Lazio are definitely one of the best looking clubs in Italy right now. They've made moves this Summer and all of last season that other clubs will dream about. Why so? They didn't spend too much and in return received plenty of high-quality talent. None of the players they brought in are selfish. They're already saving money by loaning in players Mauro Zárate and Francelino Matuzalem instead of outright purchasing them. Loaning players with the ability to purchase at a later date is always the way to go. Basically, Lazio want insurance. They know what it is like to go overboard and kill the club after some success. Look back to 2000. Then there are the loan returns. The management at Lazio knew it would be wise to let some of their better players go for a season or two in order to save money. David Rozehnal (loaned to Newcastle), Pasquale Foggia (loaned to Cagliari) and Stephen Makinwa (loaned to Reggina) for instance are all back and now far more experienced. A win-win for Lazio again. No wonder why Delio Rossi was never fired last season despite the club's failure during the regular season. Also, I'm sorry to write this, but Valon Behrami was inevitably let go because management found him to be hardheaded despite the talent and knew they could bank on him so easily in the transfer market. The club has very loyal players on board including Goran Pandev, Tommaso Rocchi and Stefano Mauri; that's just to name a few that could've left for a "bigger club" a few seasons ago, but opted to stay. The club also has incredible young talent including Italy's most promising right back Lorenzo De Silvestri, versatile defender and Romanian international Ştefan Radu and the giant 19-year-old Czech international striker Libor Kozák. Then of course I can't forget to mention one of the most coveted goalkeepers in the World right now, Juan Pablo Carrizo. The Argentine international is considered by many including myself to already be one of the top ten goalkeepers. The team is obviously loaded and there are still even more quality players I haven't written about here. Just take a look at their roster below - All international regulars are in bold. I've also created a best eleven and top seven substitutes. Best Eleven GK Juan Pablo Carrizo ARG CB Sebastiano Siviglia ITA CB David Rozehnal CZE RB Stephan Lichtsteiner SUI LB Aleksandar Kolarov SER CM Cristian Ledesma ARG CM Cristian Brocchi ITA AM Francelino Matuzalem ITA AM Goran Pandev MAC CF Tommaso Rocchi ITA CF Mauro Zárate ARG Subs GK Fernando Muslera URU CB Ştefan Radu ROU RB Lorenzo De Silvestri ITA CM Massimo Mutarelli ITA AM Stefano Mauri ITA LW Pasquale Foggia ITA CF Libor Kozák CZE Reserves GK Tommaso Berni ITA CB Emilson Sánchez Cribari BRA CB Mobido Diakité FRA CB Alessandro Tuia ITA FB Manuel Belleri ITA DM Ousmane Dabo FRA DM Roberto Baronio ITA CM Fabio Firmani ITA RM Antonio Cinelli ITA LM Christian Manfredini CIV AM Mourad Meghni FRA AM Simone Del Nero ITA CF Stephen Makinwa NIG CF Simone Inzaghi ITA
I'm sure I'm not the only one that believes Ledesma, Matuzalem, Mauri, Rocchi and Zárate should be regular selections for their international teams. Ledesma's FK ability alone should get him into the Argentina squad. Matuzalem has what seems to be unlimited endurance. He's one of the hardest working athletes in sports today and is very underrated in Brazil. Mauri and Rocchi are very unselfish and hardworking players that easily fit into Italy's squad. Zárate is just phenomenal and it is only a matter of time before he makes the Argentine national squad regularly. I'm not even concerned about De Silvestri because he's only 19 and Italy want him to show more for the U21 squad first.
Argentina has better players than Ledesma and Zarate. Matuzalem has no place in the brazilian squad as well.. I guess that's just me.
Mauro Zárate is the best hope Argentina has for a pure striker. Messi, Agüero and most of their other youth are not strikers. When Crespo and Cruz are gone, what next? Nothing, of course they need Zárate. Diego Milito is the only other striker option they have right now. Ledesma isn't as important, but he's a great substitute for the squad. The hardest working Brazilian doesn't deserve a place in his national team's squad? Right now Brazil is a complete mess. They need to figure out something because their midfield is going down the toilet and their back line is the worst of any prolific national squad. Matuzalem brings an attacking game with a defensive approach in mind. He works hard to get up for an attack while dropping back first of any midfielder to play defense. That's a man who deserves more. He was absolutely amazing at Shakhtar Donetsk.
Im not saying you are wrong. All Im saying is that they have no chance of making their respective squads with their current sitauation/coach... that's all.
I was surprised M21 that Pandev remained with the team, he had mentioned that he was looking for a raise or other wise he was going to go else where.
Yeah, but management gave Pandev an immediate response stating that he is free to leave if he does not have the interest in pulling on the jersey of the biancocelesti anymore. He decided to rescind after the response.
