It’s not 100% but we are almost there. Our place in the 79th edition of the campionato di Serie A is almost booked. ‘Twas a fantastic win at the Marassi. Yet again we were forced to come from behind to do it but at least it shows we have some degree of strong character.

I’ll start with the negatives for a change, as there weren’t many. Palacio’s goal was obviously avoidable and highlighted why you can’t drop concentration for a second in this league. Had we been switched on (or not given away a foul at all) it wouldn’t have gone in.

There were a few wasted chances. Some were bad luck (Rocchi hitting the woodwork) and others probably should’ve been put away. Nonetheless, we won so it’s not a significant complaint.

Edy Reja sent off for the third time. I love the passion so it’s nowhere near as bad as Ballardini’s corpse rotting on the bench, but it’s hardly a good thing to be without your coach. The assistant must be loving the extra responsibility though and the chance to take on Mourinho next week.

Several positives stood out. Fernando Muslera made some stunning saves. Nothing new but that contract is awaiting your signature ‘Nando. Hurry up and ink the paper.

Speaking of ink, certain individuals have made pledges to get tattooed should our Calabrese executioner, Sergio Floccari, score 10 goals in biancoceleste this season. Il Boia’s goal tally has hit seven and with three games to go in the campaign, a certain Melbourne-based Lazio fan could find himself marked with an unsavoury image of our president. Sergio’s performance this afternoon was simply excellent as he covered plenty of ground, worked hard and scored a good goal against his parent club (which he celebrated for good measure). He is happy to stay and we are delighted to keep him. All that is to be done is for said presidente to pay the genoani come June. If places on the Nazionale italiana were decided by form and merit, rather than reputation, that I daresay this man should be going to South Africa. Sadly, he’ll probably join Fabrizio Miccoli and Antonio Cassano and enjoy what delights there are to be had on a pugliese beach in the hot Italian summer.

Tommaso Rocchi, playing up alongside Sergio, was again, fantastic. The man is not finished, not by any means. He is no longer scoring the goals he once was but for me that is purely down to the team’s decline rather than his own. He still finds and exploits space well, links with team-mates and leads from the front. One of the few who can be proud of his derby display, he again did well and was unlucky not to find the net. Daje capitano.

Moving back to the back, Andre’ Dias. I criticised this signing. To me, a 30-year old uncapped Brazilian defender, who had never played outside of Brazil was not a smart signing. Time and time again, he has proven me wrong. I can recall only one calamity, the goal which saw us lose to Catania at home. For good measure, that was his debut and error aside he wasn’t bad. Now he has adjusted to the Italian game and is proving to be a nuisance on set pieces. Provides a great option at the back and is becoming a popular figure in this Lazio side.

Simone Del Nero showed yet again that even though he barely ever plays, when he does he is a very reliable backup option. He is one of those very versatile and solid players who always gives a good performance even though he isn’t capable of the outstanding.

Finally, the tifosi who travelled. Fantastic colour, voice and dedication. They weren’t wanted in Genova by the authorities, but to hell with that. Contro tutto e tutti, la Lazio siamo noi!

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This week I’ve got a couple of points I’ll look to discuss; the situation of Maurito Zarate and a look at Serie A in general including the big question that seems impossible to avoid – ‘do we or do we not aim to beat Inter?’.

In the meantime, we can sit back, relax and hope for a Sampdoria victory over Roma in about three hours time. I’ll even crack a smile for a draw.

FORZA LAZIO.

It was a season-defining match. I can’t speak on behalf of every Lazio fan but I felt both extreme depression and extreme elation while watching our amazing clash with Bologna.

Our start was woeful and we deserved to go 2-0 down. Giuseppe Biava got an unexpected start in an unfamiliar position and we clearly paid for that mistake. Biava was lost and was largely at fault for the first goal. Having said that, the fact that Guana had the time and space to blast home from the edge of the area was equally unforgivable and I hope Reja made the midfielders well aware that they mustn’t let that happen again.

I want to give a special mention of respect to Daniele Portanova. After scoring Bologna’s second, the Lazio fan refused to celebrate. He previously scored against us while playing for Siena and showed us the same respect. The pressure and importance of this goal though was much greater. True class always shines through and maybe one day Portanova will realise his dream of playing for us.

Then we woke up. Usually we wouldn’t get any rewards for waiting until we are two goals down before actually rising to the challenge but this was the one time when our pressure and persistence paid off. Rocchi came off the bench for the hapless Biava and we changed to a 3-4-3 system. Again, it was Mauri who turned it on. The trequartista got Lazio moving as he found space and created it with short passing and just before half time he pegged a crucial goal back. This was massive as it gave us momentum going into the second half.

We started the second at frenetic pace and was only a matter of time before we scored. Some near misses before Andre Dias bundled in his first Serie A goal. A good performance from the Brazilian and he finally found the net after coming close in previous matches. The winner came as Mauro Zarate (who improved markedly once Rocchi came onto the pitch) teed up Brocchi, who in turn back-heeled for Rocchi, who mis hit a strike past Viviano.

Game over.

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Some notes. Firstly a huge positive. The 3000 laziali who travelled north to Bologna were nothing short of fantastic and could be seen and heard throughout the match. It could’ve easily been 10,000 had the ticket allocations been greater.

Another positive – no one is suspended for the Derby. And Lichtsteiner will return from his ban meaning that we no longer risk another “Biava experiment”.

An impressive display from Rocchi, who changed the game when he came on, will give Reja a selection headache this week. Both Tommaso and Zarate look most dangerous when they are playing together, alongside Floccari. Will we see three up front in the Derby with Mauri in behind?? Or will such an attacking approach be too great a risk? Reja has to make the hard decisions.

Need I say – win the Derby and we’re 40 points and safe.

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For now, enjoy the win and stay tuned throughout Derby week.

Last week you probably read my post titled Avanti!, which discussed the way forward for Lazio and the system that I felt Ballardini would use as we sought to survive the relegation battle.

I honestly didn’t expect that, a week later, the ravennate would have been dismissed and replaced with a coach with a completely different personality and completely different ideas. It has happened though, so now I’m going to discuss the way forward for us again, Edy Reja-style.

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In terms of tactics, the team will almost certainly have a new identity under Reja. Not that that’s saying much, seeing as, under Ballardini, we didn’t have much of an identity at all. Mr. Reja has a penchant for the 3-5-2 system, and at his first training session yesterday wasted no time in preparing the boys to play in this formation. The 3-5-2 is one of the more unorthodox systems in football and this is why so few of the big teams use it today. Nonetheless, here at Lazio, we have the players to make it work.

Following our winter mercato, we now have six central defenders, leaving us with plenty of options for the back three. The ever impressive Radu is a certain starter, leaving the other five to fight it out for two places. If I was coach, I’d go with Stendardo and André Dias. The former is a solid and imposing defender who can contribute at set pieces, while the Brazilian impressed me at the weekend, despite being at fault for the goal. I feel that Diakité is more of a liability in a back three compared to a back four, so he can serve as backup with Biava. It’d take a severe injury crisis to make playing Siviglia acceptable now. I’m not sure who Reja will prefer at this stage, so we’ll have to be patient on that.

The wingbacks pretty much pick themselves. Kolarov will play on the left and Lichtsteiner will return to play on the right. Forrest Gump was banished to the stands last week for criticising the club’s management but the arrival of Reja has brought an end to the dissidenti and exclusion of players. The tactician made it clear before signing that he, and only he, would call the shots. I hope that doesn’t change.

In central midfield, we again have several players competing for just three places. The abolition of the dissidenti means that our regista will once again be Ledesma. The Argentine takes the keys from Baronio, who will serve as his backup. The mediano role will be a rotation between Firmani and the now-fit-again Brocchi , with Dabo the third man. Their role will be to break up opposition attacks and give cover to the backline while alleviating pressure and responsibility from Ledesma, allowing him to create. The third place should be filled by Matuzalem, who has also recovered from injury, with Hitzlsperger another option.

The makeup of our midfield will naturally change in accordance to the type of opposition we are facing and the situation we are in. In a match when we’re under pressure and perhaps defending a lead, expect one of Brocchi or Firmani to become crucial. If we’re facing a side who are sitting back and/or we’re in search of a goal, then we can utilise Hitzlsperger and Matuzalem together to give us more attacking potency. The one mainstay will be Ledesma.

Reja’s system does not make use of a trequartista. This inevitably means that the days of Stefano Mauri as a certain starter are over. In fact, with the options at our disposal in midfield, we probably won’t see Mauri much at all. When he is back from injury, Meghni will find himself in the same boat. Foggia is another who won’t feel very comfortable. It’s hard to see him fitting into the system, given his complete lack of a defensive game means he can’t play out wide in the 3-5-2.

Up front, it’s business as usual with Zárate and Floccari the preferred options and Rocchi and Cruz to be used as options off the bench.

In the now-redundant Avanti! post last week, I also discussed the mentality of the coach and the team. Reja, in making it clear from day one that he would be making all the football decisions, has shown that he brings a very different attitude to the club. Expect to see an animated Reja on the touchline and hopefully his coaching style will lead to a motivated side on the pitch. The requirements of Reja are simple: save us from relegation and honour the club, the city and the fans. I’ve got a good feeling about this coach.

In Reja we trust!

With five new players at our disposal and potentially one more, let’s discuss the way forward for this Lazio as we continue the path of survival.

Currently, we are entrenched in a relegation battle. With 22 points, we are well short of the target (40) considered as the benchmark for safety.

Our new additions give us a few more options. This is the case in defence especially, where we now find ourselves with six central defenders. Radu has been our best player this season for my money, and he will be assured of a starting place. This leaves Stendardo and new signings Biava and Dias to fight it out for the other. We’ll have to be patient with Dias though, as the Brazilian league ended over a month ago and he needs to regain fitness.

Don’t rule out a three-man backline either. One more positive is that we are unlikely to see Siviglia make too many more appearances in what will almost certainly be his final few months at the club.

Modibo Diakité has recently been deployed as a terzino destro (right back). He has done well there, as he has the strength, pace and defensive ability required. The Frenchman’s weakness has often been his poor positioning and lack of tactical awareness. As a terzino, these faults are less disastrous than when he plays in the centre.

Could this spell trouble for Lichtsteiner? The Swiss international has been linked with a move to England, or south to Palermo, in recent times. Given his close ties with the fans, it’d be sad to lose him.

Kolarov is another player who can provide various options to the coach. The dynamic Serb can play at left back, but can also be used in an attacking role and even as part of a three-man central midfield. However, without a real left back as backup, he will be used most often on the left side of a four man backline.

Roberto Baronio will remain a key part of the midfield at this stage. He is, quite simply, the only regista we have at our disposal. Or is he? There have been rumblings in recent days that a reintegration of Ledesma could be on the cards. The Argentine will be able to free himself from his contract in June and join an Italian club should he play less than five official matches. At the moment it is too early to say whether he will return, but it would add significant quality. For the record, Matuzalem has (not for the first time) called for Ballardini and Lotito to cut the crap, reinstate Cristian and focus on survival; an act which will see him fined by the club.

Completing the midfield, German international Hitzlsperger will jump straight into the lineup. He will be paired with a mediano, of which we have three. Presently, Brocchi and Dabo are injured, so Firmani will more than likely maintain a starting place.

Linking midfield and attack, Ballardini continues to persist with the frustrating Mauri. Don’t expect this to be the case for too long. Next week, barring any further misfortune, Matuzalem should return from injury. However, it is a mystery why Foggia hasn’t been given another chance. He can be equally as frustrating as Mauri but, when in form, he is sublime.

Up front, there will be no surprises. Sergio Floccari is back from injury and will start alongside Mauro Zarate. Tommaso Rocchi and Julio Cruz will serve as backups, depending on whether the coach wants an intelligent forward who finds space or a target man.

It is not merely a question of tactics, though. There is also the issue of mentality. I can’t sit here and say that I agree with Ballardini’s mindset much. Playing for one point rather than three isn’t an ideal way to go about your football. The Juventus game was fair enough. With the players we fielded, taking the game to the Old Lady was probably never going to work. In the end, despite horrible officiating, we snared a point.

The Chievo game before that though was a disgrace. Holding a 1-0 lead at home with less than half an hour remaining, you’d imagine a second would’ve killed the game off. With capitano Rocchi and Foggia warming up for the entire half and the team controlling the play on the park, a decisive sub or two could’ve led to a second goal and three points. Instead, Ballardini cut a disinterested figure on the bench as a Siviglia error ultimately cost us two vital points. Against Catania on Sunday, I don’t want to see such bullshit.

As for us fans, all we can do is continue to support Lazio and protest against the management. If you live in Rome, stand in Curva Nord each week, sign the relevant Sodalizio petitions and attend the relevant protests. If you live abroad, then just wear the biancoceleste wherever possible and never give up on following this great club which first brought football to Rome.

DAJE!

The mercato has now closed and Lazio welcome five new players to the eagle’s nest.

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Giuseppe Biava

The veteran defender has joined us on a two-year deal. He will be 33 in May so this is hardly a signing for the future, and it is hard to see him playing a major role with Radu, Stendardo and Dias all ahead in the pecking order. Nonetheless he adds depth and experience and will probably ensure the days of Siviglia will end with this season. Benvenuto Giuseppe!

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André Dias

The 30-year old Brazilian defender joins on a 3 and a half year deal from South American powerhouse São Paulo. He was a decorated player in his homeland, having won the league three times and in 2008 and 2009 he was awarded the Bola de Ouro, given to the second best player in the national championship. He is not a young player but should add something to our backline and maybe he will break into Dunga’s Brazil squad. Bem-vindo!

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Thomas Hitzlsperger

Probably our most exciting signing. We needed a midfielder of quality and we got one in the man known as The Hammer. The former Aston Villa player and Stuttgart captain has been a regular for Germany for six years and has over 50 caps. His form dropped considerably over the last few months and hopefully this is the fresh change he needs to rediscover himself. At 27 years of age, he still has plenty of football ahead of him. I look forward to seeing him smack goals in with that beast of a left foot. Wilkommen!

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Eyal Golasa

This is a controversial signing, but Lazio have officially registered the 18-year-old starlet, so for all intents and purposes he is a Lazio player. His former club, Maccabi Haifa dispute the validity of this. The deal is further complicated as in July, Golasa is required to enlist with the Israeli Defence Forces. At this stage I’m quietly confident these two issues will resolve themselves in our favour. The player’s technical quality is not in doubt though. At 17, he led Maccabi into the Champions League group stage and should step right into our side.

ברוך הבא

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Gonzalo Barreto

We have already presented the Uruguayan and his contract has now officially been deposited to the Lega, so he can begin playing for Lazio. Interestingly, he has been registered on loan deal, which has not been explained yet. He was said to have signed for 5 years.

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DAJE RAGAZZI.