How Diniz plans to boost Corinthians' attacking play | OneFootball

Coach Fernando Diniz enjoyed a dream debut for Corinthians with a 2-0 win over Platense last Thursday in Argentina, in the opening round of the Copa Libertadores. The team improved in the second half and secured the positive result, ending a nine-game winless streak.

Timão, however, did not deliver an eye-catching attacking performance. The black-and-white side left the pitch in Buenos Aires with only three big chances created and six shots, according to Sofascore data. The lack of creativity had been one of the team’s recent problems during the long drought, and Fernando Diniz plans to change that scenario.

To strengthen strategies in the attacking system, the coach may rely on a mobile style of play, giving midfielders and forwards the freedom to drift and rotate positions in the attacking third. In this sense, some players could take on a bigger role, such as Garro and Breno Bidon.

“That is a characteristic that is part of my work, and we will need to train in every aspect, in every phase of the game, make marking adjustments. With the time we had, I placed more emphasis on the defensive game [against Platense], trying to sustain a higher press, which we managed to do for much of the match. And to add a little more of the mobility game. I think the team will benefit. I have players with very particular characteristics, who like possession. Garro is one of them. Even with little time, he already benefited from the little we had in this possession game. Bidon is another. Many players here are comfortable with this kind of play. And the mobility game is useful in certain moments,” the manager explained.

(Photo: JUAN MABROMATA / AFP)

Fernando Diniz’s plan, however, should be implemented gradually, since it does not happen overnight. Between the Brasileirão, Copa do Brasil, and Libertadores, Corinthians will have little time to prepare between matches until the break for the World Cup in June this year.

“When the opponent plays with a very deep line, sometimes we need a more positional game, because there is not much space to create movement. We will work on all fronts, but the mobility game requires constant training. The circumstances help the team improve, with a more open game. It is not just a game of freedom. It takes more work to train, to set up different combinations. It becomes a little more chaotic, but it is a chaos the team can control. It requires training, and the evolution is constant. We will work on it little by little, it is a very gradual process. In this first spell here, we will not have time to train, because there will not be a single free week until the break, but it is something that should happen progressively,” he added.

“Rare talent”

Rodrigo Garro, as mentioned by Diniz, is one of the players who could benefit the most from Diniz’s plans to improve the attacking output. That was already evident in the match against Platense, when the Argentine had freedom to move and finished the game with two assists.

It is no surprise, then, that the No. 8 was highly praised by the coach in the press conference. He delivered two perfectly weighted through balls for the goals by Kayke and Yuri Alberto, which sealed Timão’s victory.

“Garro is a rare talent Corinthians have. He was going through a phase that was not as brilliant as he has already shown here. I think he has everything to recover. He is very talented. I will do everything I can to make him feel comfortable and to implement the ideas I have,” the manager said in the press conference.

Yuri asks for “variety” in attack

Forward Yuri Alberto showed optimism about Diniz’s arrival. The striker, who was not even sure he would be on the field last Thursday because of a toothache, believes Corinthians need more movement and alternatives in attack for the rest of the season.

The No. 9 even mentioned the possibility of giving Rodrigo Garro more freedom, as happened in the win over Platense.

“My first contact with him [Diniz], in terms of on-field situations, was today, because I did not take part in the other two training sessions. But I hope he can help us so that we can have some variety, plays like that, so that we can have a little more depth, as we did today,” the player said.

“Garro with more freedom to find those balls, which he is very good at, for him to receive those balls there on the last line and help in attack, like in Kayke’s play and on my goal as well. So we can create a little more, vary a little more, and not stay like we were in the last matches. It had already become predictable. I hope he can help us a lot,” he concluded.

Corinthians’ next matches

Corinthians x Palmeiras (11th round of the Brasileirão) Date and time: 04/12 (Sunday), 6:30 p.m. (Brasília time) Venue: Neo Química Arena, in São Paulo (SP)

Corinthians x Santa Fé-COL (second round of the Libertadores) Date and time: 04/15 (Wednesday), 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time) Venue: Neo Química Arena, in São Paulo (SP)

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.