Brasileirão 2012

[Martin]

Wow a new coach in the Brazilian league-Fernandao! Good to see a club bring in somebody new rather than just recycling an old coach who has been around the league for years coaching a new team every year or two

Falcao seems another in the long line of good players who just neve became successful as a coach.

[Alexao]

Falcao was a good TV analyst, he should return to that world and leave the coaching behind.

A list of the players who have come into the Brasilian league since the opening of the transfer window.

Some notable transfers into the country which we had not previously discussed:

Rafael Marques a forward from Omiya Ardija (Japan) to Botafogo
Nicolas Lodeiro, Uruguayan international midfielder from Ajax to Botafogo
Obinna, forward from Shandong (China) to Palmeiras
Hugo, midfielder from Al Wahda (UAE) to Sport
Paulo Assuncao, midfielder from Atletico Madrid to Sao Paulo
Wendel, a midfielder from Al Shabab (UAE) to Vasco
Sandro Silva, midfielder from Malaga to Cruzeiro
Fabio Aurelio, fullback from Liverpool to Gremio
Cicinho, fullback from Roma to Sport
Sergio Escudero, centerback from Argentinos Jrs. to Coritiba

So far the major departures have been Vasco's Romulo, currently on the Olympic team, going to Spartak Moscow and Corinthians defender Leandro castan headed to Roma. It appears Oscar's transfer to Chelsea from Internacional will be completed post Olympics and Vasco's Diego Souza and fullback Fagner both also are on the market now according to the club.

[Alexao]

After Flamengo lost this past weekend to Cruzeiro, the club fired manager Joel Santana, no big surprise there. No replacement has yet been named but Dorival Junior who was fired last week by Internacional is a leading contender. Fernandao, the new Inter coach won in his coaching debut, he just retired as an active player a season ago. 11 of 38 rounds have been played and there have already been 6 of the 20 clubs making coaching changes! Oh the stable world of a Brasilian club football coach!

Atletico Mineiro are playing pretty well and lead the league still. Apparently being paid on time has Ronaldinho playing well, and keep an eye out for Bernard, Atletico MG's teenaged starlet.

Seedorf made his league debut for Botafogo in a home match versus Gremio but thanks to a Marcelo Moreno goal Gremio won 1x0. No word yet on when Forlan debuts for Internacional.

Last post I talked about Diego Souza and Fagner being sold by vasco, well it has happened, Diego Souza to a Saudi club, Fagner to Wolfsburg in Germany.

[Martin]

Bernard is an interesting player, he's only 5'4" but is having a great season so far. You wonder though if he will be too small to be effective as more teams get to know him better.

So Dorival Junior gets recycled and is the new Flamengo coach. That is why Internacional's appointment of Fernandao was so refreshing, at least he's a guy whose never coached in the league before. Some fresh ideas are always needed in any league.

[carioca]

No arguments from me about the mistake in reusing the same coaches over and over again. Fernandao's appointment at Internacional at least breaks this cycle.

The Engenhao stadium's grass is having trouble at this time of the year supporting multiple games per week so regular home team there Botafogo is getting preference. Flamengo and Fluminense, who only are playing there while the Maracana is being refurbished, get short changed. This weekend's Flamengo x Atletico Mineiro game plus several others by both Fla and Flu in the next few weeks, will be moved to future dates. Too bad as many were looking forward to seeing Flamengo face Ronaldinho and first place Atletico MG this weekend.

So with Atletico MG having the weekend off, 2nd place Vasco could overtake them if they defeat Corinthians. Won't be easy though as Timaoa re playing better now that they are only focusing on league play. By the way Leidson is leaving Corinthians and will sign with Flamengo. He lost his starting job at Corinthians even before Guerrero and Martinez were signed so no surprise he was available and Flamengo are always desperate for another forward.

[Pepe]

Wednesday night Neymar played with Brasil as they won 3-0 over sweden in Stockholm. On Thursday night Neymar was in the lineup, missed an incredibly easy chance but followed that up with a goalzo as Santos won 3-1 against Figueirense in Florianapolis, in the south of Brasil! Some travelling the young man has been taking lately. Santos win moves them up to midtable. Corinthians, after their sow start are even above them in 9th place and are ahead of Flamengo now.

But Atletico MG, with a revived Ronaldinho and great performances from Jo and Bernard too, still lead with 39 points from 16 games, one less than the majority of clubs have played. Fluminense with 36, Vasco on 35, Gremio 31 and Internacional with 30 follow them in the table. After good starts both cruzeiro and Sao Paulo have been slipping a bit and now are 12 and 14 points behind Atletico MG.

[raconteur]

Ronaldinho and Atletico Mineiro remain top in Brazil they defeated Botafogo 3-2 in a matchup between Ronaldinho and his former AC Milan teammate Clarence Seedorf. Fluminense remain 2nd after beating Sport Recife 1-0. Vagner Love scored as Flamengo won their derby 1-0 over Vasco and Santos defeated Corinthians 3-2 in their derby with Andre Felipe scoring twice.

[Alexao]

Vagner Love has been playing pretty well for Flamengo and it always is pleasurable beating Vasco, even more so when they are near the league leaders. Flamengo went out and signed Adriano to a pay as you play contract. I am against it as he has not proven he can stay fit and even now he won't be ready to play for another month but the club felt they don't have much to lose under the circumstances of the pay as you play contract. We'll see.

[Pepe]

Adriano won't see the field for awhile, Flamengo can hold on to their money a little longer!

Neymar with 2 goals as Santos beat Palmeiras 2-1. Thiago neves with both Fluminense goals as they won their clasico over Vasco. That is 2 clasicos lost in 2 weeks for Vasco.

[carioca]

Been on vacation so was not able to post here recently but I am back and ready to gte this thread going again!

Flamengo released striker Deivid, he has just not been productive and with Vagner Love and Leidson around the club just do not need him. Rumors are Deivid will end up at Coritiba, we shall see.

Atletico MG are still in 1st place and with a game in hand but Fluminense have been playing well and are only a point behind them. Flu are winning today and would at least temporarily take over 1st place. Fred is having a good season. Time I think for Mano Menezes to put him back on the national team.

Atletico MG visits Corinthians on Sunday in what should be quite a matchup. That and Inter x Flamengo look the pick of this weekend's matches.

Ronaldinho leaves Flamengo and starts playing well again! I guess getting paid on time and the lesser amount of night life in Belo Horizonte are having their effect on him! Look at this nice goal he scored last week in the 2x2 tie with city rivals Cruzeiro.

Last weekend was clasico day in Brasil, apart from the tie in the Mineiro derby, Sao Paulo beat Corinthians 2x1, with 2 goals by Luis Fabiano, Santos beat Palmeiras 3x0 in the other Paulista derby, Gremio, having a good season, beat Internaciobal 1x0 in their derby, Flamengo and Botafogo played out a 0x0 draw while Fluminense, as Pepe wrote above, beat Vasco 2x1 in their clasico.

[Pepe]

Corinthians ended Atletico MG's unbeaten run with a 1-0 win. Fluminense only could draw with Figueirense this weekend so both clubs are tied for 1st with 44 points.

Diego Forlan scored 2 goals, his first since coming to Brasil as Internacional easily won over Flamengo 4-1. Forlan had looked rusty previously, let us see if these goals get him going.

[carioca]

Some typically crazy decisions in the Corinthians x Atletico MG match but I guess both clubs ended up being hurt by the decisions.

Flu were 2x0 up on bottom of the table Figueirense before they came back and forced that 2x2 tie.

Vasco ended their losing streak by defeating Portuguesa 2x0

Just a little past the halfway point this is the top of the table:

Atletico MG 44 points
Fluminense 44
Gremio 41
Vasco 38
Sao Paulo 34
Internacional 34
Cruzeiro 31
Botafogo 31
Corinthians 28

[Alexao]

Welcome back carioca, our poor Flemngo are now 20 points behind the leaders. Making it even worse the new leaders are Fluminense who beat Santos 3-1 last night in Rio, with 2 goals by Wellington. Combined with Atletico MG's draw the previous day, another one by the way for the slumping team, Flu, with a game more played, now are 2 points ahead of Atletico. But watch out for Gremio, 3rd place only 3 behind Fluminense as they have taken 13 out of the last 15 points in dispute!

[Alexao]

I guess it could be worse than Flamengo's current situation, look what is going on at Palmeiras. Already 30 points behind the leaders!

The international call ups caused problems for several teams, notably Internacional, Santos and Sao Paulo. Flu beat Inter with a Fred goal but 2 late goals by Bernard gave Atletico MG a 3x0 win over Palmeiras and kept Atletico on Fluminense's tail.

[carioca]

It is silly that league play continues during this week of international matches. Santos have really been hit hard by international games, especially the Olympics. No wonder they are so far off the leaders.