A series of issues off the field looked set to distract the Biancocelesti prior to the start of the season but new coach Simone Inzaghi has already turned the central Italian side into a competitive unit.
Despite all the upheaval early in the season, Lazio have commenced the 2016-17 campaign in an impressive fashion and they find themselves in the battle for European competition.
Currently sitting equal fourth with Torino and Napoli in the Serie A table with 14 points after eight rounds, credit for the Aquile’s start to the season should be given to their coach Simone Inzaghi.
Although he was not expected to be coaching the Biancocelesti before the season started, he has managed to shrug off any off-field concerns and he has constructed a team capable of playing in a number of formations.
Originally Argentine tactician Marcelo Bielsa was meant to coach Lazio this season whereas the intention was for Inzaghi to coach Serie B side Salernitana, which is also owned by the Biancocelesti president Claudio Lotito.
Surprisingly Bielsa resigned as Aquile coach just two days into the job, claiming that sporting director Igli Tare and Lotito were not able to satisfy his requests in regards to the transfer market. Inzaghi had replaced Stefano Pioli for the remainder of the 2015-16 season and once again he had to step in to become the replacement.
In addition to the coaching dilemma, Lazio struggled to attract season ticket holders with only 11 people purchasing tickets on the first day of sales, star winger Antonio Candreva was sold to Inter, starlet Keita Balde wanted to be transferred, and the doubts on Ravel Morrison’s future at the club remained.
Despite all these issues before a ball was kicked, Inzaghi’s side commenced the season in emphatic fashion by leading 3-0 at half-time away to Atalanta before going on to secure a 4-3 victory.
Since losing 1-0 to Juventus in Week 2, Lazio have won three matches, drawn two, and were defeated just once. Inzaghi has usually alternated with the 4-3-3 and 3-5-2 formations but he also used the 4-2-3-1 formation in the 3-0 victory against Udinese in Week 7.
Regardless of which formation is used, there have been a few players who have performed well or found some stability this season.
Ciro Immobile arrived from Spanish club Sevilla on a permanent transfer and he has scored five goals in eight Serie A games. Keita Balde has cast his transfer requests aside, scoring two goals in six games as well as providing two assists, and he has demonstrated his versatility by playing as a support striker and also a left-winger.
In midfield, the likes of Senad Lulic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and Felipe Anderson have been regular starters and have shown the ability to change roles depending on Inzaghi’s formation and in defence Stefan De Vrij is back to full fitness after missing most of 2015-16 with a knee injury.
Two points separate Lazio and their city rivals Roma, who occupy second place in the Serie A table with AC Milan, and the Biancocelesti will face Torino in the next round. A win against the Granata would surely enhance any European ambitions the club has.
Recent Aquile coaches like Vladimir Petkovic and Stefano Pioli had good first seasons before struggling in their second year in charge while Inzaghi’s brother Filippo struggle make a successful transition from youth team to senior coach at AC Milan.
After six years as a Lazio youth coach, Simone Inzaghi has so far shown that he can coach a senior squad of players and positive results on the field have taken attention away from anything bad off of it.
From the outside looking in, any issues Inzaghi has with the club or the squad seem to go like water off a duck’s back.
