Well, I don`t blame him actually. It rarelly happens for a rookie in Serie A to have such an immediate imact on the team. It only happened with Kaka, Ibrahimovic and few others in recent years. And then here comes an anonymous kid from an Arab club and suddenly creates havoc for oposition teams.

In case you don`t know the details regarding Zarate`s situation with Lazio, here is the short version: Lotito signed him on loan from 3 mil euros from Al Sad. Also, he obtained a the right to purchase all his right until 30 April 2009. However, it appears that Lotito has no intention to wait until that date but will try to make the move by the end of the year at mos. He will have to pay Al Sad an addition sum of 18 milion euros which in total makes 21 mil euros i.e. making Zarate the most expensive player in post-Cragnotti era. In support of what was said so far goes the visit of Mauro`s brother and manager Sergio who had meetings with Lotito during last week. Mauro will get a pay raise, thus earning some 1.5 mil euros per season. The same amount is expected for Goran Pandev.

This time I am convinced that Lotito is doing the right thing. By tying Zarate and Pandev to long contract he will ensure that we have one of the best attacking duos in Serie A for years to come. Both players are still very young and will without and doubt mature as their career progress.

Our friend aquila from Lazio forum at Xtratime has dome a great job regarding player statistics picked up at paper editions of la Gazzetta delo Sport. I am therefore sharing it with you. Comments appearing beside player ratings are his and not those of GdS. He only presented players who have played most of the games, so no Matuzalem or Inzaghi. You may, or may not agree with these marks.

Carrizo 5,79 (matches played 7): at Lazio has still to show why he is Argentina number 1 goalkeeper.

Kolarov 5,9 (5): Defensively he has not played better than Cribari or Rozehnal, but sometimes Lazio only weapons came from his shoots.

Foggia 6,29 (7): Pasqualinho has showed that he could really be the extra gear of this season’s Lazio, if he keeps up playing this way. Perhaps even Lippi could realize that… Nah, let’s not exaggerate now.

Ledesma 6,36 (7): I really hope he says “**** off” to his agent and signs the extension. If not, after losing a certain Nesta (Veròn, Simeone, and almost the entire Coppa Italia winning team in 2004), it’s not that I would do hara kiri. Important player, anyway.

Zàrate 6,64 (7): Lazio cover man in this beginning of season and still Serie A top scorer. I only hope Rossi will not costrain his pure talent with some weird tactical decision. Maurito must be left free.

This is the question that has been bothering me for the last couple of days. The return of captain Tommaso Rocchi against Bologna may see Delio Rossi use the so long awaited tridente: which in practice means to play at the same time Rochi, Zarate and Padev. Playing the three of them at the same time will require some sacrifices from Zarate and Pandev who will have to return back to assist other midfielders. Take that for a fact. Then the question arises: can they be as productive in creating chances/scoring once they will have extra work to do ? That will require physical activity in defending, rather than concentrating in creating and scoring. I honestly don`t know.

What I know for sure however is that Pasquale Foggia, in such a case would have to transfer to the bench. Because Ledesma and Brocchi are starters for sure and at this point coach Rossi is using Mauri as a substitute for the injured Matuzalem.

In other news, it seems Mourad Meghni can`t get a rest from injuries. He got injured again and will for sure miss for some weeks at least.

If nothing else, the last 2 matches we played against Atalanta (for Coppa Italia) and Lecce showed that Stephen Makinwa is a surplus to Lazio requirements this season, especially because of the fact that we do not play in Europe (i.e. less matches).

Makinwa and Inzaghi

Not that I did not know this fact before, but the form of Simone Inzaghi and his impact in the said two matches confirmed what I said in the beginning. While the date when Makinwa scored official goals for Lazio is a forgotten issue, Inzaghi capitalized of the chances given to him and made a splendid assist to Pandev vs. Atalanta and then scored such an important goal against Lecce.

In fact, I consider Makinwa`s arrival to Lazio a huge mistake from the very beginning. If he was that good, Palermo would not had let him leave in the Summer of 2006, when we signed him in co-ownership deal. And then the biggest mistake: in 2007, after Zamparini and Lotito failed to find a solution regarding him, they entered into bidding and Lotito made a higher bid and overall the player cost the team some incredible 6.7 mil euros (considering his contribution of course. Delio Rossi should have never insisted of brining him. He wasn`t that good even from Atalanta time, but since coach Rossi coached him back then, saw him something that the rest of didn`t.

Nevertheless, it appears that Delio Rossi has understood that it is hopeless to insist and play Makinwa, even as a reserve player.

Let`s make something clear, it is not that I like Simone Inzaghi either, but for the time being Makinwa is in such a poor playing form that even someone like Simone is looking outstanding.

We face a tough test on Sunday as we play AC Milan at San Siro. Match will be played at 20;30 CET and will be our first night-match.

I think this will be a unique opportunity to finally beat AC Milan away, given their poor form and some important injuries: Nesta, Pirlo above all. However, this match should not be underestimated as Milan have a remarkable team and if they have their day they may well out-play every team in the world.

Delio Rossi continues to have missing Rocchi, Dabo, Firmani and Del Nero. Good news is that, yesterday, Matuzalem and Foggia  were cleared and are available for the match. Ledesma and Brocchi should start as usual in the midfield while Zarate and Pandev up front. I am eager to see how shall coach pick as a trequartista: Mauri, Foggia or even Meghni.

You can read here a full match preview from Channel4.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish a happy birthday to our team captain: Tommaso Rocchi.

Auguri capitano

The match just finished and another win for Lazio. The best way to being the new season. 6 points and a leader in the standing after 2 matches played.

Goals scored by Zarate and Pandev, one for each half.

Lazio formation that startes the match: Carrizo, Lichtsteiner, Rozenhal, Siviglia, Kolarov, Brochi, Ledesma, Meghni, Mauri, Zarate and Pandev.

Substitutions: Manfredinig for Meghni, De Silvestri for Brochi and Foggia for Mauri. All in the second half.

Highlight, match reports and goald later on.

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Ok, as promised you can read here the match report from Channel4. and Goal.com

Match highlights:

And finally a nice pic from the match after Zarate scoring his opener.

Should I apologize for not writing for almost a week or not ? Well I guess not because as you already know, nothing important occured in this period, of course because of international friendliess that took place yesterday and last Saturday. The forums and LazioFever.org and Xtratime.org (both forums I write at have been almos ‘dead’). Luckily these matches are past us by know and we can turn our attention towards our match against Sampdoria, to take place on Sunday at 15;00 CET.

Carrizo, Pandev, Lichtsteiner, Rozenhal and Radu are expected to return during this day and tomorrow to Rome after all of them featuring for their respective NT`s. I just hope none of them has been injured during this time and will regularly take part in training.

With regards to players not involved in NT`s, there is some bad new regarding Matuzalem, who happened to have picked up an injury in the training yesterday. Ledesma and Meghi also had some problems but after scans it was established that tha nothing serious and we expect they are ready against Samp. Results for Matuzalem are expected during this day or tomorrow at most.

So much for this day, I will catch with you tomorrow for a match previw and other news is something comes up meanwhile.

Late last night AC Milan announced through their web-site the Cristina Brocchi has joined SS Lazio. It being reported that the player, 32 years of age signed a 3 year contract with Lazio estimated to earn just over 1 mil Euros per season, thus joining top earning at Lazio, Rocchi, Zarate and Matuzalem. Brocchi is in a terrific physical shape after going through the entire pre-season camp with AC. However, after the latter club purchased Ronaldinho, Flamini and Cardacio, it became obvious that there was little room left for Brocchi to play with the team.

Brocchi will today (Friday) arrive to the Italian capital for the official presentation and it is more than possible that he may start against Cagliari.

Corriere dello Sport bring pictures of his arrival late last night at Rome here.

Brocchi`s arrival was quite vital given the fact that Behrami and Mudingayi left while Mutarelli is frozen from the first team.

While some of our players have returned from international duties with their respective NT`s (Rocchi, De Silvestri and Kolarov) some other have departed to feature for their NT in the friendles mid-week (Carrizo, Radu, Lichtsteiner, Rozenhal,Pandev).

On the mercato front, we are still after a central midfielder and also an attacker. Options for the time being inlcude Crespo and Bogdani from Chievo, who would come as an exchange for Makinwa who is wanted by the latter club. Injuries to defendants from Milan and Juve may see Stendardo move to one of those clubs and in case of his departure, Lazio will immediately sign Romanian Moti. There is also a possibility that Juve make a bid for Ledesma, knowing that he is a bit unsettled,

On the Coppa Italia front, we will be facing Benevento who knocked out Treviso after penalties. The winner of this match will then face the winner of Atalanta – Modena.

Another new of note is the death is A.S. Roma`s president Franco Sensi. RiP.

It is unfortunate that I will start this blog with a relatively bad occurrence that is ongoing with one of our most valuable player in the recent years: Cristian Ledesma.

In case you are unfamiliar with the story, it goes as follows: Ledesma wanted a review of his contract and set a deadline until 12 July for president Lotito to start negotiating new contract terms. Ledesma has every reason to ask for a pay rise and it appears Lotito was willing to do that. However, the 12th July came and past and no negations took place. Lotito justifies that since the player has a contract with Lazio until 2011, there was no rush for new negotiations as he had other, more urgent matters for the club, with which I totally agree. Now that Lotito has passed those issues and is willing to sit at the table, Ledesma says that he is not ready to discuss new terms and that next season will call Article 17 and move from Lazio.

Now even though I often disagree with Lotito, in this case I am totally by his side. Ledesma is already under contract and should have understood that Lazio was understaffed (because of Sabatini`s departure) and that Lotito was working alone to bring the needed reinforcements as well as departures and that the deadline is August 31st. Now why would you set deadlines to your club when you are tied to it for the next 3 seasons and when you already know that there is plenty of time ahead when you can discuss the issue.

Now that he heard Ledesma`s statement, Lotito, being a character as he is, immediately stated that the player may leave if he wants to and the club will find a replacement for him.

I really hope they manage to find a solution ASAP as Ledesma is the most important players in the schemes used by Delio Rossi.