Dorival Completes Half a Season in Charge of Corinthians; Check Out the Analysis

Recently announced, Dorival Junior watched Flamengo’s 4-0 victory over Corinthians in the first round of the Brasileirão in late April from the Maracanã stands. Today, he will lead the team from the sidelines at Neo Química Arena. One round later, UOL shows what has changed since then.
Corinthians’ performance with Dorival in the Brasileirão has not been the best. The team has five wins, seven draws, and six losses, totaling only 40.7%. The team remains in the midfield of the table.
The coach preaches the message of doing the “basic things,” but has changed the formation several times. Dorival started his tenure at Corinthians using 4-3-3, then moved to 4-4-2, and most recently, has been using 3-5-2, which transitions to 5-4-1 in defensive moments.
Angileri, originally a left-back, now plays as a center-back. Further up the field, Breno Bidon has become Garro’s main replacement as the team’s playmaker since Igor Coronado’s exit. The coach has made it clear that he does not see the number 27 jersey as a midfielder, a role he has held for a longer time.
The team faced its most critical period in the Brasileirão between June and July. During that time, the team had four draws, two losses, and only one victory. Injuries have been a hindrance. Dorival has seen many of his players dealing with injuries over the last five months, including Memphis, Yuri Alberto, Garro, Carrillo, Matheuzinho, José Martínez, Raniele, Gustavo Henrique, Charles, and Hugo.
There have been no new signings. Apart from Vitinho, who arrived on a free transfer, Corinthians did not bring in any new players during the last transfer window. Adding to the lack of funds, the club is also facing a transfer ban due to the debt it owes to Santos Laguna in Mexico for the purchase of Felix Torres. The coach was hoping for at least four reinforcements.
The Copa do Brasil is the team’s flagship competition. While not much has changed in the Brasileirão, Corinthians has had a successful run in the Copa do Brasil and has reached the semifinals, where they will face Cruzeiro.
The team started in the third round, winning all matches played so far. They eliminated Novorizontino, Palmeiras, and Athletico, all without conceding a single goal. Corinthians beat Novorizontino twice with 1-0 victories, eliminated Palmeiras with 1-0 and 2-0 wins, and most recently, defeated Athletico with 1-0 and 2-0 victories.
The scenario is completely different from the team’s experience in the Copa Sudamericana. Corinthians didn’t even make it past the first round of the continental competition, with Huracán and América de Cali advancing to the knockout stages.