If Guardiola is the best in the world in tactical reinterpretations, as described by writer Martí Pernarnau, author of books about Pep’s work at Bayern and Manchester City, Dorival Júnior reinvents a Brazilian style from the 1990s.
Flamengo’s reaction, six wins in the last seven games, has the midfield diamond as the design and De Arrascaeta as the protagonist: “I hold four players on the last line, I keep two forwards and I always have Arrascaeta behind the opposing midfielders”.
Dorival Júnior explains the adoption of this system, in which a midfielder protects the defense and two supporters join the attack, with clear defensive functions. It was how Brazil’s top teams played in the late 1990s and early 21st century.
From Palmeiras, by César Sampaio, Mazinho, Zinho and Edílson, to the 2004 Brazilian champion Santos, with Fabinho, Preto Casagrande, Ricardinho and Elano.
The system is not the reason for success, but choosing the best features for the top players can lead to success.
Fernando Diniz and Rogério Ceni show other reinventions. São Paulo grows with the model of three defenders, who protected the goalkeeper Rogério in the campaigns of the Brazilian and world championships, between 2005 and 2008. But faced Diniz in a 4-4-2.
Fluminense goes further. Apart from the tie at Morumbi, with more ball possession and shots, Diniz corrects past abuses and maintains his most surprising strategy.
The correction is to prefer to leave the game on the sides and less on the central lane, a sector in which an error can leave the opponent facing the goal.
The hit is their spider’s web, with four to six players close to the ball, always in the majority, to make it difficult to mark. Either São Paulo allowed itself to be outnumbered – four markers against six forwards – or it congested the side of the play and left the opposing sector unattended.
Zico recounts the beginning of the 1980s, of red and black supremacy, as a period in which the rival was Vasco and the most difficult opponent, Fluminense. Because Flamengo marked the opponent’s exit with the four forwards pressing the side where the ball was. Tricolor had two full-backs with long and accurate passes, Edevaldo and Rubens Galaxe. In one touch, they reversed from right to left and opened up a huge empty corridor.
Fluminense de Diniz is capable of doing the same. He prefers to sew the rival’s defense, with short passes and four to six athletes close to the play. Optionally, he double taps and switches sides, as he did in the third goal of the 4-0 over Corinthians two weeks ago.
Neither Dorival Júnior’s lozenge nor Fluminense’s turnarounds are innovations. Just as the pressure to have possession of the ball is not the invention of Guardiola, who learned it from Johan Cruyff, who knew it from Rinus Michels.
It’s not about being innovative. It’s about being smart.
Not all games will be beautiful to see, but some of the most beautiful were from Fluminense. The strongest team and biggest candidate for the Brazilian is Palmeiras, but Flamengo has increased in production and can win the Libertadores.
In Brazil, the tactical level is growing.
The cow and the tree
Corinthians did not leave the dispute for the Brazilian title, but the defeat to Ceará puts them in a position more similar to the initial prediction. Embezzlement remains its biggest deficit. With all the players available, Vítor Pereira can win the playoffs.
The fear of networks
The information that one of the names quoted in Santos is Guto Ferreira caused negative repercussions on social networks and fear of Santos leaders, especially the Management Council. You can hire or not out of conviction. For fear of social media, it is unprofessional.
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