Future Roster

[Maple]

We have purchased a striker (Djordjone - nice nickname).  This is something I feel that we needed.  That is enough focus on the attack however, now we need to focus on the holes in this roster.

At least one, but possibly two solid central defenders, and two midfielders.  Both new midfielders must be attacking creative midfielders, with vision (something this team hasn't had in many, many years).  This type of midfielder instantly converts average strikers to very very good strikers, because the number  and quality of their chances increase significantly.With these four new acquisitions, we can at least compete on multiple fronts.

What are your thoughts?

FORZA LAZIO 4EVER!!!!!!!!

[DinoBaggio]

A new reliable central defender is a must, also a new right back maybe, taking in consideration that Konko is quite injury-prone and Cavanda is often subject to fatal mistakes. I think our midfield is pretty good, and if there's another priority, that is up front. Hopefully Djordjevic will result in a very good acquisition, I wouldn't mind buying another forward though, especially if Perea will go be loaned out.

[VeniVidiLulic]

I'm quite skeptical about Djordjevic,lets say isn't exactly what i was expecting as a main striker for the next season.

I think we should rebuild totally our defence with the exception of Radu and eventually Biava and Cavanda as reserves.
In the middle a part of me would just leave it as it is mostly due to the lack of funds,since as said we do need to spend in defense and forward so i'm unsure about how much we'll have to invest in the midfield actually.
But IMHO the defence should've the complete priority.
Can't imagine to start another season with the nightmare of Biava (37) missing one or two matches.

My hopes are to see we can sell players like Cana,Ederson,Konko,Ciani and maybe one or two between Marchetti,Gonzalez Lulic and Ledesma,this just to get some more cash up.

[Maple]

I cannot believe that most LazioNetters feel our midfield is fine, or acceptable.  We desperately need players with vision! 

I agree that we need central defenders (at least one of them), along with some other items, but you cannot build a good soccer team without a solid, creative, ball possesion style midfield.  It makes you competitive in every match you play.  There is a reason why the midfield of any team is also known as "the engine room".

A great midfield defends intelligently, maintains ball possesion, and creates scoring chances.  Just think about it, those are the three qualities that our beloved Lazio currently lack and desperately need.

FORZA LAZIO 4EVER!!!!!!!

[VeniVidiLulic]

I agree with you Maple,and i would agree even more if we could have a budget comparable to Man City or PSG ones.       
That way would be easier to fill the holes,improve midfield,defense and striker all together,in one session.

Just this season we tried to pull the jackpot on our midfield,saying "oh,we have many midfielders,with multiple attitude and qualities,defensive ones,offensive ones...".
It was the biggest reason to have good hopes,saying "how good midfield we have this season".
But then we start the season with evidente holes behind and forward,having an overrated coach which made everything worse and in the long run this wasn't enough to make our team competitive,since Lazio always had great difficult scoring and was showing how unfit most of our defenders were.
But after selling Hernanes was easy to realize how we lost most of our midfield quality and scoring capacity.

So actually i would aim to fill the major holes our team have with higher priority (as said,a main striker,TWO central defenders and eventually one rightback since we can't really keep believing in konko and cavanda doesn't look to be ready nor it looks like he can defend effectively).
After achieving those i would even look for some good midfield but you know,the problem here seems to be the cash,for example i'd like Parejo from Valencia,Veretout from Nantes or Teyera from Espanyol.
But still,enforcing the middle again imho shouldn't be considered with higher priority than 2-years-long lacking such as the striker or descent defenders.
Even if we would had Bayern's or Barca's midfield no point in it but having to play with ciani and cana behind,or with only Klose as striker.

[Maple]

I agree with all of your excellent points, except one. 

I agree and have already stated that a striker and central defenders are an absolute requirement.  However an improved midfield helps this team immensely. We are desperately in need of players with vision (la visione di gioco). 

Vision promotes movement off of the ball, this is also something that we do not do very well.  Our team seems very flat and unfit.  This is because we chase the ball all game and very rarely control the pace of the game.
As far back as I remember, Lazio has been a long ball team.  Our attack has been very north south or "contropiede".

By the way, the one thing that I didn't agree with regarding your comments were your thoughts on Hernanes.  Although he has very impressive individual skills, he is extremely selfish, unfit and has very very poor judgement on the ball (absolutely no vision).  I am amazed at how loved he was here at Lazio.  If you actually reviewed his "pagelle" game by game over the last 3 seasons, you would realize that he received a 5 or better only once every 5 games.  For your so-called best player, that is totally unacceptable.  And whenever he scored a goal, usually via penalty or "rigore" he would receive a ridiculous score of 7 or 7.5.

He almost ended up being another Zarate.  Loved by la Curva Nord, but hated by almost everyone else.  And then at the end, when Hernanes himself chose to leave, it was Lotito's fault.  I hope that Lazio steals the final Europa League position from Inter, because that is what Il Profeta deserves.

FORZA LAZIO 4EVER!!!!!!!!!

[VeniVidiLulic]

I agree somehow with you about Hernanes but there's to say we're extremely critical on our best players even when they do not deserve,was like this since Veron in Cragnotti times.
I mean,we are always up to give 6 or 6,5 to players like Ledesma that never scores,almost never place the striker in front of the keeper and is terribad on free kicks,but when it comes to our best players we'd give them 4 anytime they don't score or they're just slighty below their standards.

Ah,yea,free kicks,is best argument i can pull in defence of Hernanes and not 'cause he needs but at some point i've been angered with him and his playing the ghost role in the midfield but still,he was good,he was creating effective danger on free kicks and this lead us to make plenty of points with this.
Now Candreva shoots instead of him,and this is awful,most of the times he doesn't even target the goal.
At worse he's just duckshooting at the barrier.
So we've degraded even on this aspect.
When Hernaes had the ball possession we could expect "something",whichever it was,sometimes happened he did wonderful things and i'm still sure Mazzarri's Inter wasn't the best pick for him,he crippled his career by himself,actually.

Our team has actually a quite low technical aspect,except Keita,Candreva,Klose and somehow Biglia our team can be defined as technically poor on the quality side.
You'd expect then to compensate with speed,intensity,but again,aside Keita,Candreva,maybe Lulic e Radu we're lacking on this aspect as well.
Same for organisation,actually.
But at least Reja fixed the defence,for how it was possible in those terms and with those players,wouldn't ask for more this season.

That said i would actually rebuilt interely our midfield with maybe the exception of Biglia,you know,but i'm not the coach nor the DS,i've conscience that our team wouldn't have many funds to spend so i would invest there to fill the evident holes we're going around with from almost 3 seasons.