Sarri prefers Hysaj and Marusic. And he, the involuntary protagonist of a famous performance by Caressa, must be satisfied with the crumbs in which he also scores (as in Salerno)
Salerno 15/01/2022 – Serie A football championship / Salernitana-Lazio / photo Insidefoto / Image Sport in the photo: Manuel Lazzari goal rejoicing
Someone thought that at least with the residues of a Salernitana killed by Covid it could start from the first minute. That someone evidently did not know the law of the titolarissimi. The news is that a few minutes, this time, he had it. And so Manuel Lazzari entered in the sixtieth minute in place of the humble Marusic. A few minutes later he overlapped internally with Felipe Anderson, served by Immobile. He cut the field and tore up the poor defense of Salernitana to pieces. Goals. After months of benches, anger and misunderstandings. The outlet is to take off the shirt to release the frustration. Furthermore, annoying the same coach who decided to relegate him to a marginal role.
Lazzari is anything but a phenomenon. It needs to be clarified. It has nothing to do with Joao Cancelo, just to mention a memorable slip by Fabio Caressa («Tiettelo Cancelo, me pijo Lazzari! “). But he is a footballer who first made the fortunes of Spal, the club in which he played from Lega Pro to Serie A, and then those of Simone Inzaghi who strongly wanted him to Lazio and who exalted him by deploying him at the full range, essential pivot of his football made of speed and verticality. Guessed by Milinkovic’s filtering, Immobile’s accomplice in cheerful raids behind the opposing defenses.
In the end, Italy noticed it. That maybe it was that Simone Inzaghi who fried the fish with water. To put players like Lazzari, but also like Luis Alberto, someone who wanted to stop playing football, in the condition of being able to compete for maximum results in Italy. Yes, he did a miracle. Not those who coached Koulibaly, Albiol, Jorginho, Hamsik, Higuain. Respected people from all over Europe, who won before and after the period sarrista of Naples.
But it was what it was, useless to go back.
The choice to keep Lazzari on the bench when the alternatives are Hysaj and Marusic remains incomprehensible to the writer. Modest footballers. The Albanian, whom we met well in Naples, has always been a homework player. Good for an associative football, he does his duty especially from a defensive point of view. Worthy of respect, for heaven’s sake. But it doesn’t move from there. The difference with Di Lorenzo, to say, is disarming. Marusic is nothing special. It does not excel, like Lazzari, in accelerations, insertions, jerks. Serious accelerations, huh. Funny, especially for those who set out to figure out who was the fastest among him and a phenomenon like Alphonso Davies.
Manuel Lazzari, and it is a beautiful story, is one who from Lega Pro has come to set foot in the national team. He didn’t make it to the European list, yet he came close. An idol for the fantasy coaches, which he has filled for years with assists and seven in the report card. But above all, he is a footballer able to vary on the score. Of create scoring opportunities, to hit on the break. And once again he is a player sacrificed on the altar of the integralism of those who do not know alternatives to a certain (and unique) way of making the back four. Which does not allow for variables, which leaves no room for creativity, which does not provide alternatives. A shame, a real shame.
