Taking a break on zero

No sooner has Serie A begun than we find ourselves on an extended break for internationals. In terms of the action, the situation is far from ideal but it provides calcio fans with the perfect opportunity to take stock of the opening day and assess or reassess the season that lies ahead. Whether or not the perfect opportunity is one our tifosi are enticed into taking is a point of debate.

I am always of the opinion that it is better to win ugly than to lose gracefully and sadly for me, we did the latter on Sunday. Sampdoria, who looked rusty at times, particularly in the first half, eventually managed to find enough reserves in the tank to grind out a 2-0 victory and consign Lazio to the bottom of the table.

There is no shame in losing to a side who seem to lose home games as frequently as we find solar and lunar eclipses nowadays. However, many had seen a chink of light before the game only to see it fade into darkness in the space of ninety minutes.

The positives? Hernanes, our midfield maestro looked threatening and dangerous and imposed himself on the game from the off. It must be taken into account that the Brazilian was the most conditioned player on the field after a hard season in South America but nevertheless, he demonstrated plenty of craft and guile. The brief cameo of Cavanda was also heartwarming as he looked at home in Serie A and I also thought the work rate and ambition of our players in general was excellent, at least up until the first goal.

The negatives? Our defense was utterly shambolic with our entire backline getting booked within the duration. Radu made countless individual errors that were uncharacteristic for him. Our midfield also became easily congested which left Floccari isolated in attack. It was far from the type of performance we expect from Sergio but I would like to think he fell foul of the system. Speaking of falling foul of the system, Edy Reja and the fourth official had another disagreement which saw him back in the stands awaiting verdict. Unfortunately, he was as guilty as sin, yet again.

Next up, Bologna, and a game where three points would merely class as satisfactory.