THE KEY TACTICAL | Serie A, Genoa-Lazio: an unblemished match to put pressure on the others

27.08.2023 Lazio vs Genoa Serie A

by Giorgio BICOCCHI

What to do so as not to talk about the transfer market until the end of May, about departures, farewells, bad moons (Luis Alberto), summer retreats which (also…) become a jumble, budgets, lack of sponsors and revenues and, lastly,… Flaminius? Simple, win at Marassi, beat Genoa, overtake Atalanta for a couple of nights, also put pressure on those in front of the Orobics…

This is the path to take on the rest of the Championship head-on, without conforming to those who (the infamous rotten frame of Rejana memory…) would like Lazio to be on the brink of the precipice and of perennial protest. Of course, it won’t be easy to beat Marassi, also returning the disgrace that the rossoblù inflicted on us at the end of last August, practically announcing the schizophrenic season we have experienced.

Some people object: but Genoa no longer has anything to ask for from the tournament… Well, that’s exactly the danger. Thinking (clumsily) that the rossoblù take to the pitch carefree, opening chasms in the face of our incursions. Nothing could be more wrong: partly because Marassi – by constitution – would also push idle mules, partly because Genoa (and their coach Gilardino) are serious people, not inclined to demotivation.

Therefore, to return to Rome with the three points, restoring momentum and meaning to the remaining five Championship races, we will have to play a flawless match. Hoping that Mandas is not disoriented by the pressure of Marassi’s bowl, that the defense holds its own in front of Retegui and Gudmundsson (two who would be more than fine in the slightly more autarchic Lazio that promises to be, of course…), that our midfielders can take away breath and space from the staid tandem of Badelj and Strootmann (tell Cataldi to stay alert if the Dutchman has a bottle of water in his hand… a legacy of past derbies).
In short, the feeling is that it won’t be an easy late afternoon. The hope is that Lazio will be on top of their game and know how to produce percussions and chances, especially from the waist up. As happened against the unfortunate Salernitana a week ago.

Then there is the referee chapter, unknown to most. Well, maybe we’ve been pitiful this season but it’s always good to remember that having 4 more points was enough to actually fight for a Champions League place. Those 4 points cheerfully snatched by Prontera, first in Salerno (from November onwards he directed only three matches in Serie A…) and Di Bello, then (returning to the field in a Catanzaro-Como, after the havoc committed in Lazio-Milan , punctually making mistakes again…). Championship uphill through our fault, agreed, but woe betide us forgetting how many refereeing horrors we have suffered…