Three Takeaways: Lazio’s Four-Game Unbeaten Streak Ends With 3-0 Loss to Bologna

Lazio’s four-game unbeaten streak came to an end as they lost 3-0 to Bologna at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.

Musa Barrow, Arthur Theate, and Aaron Hickey each scored for the Rossoblu. While it was a dreadful performance from the Biancocelesti, Bologna were mentally prepared as they showed good pace, were clinical and were decisive.

So, what did we learn from Lazio’s 3-0 loss to Bologna?

Francesco Acerbi Will Miss Lazio’s Next Match Against Inter Milan

It has been a mediocre campaign for Francesco Acerbi as he has put in very few good performances for Lazio. Acerbi has been the leader in the backend for the past four seasons yet, in the past two seasons, the Italian has lost a step in his game and has not shown the same form from their 2019/20 season.

Throughout the match, Acerbi looked slow, was caught out of position on multiple occasions and was a step behind in retrieving loose balls. In the 76^th minute, the Italian was sent off after he received two yellow cards which led to a red card. His emotions got the best of him yet with Lazio trailing 3-0 and Acerbi being one of the leaders on this team, he should have controlled himself much better.

Lazio will need to manage without Acerbi as he was expected to play a key role versus Inter. This means other players will have the opportunity to step and prove themselves to Lazio manager, Maurizio Sarri.

Be sure to bet on football at Lottoland ahead of this fixture between the Biancocelesti and the Nerazzurri.

Maurizio Sarri Needs to Start Rotating Players

It was a terrible performance all around from Lazio as they looked tired, slow and made several errors. Their performance versus Bologna was their worst match under Sarri this season and a main factor to this could be his reluctance to rotate players.

Several players showed little intensity, lacked pace and made errors that led to goals for Bologna. Elseid Hysaj and Acerbi have appeared in all of Lazio’s matches this season and this impacted their performance as they were ineffective versus Bologna. Hysaj was subbed off before the hour mark while Acerbi was sent off.

Stefan Radu and Denis Vavro are two notable players who have yet to appear in a match this season. Sarri has mentioned he would like continuity with his starting eleven so they become more familiar with each other. However, rotating the squad is imperative to avoid players becoming fatigued or suffering injuries.

Ciro Immobile missed this match due to an injury. In their recent match versus FC Lokomotiv Moscow in the Europa League, he exited due to an injury and had appeared in all their matches prior to his injury. Starting his backup, Vedat Muriqi, in that match would have been a viable option to give the Italian a much-needed break.

This is an area that Sarri has been known for and must fix. Playing the same players week in and week out will lead to issues for Lazio. Hopefully, after this performance, Sarri will recognize that he needs fresh legs from time to time.

Lazio Missed Ciro Immobile’s Presence

It was the first game this season that Lazio had to play without their talisman, Immobile. The Italian has undoubtedly been one of their most consistent players who has six goals and two assists in this campaign. With Lazio without their captain, it left a hole upfront and in numerous areas of the pitch. His presence definitely gives a boost for his teammates as he has a great work ethic, positive attitude and ability to keep players mentally in the match.

Immobile is much more than just a player who scores for Lazio. His ability to make key passes, track back to help the defense, make critical runs and open up space in the midfield was missed in this match. The marquee players on Lazio failed to step up in his absence and will hope that his injury is not long-term. If Immobile is to miss several games this could be a serious issue for this side who urgently need him back.