Serie A 2018/19: Roma vs Lazio

This tactical analysis of the Rome Derby originally featured on one of our network analysis sites, serieaanalysis.com

After a bad start to the season, with just eight points out from six games, Roma absolutely needed a good result in the Derby della Capitale against Lazio. Despite all of the turmoil surrounding sporting director Monchi and head coach Eusebio Di Francesco, the Giallorossi were still able to produce a three points performance against Simone Inzaghi’s side.

It was a tactical battle between a 4-2-3-1 and 3-5-2, which means two triangles were facing each other in the middle of the field with Daniele De Rossi and Steven N’Zonzi facing Sergej Milinković-Savić and Marco Parolo, whilst Lucas Leiva – Lazio’s holding midfielder – was tracking Roma’s no.10, former PSGs player Javier Pastore.

Lazio’s approach

Lazio started well, moving the ball forward. Their passing was good enough to get the ball through Roma’s defensive shape. The Giallorossi’s structure without the ball wasn’t so resilient and Inzaghi’s side were able to overcome it through some nice combinations up front.

They were also able to link the midfield with the attack. Thus, Lazio were able to create favourable situations to score. Unfortunately for the Biancocelesti, it wasn’t enough to open the scoring.

Without the ball, Lazio didn’t sit back with a five-man backline, as it usually does. Instead, its defensive plan relied upon the wing-backs, Adam Marusic and Senad Lulic, who either pushed up to face Roma’s full-backs or dropped back in order to form a four-man defence. Playing that way, the whole midfield focused on covering the space between the defence and midfield, denying spaces to Pastore. When in possession, Lazio looked dangerous in wide areas, especially on the left flanks – where Ciro Immobile roams at times – as Santon didnt receive help from Alessandro Florenzi, deployed at right-winger by Di Francesco.

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