him there. In my opinion, however well we've done and however much we need to give time for the tactics and formation, Matuzalem would be better utilised in a deeper position if this 4-3-1-2 is the way to go.

I saw a report on Corriere saying that maybe Diakite and Radu would play CB, Dabo in mid, Foggia as treq and Rocchi in for Cruz. As much as that seems better than the formations above trialing Foggia as a striker etc, it still smacks of uncertainty, this stuff should have been tested in pre-season. Lots of us may have wanted Radu as CB and all the rest of it but how come you win the Supercoppa and a Europa game with essentially the same line up, then make wholesale changes for Serie A?

Unless of course the lineup tomorrow is what he has always had as his "best" starting line-up and we were essentially playing the Coppa games with some reserves

Maybe all these reports are just b******s and we are none the wiser

Whatever, I am just ranting a bit and slightly surprised that I am slating a formation that includes Foggia, but anyhow, good vibes are needed for the game so.....

Ballardini said that he sees Foggia as a second striker (a supporting striker, in that he can create and score). If he can play on the wing and as trequartista then could he play as a supporting striker? Probably.

Ballardini is very vague about who he will rest and as someone mentioned earlier, it's going to be unpredictable.

PS. he sees Foggia as being able to play as a supporting striker although he recognises that is not his best position.

Caxi wrote:

Ballardini said that he sees Foggia as a second striker (a supporting striker, in that he can create and score). If he can play on the wing and as trequartista then could he play as a supporting striker? Probably.

Ballardini is very vague about who he will rest and as someone mentioned earlier, it's going to be unpredictable.

PS. he sees Foggia as being able to play as a supporting striker although he recognises that is not his best position.

Interesting, and I think he has a point about Foggia's potential to ply his trade in a variety of roles, though Zarate in the Serie A home opener should start for me. Honestly though, impressed with Ballardini so far.

Muslera - Lichsteiner, Dhiakite, Siviglia, Kolarov - Baronio, Matuzalem, Meghni - Foggia - Zarate, Rocchi
this is how I would start tomorrow...main subs Eliseu, Mauri and Cruz
i would also like to see Radu getting some playing time...Siviglia is certainly the weakest link..

Let's hope we win this one, that would be a great start of the season. I think we'll win this one, we're better than Atalanta.

Forza Lazio

Matuzalem is struggling with fitness and I'd be massively surprised if he features tomorrow. He could only last 55 minutes on Thursday due to severe cramp so I don't think he will manage a full 90 three days later somehow. I think Foggia may come in and play as trequartista but let's see. Cruz is still gaining in fitness so I would guess Rocchi will take his place.

If anyone else will play as trequarista I bet on Mauri. Balla already tried that combination and Foggia can go to his natural left wing. However Atalanta and games as such were always a BIG problem for us so lets hope that we will show a good game.

FORZA LAZIO, Let the season begin

I have too say that we need to stop for a moment and just looking after what Ballardini has to offer for la Lazio.
In my eyes, Ballardini has only beeing the coach for a couple of games, in a few hours the season beegins for us.
Remember last season when we won some games and Zarate said in the media "We are going to win the Scuedetto!".
I'm maybe wrong but for me it's to early saying that Mr Ballardini is fantastic.

FORZA LAZIO!

If we win, we already improved compared to last season
Forza Lazio!!!

Skenderbeu wrote:

I have too say that we need to stop for a moment and just looking after what Ballardini has to offer for la Lazio.
In my eyes, Ballardini has only beeing the coach for a couple of games, in a few hours the season beegins for us.
Remember last season when we won some games and Zarate said in the media "We are going to win the Scuedetto!".
I'm maybe wrong but for me it's to early saying that Mr Ballardini is fantastic.

FORZA LAZIO!

Some enthusiasm and positivity wouldn't go a stray Skenderbeu!!!

2 important games he has been in charge of we have won the italian super cup and put ourselves in the box seat for the europa league..

So, i think you can excuse some of our fellow supporters for being positive and excited about ballardini...

A tricky opening day fixture for Lazio but I'm confident Ballardini will have the troops fired up and ready to kick off the campaign with a good performance, and hopefully result, at home. It won't be easy however as Atalanta are a good team with several quality players. They bet us twice in Serie A last season so I hope that will spur the boys on to defeat them this time round.

FORZA LAZIO!!!!!

Skenderbeu wrote:

I have too say that we need to stop for a moment and just looking after what Ballardini has to offer for la Lazio.
In my eyes, Ballardini has only beeing the coach for a couple of games, in a few hours the season beegins for us.
Remember last season when we won some games and Zarate said in the media "We are going to win the Scuedetto!".
I'm maybe wrong but for me it's to early saying that Mr Ballardini is fantastic.

FORZA LAZIO!

Skender,
Agree fully, its too early to say ,,,, serie A hasn't started yet. But so far it looks good, whether its because of Ballardini's coaching skills or the change of coach itself usually have some positive
effects on a team...

But anyway so far so good, so DAJE!!!!!