Corinthians dominate but frustrations mount as goals dry up | OneFootball

A goalless draw at Neo Química Arena against Vitória offered another snapshot of Corinthians’ ongoing struggle to find attacking fluency under Dorival Júnior. The team enjoyed dominant spells of possession—63% to Vitória’s 37%—and outperformed their opponents in several statistical categories, including total shots (12 to 6) and passes completed (582 to 201). But once more, the final result was frustration, as the home fans voiced their discontent at full time.

Dorival’s early tenure at Corinthians is beginning to echo aspects of his previous job with the Brazilian national team: a side grappling with limited offensive variety, complicated further by high-profile absences and a lack of sustained excitement on the pitch. The goalless performance against Vitória followed a similarly uninspired outing against Huracán. Dorival responded by refreshing his starting lineup, but the changes did little to resolve the underlying issues.

Injuries have played their part. The absence of important attacking options—including Yuri Alberto, Garro, and Memphis Depay—has forced Dorival into improvisation. Against Vitória, Hector Hernández started ahead of Romero, while Carrillo’s unavailability opened the door for Talles Magno. Despite these adjustments, the coach stuck with Maycon in a deep midfield role, emphasizing ball progression, though the midfielder clearly has yet to find his rhythm.

The tactical approach also raised questions. Corinthians stuck with a setup that moved away from the diamond 4-4-2 that had previously maximized the squad’s strengths. Memphis Depay, rather than operating across the frontline, found himself drifting centrally, with Hector positioned on the right and Talles Magno—still short of confidence—anchoring the left. The result was a team that held the ball but struggled to turn possession into meaningful opportunities, rarely threatening the Vitória goal despite two second-half efforts striking the woodwork (one ruled out for offside).

Substitute Rodrigo Garro’s introduction in the second half brought a modest improvement, but the breakthrough never arrived. Only Hugo Souza’s reliable goalkeeping—a consistent feature in recent matches—kept the contest from swinging in Vitória’s favor on the rare occasions the visitors threatened.

Dorival has pointed to the disruptions caused by injuries and the unusually tight fixture schedule. Still, questions are being asked about his reluctance to return to successful recent tactical setups, especially when the squad’s deficiencies—like the lack of natural wide forwards—are being exposed by the current system.

Reflecting after the match, Dorival acknowledged the impact of missing his best players but emphasized the need to learn quickly and adapt. With the grueling Brasileiro schedule showing no mercy and supporters restless, Corinthians will need both tactical clarity and a swift return to full health if they hope to ignite their season.

Source: Globo