The feeling at Lazio's home ground was decidedly gloomy this past Saturday. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had allowed a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their previous five league matches. Supporters from the Curva Nord were wrapping up their most recent demonstration in a long-running conflict with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Coming Unstitched?
Was Lazio's season coming unstitched, or had there never been a thread holding it together to start with? They reappointed Maurizio Sarri as manager in the summer transfer window, before he publicly stated that the board had failed to disclose a registration embargo they were about to receive for fiscal problems. Rumours that his departure was imminent were without basis, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
Lazio were just as chaotic on the pitch as off the field, defeating Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the rest of their initial five matches, which included the capital clash. Throughout this period, it has been hard to tell if progress is being made or imploding.
Matteo's Unexpected Return
At least one man kept smiling amid the chaos. Matteo Cancellieri wasn't originally meant to feature for Lazio during this campaign. He completed the previous campaign at Parma as a loanee and, during the summer break, Lazio were attempting to stay there temporarily. The registration embargo led to a change of plans. They were unable to thin their squad without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived initially under Sarri's first spell, back then just 20 years old graduate of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 Serie A appearances with the club in that campaign, almost all of those coming off the bench. Their former sporting director, Igli Tare, who left after that campaign, subsequently claimed Sarri of "telling everyone Cancellieri would be a star then never playing him."
Uncovering His Natural Fit
Maybe Sarri was persistently working to determine the exact type of Cancellieri's abilities. Billed as a wide forward upon signing, Cancellieri instead found himself the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile as center forward. In 63 appearances during spells with Empoli and Parma over the last two seasons, he netted seven goals. Shoehorn
