Lazio saviour Rossi keeps looking up

Lazio struggled for most of last season but this year they look to have raised the bar a little bit higher under new coach Delio Rossi.

After the opening seven matches of 2004/05, Lazio had five points less than they have today. They did not invest hefty sums in the transfer window as club president Claudio Lotito was prudent in his spending. So, who brought this change in fortunes to a club that only a few months ago was on the brink of bankruptcy?

Last season, it was very strange to see Lazio - Italian champions in 2000 - included in all the various relegation permutations, the calculations of how many points they needed and the dire warnings that if Angelo Peruzzi, Cesar, Paolo Di Canio, Fabio Liverani, Massimo Oddo or Tommaso Rocchi did not perform, they would be doomed.

This year, at least so far, their supporters will take life more easily at the Olimpico. But if Lazio keep the momentum going, then they are in for an exciting season.

And, if at first, there were many among the critics who mocked the appointment of Rossi and asked where the big names were to lift the club, they are surely eating their own words now.

Indeed, the ex-Lecce and Atalanta coach is slowly but gradually changing the philosophy, the mood and the outlook of the team. And the results are there for all to see.

Until last season, Rossi's main objective was just to drag an under-achieving club to safety. For instance, when Rossi took over at bottom side Atalanta last season, the Bergamo side were already practically doomed. But in a span of a few months, he transformed the team into a winning outfit that somehow got back into contention to escape relegation. Under Rossi, Atalanta marched with the pace of a team in the top half of the standings. It was only towards the end that they had their fate sealed.

Lazio's over-reliance on Paolo Di Canio has diminished, for a start, and it suddenly seems as if anything is within their reach. Football is all about confidence and results. The only way a team can gain confidence is by winning games.

There is a belief these days at the Olimpico, that Lazio can beat any team. So far they have won four out of four at home including impressive wins over Palermo and Fiorentina - two teams challenging for a Champions League slot.

Of particular significance was Lazio's success over Palermo on the fifth day when they came from two goals down to beat their opponents from down south. That victory proved that money alone does not buy success.

And, of course, harder tests are in store for Lazio in the coming weeks. Top of the list is Sunday's derby against Roma. It is a golden opportunity for Rossi, and Lotito as well, to convince the fans that the team is on the right track.

It will not be easy though. Roma are going through a dark patch at the moment and punters have placed Lazio as favourites. However, more often than not, the underdogs prevail in similar derbies and this fact should serve as a preliminary warning to Lazio.

Lazio have won nothing so far but their morale is sky-high because they have started the season on song.

And as Rossi stresses his forward-looking plans at Lazio, he inspires a certainty that, with him at the helm, the team can complete an unlikely return to the ranks among the Serie A's leading clubs. There is a certain air of certainty about him, something that suggests things will get better and better at Lazio.

For Rossi, rehearsals are now over... the main stage beckons.

Serie A statistics

1 point out of the last available nine collected by crisis-hit Roma ahead of next weekend's derby against Lazio. On Sunday, Luciano Spalletti returned to Empoli, the club with whom he started his career as coach. But it was not a happy return for the ex-Udinese and Ancona coach as the Tuscany side emerged winners despite being reduced to 10 men from as early as the 27th minute. Empoli's third straight home victory coincided with Roma's second defeat in a row (following their 2-3 home setback against Siena). Also, Sunday's win was only Empoli's second - the first since November 1987 (2-1) - in seven Serie A home meetings with Roma. If Roma have hit rock bottom in a stuttering start to the 2005/06 season, the same cannot be said of city rivals Lazio, who continued to defy the odds by beating big-spenders Fiorentina 1-0 at home. Lazio played perhaps their best game so far this season as they had the better of Fiorentina, who have lost both their last two away games. Lazio's first home win against the Viola since December 2001 (3-0) marked their fourth success in as many home league outings this season. Moreover, it was also Delio Rossi's first ever success against sides coached by Cesare Prandelli.

2nd consecutive home win for back-to-form Reggina as they scored a goal in each half to beat Lecce for the first time in over five years. For Lecce this was their fourth defeat in as many away outings this season. Luigi Del Neri's Palermo have yet to peak as they have now gone three successive games without a win (one defeat and two consecutive draws). On Sunday against Giuseppe Pillon's Chievo, it had to be an Andrea Caracciolo's injury-time equaliser that prevented Palermo from going down to their first home defeat in seven months (vs Udinese 1-5). A Palermo home win against Chievo has been missing since June 8, 1997 (3-1 in Serie B). Had Chievo held on to their precious lead, then it would have been their first ever success in five league visits to Palermo's Renzo Barbera Stadium. Udinese continued to show signs of recovery as they cruised to a 3-2 away win over inconsistent Siena. This was Udinese's second straight win whereas it was Siena's second home defeat of the season (following their 1-2 reverse against Palermo on the third day).

5 points separate early pace-setters Juventus from nearest pursuers Milan. In the past weekend, Juve found little difficulty to beat minnows Messina at the Delle Alpi Stadium, courtesy of a goal from in-form Alessandro Del Piero, to remain on maximum points after seven league days. As for Messina, they are still searching for the first win of the term and have only three points to show from their first seven games. Milan remained within sights of Juventus as they overcame Cagliari 2-0 in Sardegna. Milan's fourth straight league win coincided with Cagliari's first home setback since going down to Milan exactly a year ago (0-1). Like Messina and Treviso, Cagliari, whose most recent home win against Milan dates back to October 1998 (1-0), are still in search of their first three-pointer of the season.

16 years had to pass for Ascoli to return to winning ways against Sampdoria as on Sunday, Marco Giampaolo's side caused the biggest surprise of the weekend by beating the Liguria team at their Del Duca Stadium. This was Ascoli's second straight win following the 3-1 success against Parma. Lowly Treviso collected their second successive draw as they came from behind to share the spoils with Parma at the Tardini Stadium. Treviso have a poor record at Parma - they have never won in 12 league visits. For the record, this was the first draw between these two sides since February 21, 1982 (1-1 in Serie C1). Inter bounced back from the upset in Turin a fortnight ago by annihilating Livorno 5-0. The most recent of three draws between these two sides dates back to January 12, 1947 (1-1). Also, Livorno's latest of two wins in 14 Serie A visits to the San Siro came in November 1942 (1-0).

26 goals were scored on the seventh day: 17 coming from the hosts and the remaining nine from the visitors. Foreigners contributed with eight goals while there were 13 first-half nettings. Total number of goals hit so far amount to 186. Udinese's Valerio Bertotto committed the only own goal of the day but, still, it was not enough to salvage a point for Siena. In the same game, David Di Michele spearheaded Udinese's win by notching a hat-trick. Vittorio Tosto (Ascoli) and Amauri (Chievo) grabbed a brace each. Two penalties were awarded from which Eugenio Corini (Palermo) and Amauri made no mistake. Inter, Roma, Empoli, Ascoli, Parma, Reggina and Treviso are the only sides still to have a penalty in favour. Meanwhile, five players - Alex Pinardi (Lecce), Stefano Lucchini (Empoli), Francesco Coco (Livorno), Christian Obodo (Udinese) and Giuseppe Biava (Palermo) - received marching orders.