Serie A: LAZIO-SAMPDORIA, Sunday, 18-10-09

Lotito is taking ledesma and Pandev out of our team.
And Ballardini is taking out Pasquale Foggia, but anyway, we got 1 point, roma 0.

NON MOLLARE MAI!!!

Kurama take your medication fast...
Tell me one player with such statistic in attacking plan from today's match...No one is saying Mauri is a god , but today he had a very good game and it's beyond me why you folks are so stubborn to admit that... Even Manfredini was better , hahahahaaa

Wow. So many completely different opinions and views on things. I imagine all this must be confusing for the members that didn't see the game.

I think we made a solid performence against a solid side. But we were also very lucky with the referee, even if Baronio's red card was... well, strange. Could have been a penalty for them when Siviglia defended with the hand and maybe even a more clear one when Diakité made that tackle in the end of the game.

By the way, as usual on Olimpico we played some nice football in attack but didn't manage to score. In the long run I think it would be good to like at this a problem, because the same things happened against Palermo and Juventus. Not enough to play good if you don't score.

Our defence wasn't good. Siviglia on the flank is not exactly an ideal solution and we lost one dimension in our attacking game because of that. But on the other hand it's not his fault that we lack options when Lichsteiner is injured or needs a rest.

Diakite... well... he needs to improve in some areas, as Ballardini said after the game. IMO he was a risk during the whole game today and his errors nearly costed us a goal on two occasions (the missed tackle in the box in the first half and the penalty situation in the second). I don't really think that we have any central defender good enough for top ten i serie A, but at least we know what we get with Siviglia and Cribari in the middle. Radu and Diakite have potential but it's not very comfortable when they are in the middle.

Don't know what happened on the goal or who's fault it was. Looked like a tactical error for several players, as no one out of three didn't really know who to mark Pazzini. Looked like Diakite took a step back instead of one up to face Pazzini just before the cross, which maybe indicated he though someone else had him covered. Luckily that's not my job to analyze but Ballardini's. In either case was it was bad defending and kind of looked like the goals we conceded last season on set pieces, with no organisation at all. Until now I think Ballardini has been able to minimize those, which is of course posetive.

Nice goal. Fantastic by both Zárate and Matuzalem, our best players today. Zárate is fouriclasse. By far the most talanted player in our squad and by far the best player on the pitch today. Just outstanding. Can't remember when I saw him this good. But football is strange, because Pandev/Rocchi was a better duo then Zárate/Rocchi and we actually miss their magic right now. Even if Zárate by far is a better footballer and has the potential to become really, really good.

Mauri? Good game. Mauri and Siviglia must have something special that is not easy to see from here. Both Rossi and Ballardini put a lot of trust in them and gave them chance after chance. Rossi and Ballardini are two very different managers, but at least they have this in comman. In general I think Mauri has been bashed to hard during his time here, but I wouldn't mind Foggia taking his place. Both are good players, just happens that Mauri seems to be in great shape right now.

And then I just have to say that I think Brocchi did, as always, a good game. Very important for our game with his skills. I think Ballardini rates him very high and I think it's very important that he's back.

I missed most of the game, but take a look at these: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0posA5DxYQ0 highlights. everyone in samp is bashing the ref, but he was just as bad when judging decisions tahtc ould have gone our favor.

I dont get the bashing mauri, the day he actuallyb plays good ppl give him smelling as!"

Didn't get to see the game but saw highlights.

Overall I'd say it was a pretty good outing from Ballardini and the team. A bit unlucky not to get the full 3 points. Lazio look rejuvenated following the international break and the confidence and team spirit is still there.

Pazzini's goal should never really have happened though. Terrible defending. And his header was from how far away!?
Matuzalem's goal was nicely taken and nice assist from Rocchi too. Padalino's red card was probably deserved, second bookable offense - but Baronio's was ridiculous. Roberto clearly got the ball before making contact with that wanker Cassano (who completely over exaggerated the incident, but hey what do you expect from an ex-Riomma player).

Lazio had more chances and really should have claimed all 3 points but still a 1-1 draw with Sampdoria is not a bad result considering the rich vein of form they're in. Lucky not to have a penalty given against Diakite. Disappointing not to see Foggia get some game time but I agree that this match wasn't for him but I'm hopeful he will play against Bari - especially that Baronio will be suspended. Great to see Diakite, Kolarov and Brocchi all back. Mauri looked great, as did Matuzalem and Zarate. Rocchi wasted a few good chances though.

Looking forward to the Villarreal match coming up. If the team keeps this kind of performance up then I'm confident a good result can be obtained against the Yellow Submarines.

FORZA LAZIO!!!!!

we have seriosly problems in attack(not only in defence like all of us was thinking before),and i dont understand from when matu and foggia must fight for the place in team(matu is the cllasical middle player,foggia is more ofencive),brochi-baronio(as a two defencive middle,matu,foggia as the ofencive middle(i dont see to much philosophy here).

Caxi wrote:

I still think a 4-3-3 with Zarate on the left, Foggia on the right and Cruz or Rocchi in the centre needs to be tried (Ed will no doubt agree with me )

Haha, yes I do Caxi! Seems to me to be the ideal use of our options in the forward areas, would make us a bit more adventurous and dynamic and would hopefully equal more goals which would bring wins. I still think you can have Matuzlem play deeper with 2 from Brocchi/Dabo/Baronio/Mauri, depending on how much defensive cover we need.

To be honest, I'm not going to criticise the substitutions and choice of formation and players again, we did enough of that in the chat. There were positive points from the game (as much as I saw through the stream freeze!), Mauri had one of his best games in a while, as did Matuzlem and Zarate was up to his old tricks, at least for a while, before sucumbing to the Lazio "ghost" problem.

The source of my negative comments is down to the 6 match winless run and the fact that we seemingly have some way to go to become anything like we all want. I just expect a bit more at home. After we equalised, yes we had chances, but we still allowed Samp to take control for long periods and we could have let in a couple of goals, the handball included. With an always vulnerable defence we are not going to keep clean sheets and that means scoring more than one goal a game to win, something we aren't doing.

Turning 1 point to 3 is going to require either an improvement from the forwards to score their chances, or a change in formation (4-3-3!!).

If Ballardini could reintegrate Ledesma i think this formation could work really well:

-------------------------Muslera----------------------------

--------Licht----- Diakite-----Cribari-----Kolarov-----

----------------Ledesma-------Baronio--------------

------Foggia----------Matuzalem--------Zarate-----

--------------------------Rocchi----------------------

If we had Pandev it would be even better.

just watched the highlights: what saves by Muslera... again proved he is a top goal keeper.. undeserved second yellow for Baronio..cassano is an asshole! we missed a lot of chances .. that could cost us the point in this game and will cost us many pts for sure in the upcoming games. we must improve our finishing - unforgivable miss by Cruz!

on the penalties - no PK on Sivigla - he is with his back towards the ball and his hand is low and near his body (his hand is in a "natural" position and Sivigla didn't touch the ball on intention, the ball is just shot into his arm). No PK on Diakite also as he is guarding the ball and plays shoulder to shoulder.. if the samp crybabies watched some Premiership games they would know this is something normal for a defender to do.

at the end... I'm sure Muslera is better than Klitschko ! What a K.O. !

The only argument I have with Caxi is that Zarate needs to make better passes. I don't feel like he often puts other players in good positions when he chooses to give up the ball.

I`m still waiting some good arguments about Mauri`s so called good performance. So far just some moments ...
Nothing about the fact that Kolarov was alone on that side.

i really dont know what you are talking about kurama. Mauri was solid passing a threat going forward, good marking had two GREAT passes that could have finished in goal if it were not for lousy finishing by our strikers. Good in the air!

Mauri was EASILY one of the best 3 performers of the samp match.

did you even see the game?