It also depends on what you mean by "good" and "harder." We've seen enough of bottom EPL clubs up close and personal to know that they can make a sow's ear out of a silk purse with the best of them. It changes season to season and even week to week, but the top half of the top 4 leagues are generally in the same ballpark level-wise. If we just look at players we know really well who have played across 2 or 3 or 4 of the leagues, it's pretty clear that it's not very clear that one is "easier." More like different types of players thrive a bit more (or less) in the various leagues - and on various types of teams, even.
In "The Italian Job" by Vialli, he compares and contrasts managers from the UK and Italy. One of the things he talks about is the difference of how coaches talk about tactics. I'm guessing Pulisic is used to the English coaching style and has found Pioli to be a breath of fresh air.
Tho, TBF, Pulisic's only real British "manager" was Lampard (and Potter, I guess). Now, how much of the Chelsea behind the scenes "coaching" is done in a British style is a different question, but most of CP's club coaches have been non-Anglo.
English coaches are terrible. Which is why one still hasn't won the pl. Imagine a German manager never winning Bundesliga. Heck, a few italians have won pl including the gentleman ranieri
You can say the same about English players. When was the last time England won an International trophy? Once, in 1966 World Cup. Never won the Euro.
Was just about to say that. Not sure I give Scottish soccer much of a leg-up vs. English, but point well taken regardless.
In the past 25 years, by my count there have been 24 different managers (representing 14 different nations) who have finished top 3 in the Premier League. From what I call tell, the only English manager on that list is Bobby Robson, who led Newcastle to a 3rd place finish in 2003. Outside of that one season, all of the other managers to finish top 3 in that period were non-English. (There have been a few other English managers that have finished top 4, however, including Harry Redknapp, Eddie Howe, and the aforementioned Frank Lampard. And, obviously, Alex Ferguson has a lot of appearances on that list if you want to count UK managers from outside of England. Brendan Rodgers also has a single top 3 finish to his name.)
Apparently official starting XI for Milan, including half of everyone's face for some reason. Musah and/or Adli likely subs in the midfield, Chukwueze available to come in for Pulisic if/when desired.
Here's how we line up for tonight's first leg 📋#ACMASR #UEL #SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/rwv4P5TdY7— AC Milan (@acmilan) April 11, 2024 confirmed on their socials
Tough loss. Complete bunker from Roma after they scored. Puli and Reijnders tried but the rest of the attack was just poor. Can't believe Giroud missed that sitter. Would have liked to have seen Chuk on for RLC with Puli moving central. We might see that in the second leg to start.
A couple of good saves in the Roma net as well. Tapping Adli's chip off the bar is not easy. Theo could have hit one off the corner as well. Milan's shooting radar was for sure out of calibration today.
That ref had a howler. The early goal made the game state such that Pioli should have made some tactical adjustments. Maybe different personnel changes, but there is no getting around Milan are a diff team when Rafa isn't up for it. I know it is heresy to suggest that they might be better off cashing in on Rafa and spend some money in other places but I am borderline heretic in this regard. When he is not working to find the game when in possession then he is useless. I guess you leave him out there in the hope that he might have some spectacular moment and win it in the end, but I can't handle the in between parts very well. RLC...guy is an enigma to me...It doesn't appear that Pioli views him as an 8, but I don't like him much as a 10. Reindjers, well there might be reason he had clear sight of goal several times from thirty yards out...is was almost as fi Roma wanted him to take those shots....Not a bad strategy on the day. # goals in 30 games doesn't exactly strike fear into opposing teams. Pulisic nothing special, but put in a hard working shift. Needed some help.
Chelsea seems to be in a big mess heading into next season. Good thing Pulisic is out ot that sh*t hole. https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/co...evoh-chalobah-ian-maatsen/blt7d2c3ae021f813de
Jovan Kirovski coming over to take over Milan U23 team. Won't be long until we see a bunch of American kids in Milan's youth academy.
We’ll know soon, but the speculation is that Pioli will rotate heavily today at Sassuolo and save Pulisic (and others) for Roma on Thursday. “That means Milan will be able to call upon the likes of Tijjani Reijnders, Ismael Bennacer, Christian Pulisic, Olivier Giroud and Noah Okafor off the bench.” Predicted Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Sportiello; Florenzi, Kjaer, Thiaw, Theo; Musah, Adli; Chukwueze, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Jovic.