Maurizio Sarri seems to have found a way to cope with Ciro Immobile’s absence, playing Felipe Anderson as a false 9, something he had already successfully tried with Dries Mertens at Napoli.
The Biancocelesti are one of the most consistent teams this season, having won seven of the opening 11 games in Serie A, not conceding in the last six.
However, there were concerns ahead of their trip to Atalanta on Sunday as they were without their injured star Ciro Immobile.
Since his arrival in the 2016-17 season, Lazio had won 54.6% of their official matches with Immobile on the field, specifically 149 out of 273. Their winning rate dropped to 27% in his absence and what made things worse is that the Biancocelesti don’t have a natural replacement for the Italy international.
Therefore, Sarri deployed Felipe Anderson as a false 9 and his move paid off as the Brazilin scored in Lazio’s 2-0 win at the Gewiss Stadium.
“I am accustomed to learning every movement in attack. Immobile is one of the best strikers in Europe when it comes to his movement off the ball, so I always watched him and learned so much,” the ex-West Ham forward said after the final whistle.
“The coach asks a lot of me and puts his faith in me, so that is what I need to give my all in any position where I am used.”
Sarri’s tactical choice was reminiscent of his spell at Napoli when, in 2016-17, he moved another pacey winger – a certain Dries Mertens – up front. Sarri was left without centre forwards after Arek Milik suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Mertens went on to score 28 goals in 35 games across all competitions and was no longer deployed on the flanks until he left Napoli last summer.
The Belgian striker has become the best scorer in the club’s history, with 148 goals in 397 games.
Sarri’s decision may not be a career-changer for Felipe Anderson who will return on the right flank once Immobile returns in 2023, but Lazio’s attacking threat has not diminished without the Italy international.