Lazio faltering badly in Serie A

Lazio started the 2009/10 campaign on a high after winning the Italian Super Cup against champions Inter in a match played in China.

The Sky Blues' fans were elated and their aspirations grew significantly when Lazio went on to win their opening two fixtures of the Serie A at the expense of Atalanta and Chievo.

However, the dream start was soon over as in the next 18 league outings the Coppa Italia holders could only manage two other victories and eight draws.

Instead of lofty ambitions Lazio are now staring relegation in the face as they lie just one point clear of the drop zone.

The team from the capital will surely edge closer to the bottom places tonight after Bologna play Atalanta in a re-arranged match at the Dall'Ara stadium.

Lazio's participation in the Europa League was a complete fiasco as they finished third in Group G, behind leaders Salzburg and Spanish outfit Villarreal, and were consequently knocked out.

Lazio only had two wins to show from six matches in this competition.

Their precarious position in the Serie A and the early exit from Europe left Lazio with little to play for bar the often-ridiculed Italian Cup. That remains the more likely source through which they can gain access to European football again next season.

However, this task is anything but easy as today Lazio travel to Tuscany to take on Fiorentina in the quarter-finals.

Club chief Claudio Lotito has so far kept faith with coach Davide Ballardini. The shrewd Lotito still believes that the ex-Palermo mentor is the right man to take Lazio back to where they belong.

Even when the team went 13 consecutive league games without a win (seven draws and six defeats), Lotito kept backing the coach, after all he was the one who preferred not to renew Delio Rossi's contract and show him the exit.

The appointment of Ballardini was always going to be a huge gamble especially after the sterling work done by Rossi during his four-year reign that reached a climax with the Coppa Italia final victory over Sampdoria last May.

This was the first major trophy for Lazio since 2004 when they had lifted the Italian Cup as well.

Sacking Rossi was a debatable move and so was the decision to freeze rebels Goran Pandev and Cristian Ledesma out of the squad.

With Pandev and Ledesma unavailable, Ballardini could not count on the services of Lazio's biggest two assets. Furthermore, the December ruling by the Italian League in favour of Pandev, who consequently became a free agent and signed for Inter, significantly worsened the club's position financially.

In summer, Lotito was wisely advised to transfer Pandev to the highest bidder and re-invest the money generated from this move to bolster his squad. But the Lazio supremo remained stubborn and refused to listen.

Unrest always follows inside a dressing room when positive results are not forthcoming. Lack of self-esteem and the fear to be involved in a dogfight to stay up are obviously huge concerns for someone in Ballardini's shoes.

Rumours are now rife that the highly-requested Mauro Zarate and Aleksandar Kolarov could ask for a release.

Although Ballardini can count on strikers Tommaso Rocchi, Stephen Makinwa, Julio Cruz, Simone Inzaghi and Zarate, Lazio could only manage 10 goals in 17 league games up to December.

The lure to sign another forward in this month's transfer window was inevitable.

Their search for a missing link in attack could be over with the arrival of Sergio Floccari from Genoa.

The ex-Atalanta hitman scored four goals in his first four appearances for the club and Lazio scored seven times with him in the side.

The last time Lazio were involved in a similar struggle at the wrong end of the standings was in 2004/05. That was Lotito's first full season in charge and he had promoted youth team trainer Domenico Caso to head coach.

Lazio did not reap the desired dividends with Caso in charge. He was subsequently replaced by Giuseppe Papadopulo midway through the season. Eventually, Lazio only made sure of avoiding the drop on the very final day of the championship.

The indications so far point to another struggle like the one of 2004/05 for Lazio. Whether Ballardini remains in charge is still doubtful.

Lazio will definitely have to get their act together and improve their record, particularly on the away front.

More importantly, Ballardini has to plot a chart that takes the team to safe waters and, perhaps, match the winning run that took city rivals Roma to high places in the standings after an indifferent start.

Serie A statistics

1st home win for Cagliari since beating Juventus 2-0 on the 14th day as the Sardinians outclassed Livorno. Cagliari are unbeaten in their last four games (two wins and two draws) whereas Livorno still have to figure in a draw since coach Serse Cosmi took over (six wins and six defeats).

2 penalties from the seven taken last weekend went off-target. Nicola Amoruso blew his chance to give Parma a head-start against Udinese as his effort from the spot was blocked by Samir Handanovic. Similarly, Morgan de Sanctis (Napoli) denied Palermo's Fabrizio Miccoli.

4 defeats (vs Bari 1-3, Catania 1-2, Milan 0-3 and Chievo 0-1) in their last five outings have seen Juventus taking a nosedive in the table and are currently fifth. On Sunday, Juve were floored by Chievo to slip 13 points behind leaders Inter. For Chievo this was their first win after three straight defeats in the league.

6 points currently separate long-time leaders Inter from nearest pursuers Milan ahead of Sunday's derby at the San Siro. The Rossoneri will play their game in hand away at Fiorentina on February 24. Inter came from the dead to salvage a 2-2 draw with Bari. The Nerazzurri are undefeated in their last five games (three wins and two draws). Bari have managed five wins and two draws in their last seven home fixtures.

7 wins and three draws in their last 10 outings saw Roma move to third place. On Sunday, Claudio Ranieri's recharged Giallorossi handed Genoa their fifth defeat in their last six games on the road.

21 years had to pass for Bologna to conquer Fiorentina's Artemio Franchi stadium again as the Rossoblu registered their first away win of the term. For Champions League hopefuls Fiorentina this was their third home defeat of the season. Overall, Fiorentina have not figured in a draw in any of their last 11 outings (five wins and six defeats).

23 goals were scored on the first day of the second round. Bologna were the only team to record an away win. Total number of goals scored so far is 501. Ronaldinho grabbed a hat-trick that paved the way for Milan's home win over Siena. Cagliari's Jedaias Jeda came on as a substitute and found the back of the net.