According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Zaccagni's injury has cast a shadow over Lazio's recent surge. The team had just taken sole possession of first place in the league and had one of the highest average points per game among Europe's top five leagues, but the injury now threatens their momentum.
The Lazio captain was injured and left the field in the second half of last Sunday's match against Cagliari. What initially seemed a minor knock turned out to be more serious after examinations yesterday afternoon: the forward has sustained an injury to his left quadriceps. He will be out for at least 20 days, possibly a month, depending on his recovery.
He will definitely miss Sunday's away game against Napoli and will use the international break to recover, aiming to return on November 21 against Lecce. That will not be easy, though. There is a real risk that he will miss that match as well, and even the one after it against Torino. For Gennaro Gattuso, this is undoubtedly a heavy blow.
For the coach, Zaccagni is not only an undisputed starter but also a key part of the team's tactics. A significant share of Lazio's attacking variations revolves around the Biancocelesti's number 10.
Tijjani Noslin and Pinamonti
Gennaro Gattuso, however, already has an alternative plan ready. It is the solution the team used at the end of last Sunday's match against Cagliari, after Zaccagni was forced off. Gattuso will move Tijjani Noslin to the left wing and play Pinamonti as the center forward.
Strictly speaking, there are almost no other options, or very few (Nuno Tavares could be pushed up to the wing with Pedraza at full-back, or Matteo Cancellieri could play on the left. In both scenarios, Tijjani Noslin would stay at center forward).
But Gattuso is prepared to trust the Dutchman and the former Sassuolo forward because he believes this setup suits the team best. The coach is confident that Tijjani Noslin can perform well starting from the left, and Pinamonti, as his goals against Monza and Cagliari show, has finally found his form, or at least is in very good shape.
Complementary
This is how the Tijjani Noslin-Pinamonti partnership has emerged at Lazio. Previously, the two seemed almost impossible to use together in the same match, but now it is entirely feasible. When Gattuso decided to play Tijjani Noslin as a center forward, the two were initially seen as alternatives to each other.
However, the Dutchman's versatility means they can also play together when necessary. Gattuso had already tried this in Lazio's friendlies during the break in the league calendar. In the games against Arezzo and Juve Stabia, both forwards were on the field at the same time (in a 4-2-3-1, with Tijjani Noslin as the attacking midfielder), and their chemistry was quite good.
In the first of the two friendlies especially, Pinamonti's goal came from an assist by Tijjani Noslin. The two already have a certain understanding, and now that Gattuso has to pair them, that chemistry should only improve. On Sunday, at the Maradona Stadium in Naples, the new Lazio attacking duo will face a tough challenge, as both the opponent and the venue are formidable. But Pinamonti and Tijjani Noslin are ready to take it on.
Coincidentally, both players have previously scored three goals against Napoli. All three of Tijjani Noslin's came two years ago, while playing in the Coppa Italia. Pinamonti scored two for Empoli and one for Genoa.