Opinion – PVC: A strong Corinthians cannot be assembled without time, training and defeats

Corinthians will face Boca Juniors this Tuesday (26) at risk of being eliminated from Libertadores and wasting a good idea. Vítor Pereira was given a tough puzzle to assemble, which includes putting pressure on opponents in the attacking field with eight talented veterans, 60 games in six months and young people trained with concepts different from his own.

The fifth defeat in classics this year – the fourth under the command of the Portuguese – reinforces the eternal cloud of mistrust, as if the failure of this stage of the work was only the coach, and not the sum of the board and assembly of the squad.

Vítor Pereira gave an incredible testimony about Xavier’s mistake in Portuguesa’s goal, in Londrina, which highlights the contribution of the exchange with foreign coaches.

“Xavier is a force of nature, but he has issues to evolve, in a position where you have to read the pressure before receiving the ball, see the opposite side, quickly connect runners and make the game circulate. When he received the ball, he thought he was alone , that is, he didn’t read the pressure, and then it was too late.”

For decades, Brazil understood the number 5 as a hunter and Vítor Pereira describes a pivot. Not by chance, Jorge Jesus is famous for provoking more evolution in midfielders, such as Serbian Matic, and centre-forwards, such as Paraguayan Óscar Cardozo. Pivot roles, offensive and defensive, who need to understand spaces, to play and make play.

Du Queiroz is that type of player, but trained as a midfielder, adapted to the first midfielder, praised by Vítor Pereira.

Why do Du Queiroz and Maycon play together? Why choose two steering wheels? Why, it’s obvious. Because Renato Augusto and Paulinho don’t give enough pressure, when they play more often than their age allows.

And because Maycon is not playing as a defensive midfielder, but as a left midfielder. It’s incredible how we, the Brazilian press, are amazed by the versatility of Bernardo Silva, as a striker, winger or midfielder at Manchester City, and we don’t admit that a second midfielder of origin occupies the role of point guard, as happens with Maycon.

Corinthians does not play with two midfielders, either because Maycon plays in the midfield or because Du Queiroz was trained as a point guard.

The question, then, is why Corinthians does not take off. It is also clear as water. Because he changed technicians and philosophies three times in the last twelve months and gave Vítor Pereira a 2,000-piece jigsaw puzzle.

Vagner Mancini went down for losing to Palmeiras in the 2021 Paulista semifinal, Sylvinho was fired after losing to Santos in February, and Corinthians have only won two of the last ten classics – both with Sylvinho.

Against Boca Juniors, it is likely that Renato Augusto, Jô, Willian and Fábio Santos will start. They will increase technical performance as long as the team responds from a physical point of view.

When talking about the necessary evolution for Xavier, Vítor Pereira stressed: “He will grow, but there are growing pains.”

A good team cannot be assembled without time, training and defeats. Corinthians lost to Tolima before winning the world and Brazil from the penta lost to Honduras a year before the title.

Nobody grows up without pain.

surprises

Santos is the most pleasant news of the Brazilian, leader of the championship with the same number of Atlético, while Palmeiras and Flamengo have already wasted seven points. Of course, the table will balance out after the tenth round, but the Brazilian demands respect for tradition.

Champions

Manchester City vs Real Madrid in a week in which Gabriel Jesus showed that he wants to play as a striker and wants to leave next season. Liverpool are favorites against Villarreal, but City v Real Madrid will be a lesson in modern football on Tuesday (26).