Last week Lazio’s manager Edy Reja claimed that his team was not Scudetto material. Reja said (and I’m paraphrasing here) that the press needed to consider his side’s first place effort a hot streak and the coach stressed that his young developing team was really just hoping to accomplish the top 6 this season rather than the top 4.
Well perhaps it’s all just a mind game for Reja because his side continues to pile on the wins and following nine matches Lazio has earned 22 out of 27 potential points with a 7-1-1 record. And with AC Milan suffering a defeat to Juventus last weekend, Lazio is now 4 points ahead of the rest of the pack meaning to us Yanks that they are ahead by more then a single victory and any side that wants to surpass them will have to wait at least a few weeks.
And how could a low market team be doing better then a historic treble winning club from a year ago or a squad that added Robinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic this summer? I suppose you have to credit the front office for discovering and developing several young stars of tomorrow especially on the backline.
Lazio’s defense was so impressive last month that they only allowed a single goal in five matches. That means in the 5-0-0 month for the club that they secured four shutouts and sealed a 2-1 win against Catania. Winning on the road is critical and Lazio won two Serie A matches away. One issue that will likely eventually arise (as Reja hinted at) is that several tough fixtures still remain on the schedule considering the relatively easy start with AC Milan and Sampdoria being the only really tough matches so far.
Inter, an improved Roma, Juventus, among others are still left to be played in the next few months and the side will likely drop more points over that more difficult stretch. And also considering the fact teams will be focused on taking the first place team down Lazio will probably eventually slide down the league table..
But their current form and defense is second to none and the club deserves the Club of the Month award.
