Fiorentina 2-1 Lazio: Player grades and 3 things we learned

Pietro Terracciano—6: The only shot he faced was Luis Alberto’s goal and there wasn’t much he could’ve done. Was quick off his line a couple times, at least, but really had very little to do as Lazio failed to offer any real threat.

Cristiano Biraghi—7: Played in half a dozen fantastic balls that, on a less unfortunate day, could’ve led to goals, both from open play and set pieces. Kept Gustav Isaksen very quiet. Made a mistake or two but nothing horrendous.

Luca Ranieri—6.5: Shut Ciro Immobile down and didn’t allow anything past him. Almost scored off a corner, too. More than anything, though, its his attitude that sets him apart. Seems like he’s growing into a leadership role, bigging up Biraghi and bringing a badly-needed personality to the side. Looks like a future Fiorentina captain. What a joy.

Nikola Milenković—6.5: Good solid game from Big Nicky. Won everything in the air and tracked Immobile well. A bit more ambitious than usual with his passing. Really didn’t have all that much to do.

Michael Kayode—9: What a game from the kid. Scored his first professional goal, led the team in tackles, drove the ball forward, and offered some influence in the final third. Had a couple of hiccups, but who cares? If this is his floor, if he never gets better, he’s already a very good player. And if he approaches his ceiling, well, look out.

Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images

Giacomo Bonaventura—7: Missed that early sitter and was slow getting back on the Lazio goal (although I’m cutting him some slack as he’s adjusting to a deeper role), but was a monster in the second half. His guile on the ball kept Lazio’s defenders guessing, and the winner felt like a personal redemption. Not sure if he can always play as part of a double pivot, but in this circumstance, he was very good.

Arthur—7.5: Magisterial. Dominated the game, coming deep to get the ball and tormenting Lazio’s attackers whenever they tried to press him. Got the ball into the final third time and again, keeping the tempo and ensuring that everything and everyone arrived at their destination on time.

Riccardo Sottil—5.5: Went past his man a couple of times and popped up in the box to shoot (albeit poorly), but looks off the pace, as you’d expect from a guy who hasn’t played much of late. Still guilty of holding the ball too long instead of releasing it quickly, but there were reasons for optimism if you squint hard enough.

Lucas Beltrán—7.5: Might be as good as the dearly departed Arthur Cabral at pressing, singlehandedly keeping Lazio pinned back at times. In the buildup phase, his appreciation of space is incredible. He’s always dropping into space and making himself an option, and his influence is increasing in the penalty box. Was involved in the second goal and the leadup to the penalty.

Nicolás González—6.5: Was a monster in the air and as a ball carrier, as usual, and clearly had the Lazio defense running scared for 90 minutes. Twice denied by the post, so you can call him unlucky. Let’s take it easy on the calls for him to stop taking PKs, too; he’s been reliable for his entire career, so a couple misses in a row is probably just bad luck and not a trend.

It’s just like that sometimes. Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images

Andrea Belotti—7.5: Produced the best center forward performance we’ve seen from a Fiorentina player this year. Threw himself around, chased lost causes, and made himself a nuisance at all times. Even without his former pace, his physicality and intelligence make him a handful, and he’s forging good relationships with Nico and Beltrán already.

Antonín Barák—5: Glided around nicely but it felt like things were already decided by the time he replaced Beltrán.

Rolando Mandragora—n/a: Just there to park the bus.

Maxime Lopez—n/a: Gave Arthur a couple minutes to recover on the bench.

M’Bala Nzola—n/a: Played a minute.

Three things we learned

1. Fiorentina can boat race less physically capable opponents. I don’t want to take away from the Viola performance, which was unbelievably good. It’s worth noting, however, that Lazio had played 4 days earlier against a Torino side that’s always unpleasant to come up against, and Maurizio Sarri only made 2 changes from that XI. It showed, too, as the good guys were more energetic, both when pressing and attacking; the Aquile were barely in the race and couldn’t match their hosts’ intensity.

This is what intensity looks like? Photo by Andrea Martini/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Most teams want to sit deep against Fiorentina and hit on the break while playing very physically (read: booting anything that moves), while teams that want to dominate games usually have a significant talent advantage. What I’m saying is that this game probably reflects a very specific set of circumstances and shouldn’t be taken as a baseline, as the Viola usually won’t have such a physical edge on an opponent that also wants to keep the ball. When it happens, though, it’s clear that these guys can blow people out of the water.

2. A striker makes all the difference. I feel like this is a shot at Nzola and I don’t want it to be that, but Belotti has completely changed this team’s dynamic from front to back. Even though he’s not the quickest, he presses energetically and throws himself into every confrontation with the joyful abandon of a large dog. He understands how to throw himself around in a way that discomfits opponents and impacts their actions, even if he doesn’t win or keep the ball. It’s a whole different attitude that rubs off on his teammates.

Beyond the vibes, though, he’s a better aerial target, which allows the defenders to go long with greater confidence, knowing that he’ll chase down long balls and keep them from coming straight back down Fiorentina’s throat. He’s also constantly running off the ball rather than lurking on the last shoulder, waiting for a through ball to chase. That motion drags defenders around and, even if doesn’t directly create anything, unsettles a defense and carves out openings for the wingers and midfielders, who in turn can attack space rather than remaining static as they did earlier this year.

Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images

It’s funny to think about, given his recent trajectory, but il Gallo has, by offering competent, engaged, and experienced striker play, become a transformational player for the first time in years. It’s worth noting that Vincenzo Italiano’s Fiorentina has looked dominant with a world-class striker (Dušan Vlahović), dangerous with a competent one (Belotti, Cabral), and hopeless otherwise. This is a striker-centric system, and that should influence the guide the team’s transfer policy for as long as Cousin Vinnie’s in charge.

3. CHAOS. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a team hit the post 4 times in a game like that. It got to the point that, when Nico’s penalty doinked the upright, I couldn’t do anything but laugh. Add in conceding a goal on literally the only chance allowed and you’ve got the most Fiorentina experience imaginable. Soccer is an inherently chaotic game, and Fiorentina is one of that game’s most inherently chaotic practitioners. Sometimes, that’s the only conclusion. Pure and unadulterated mayhem.