CP did a big long interview on Call It What You Want this morning. I haven't listened to the whole thing, but a few major points: - had he participated in this window, he would've had around a week off of soccer heading into a World Cup year... - he asked to play in the two friendlies but was told by the coaching staff that they would prefer a single roster for the whole camp - some of the ex-players who have criticized him publicly have reached out privately and told him he's doing "the right thing". - he's had 13 club managers in his 10 year senior club career???
I had the same thought when he said it, but also, knowing what we know about other "big" media personalities, I can see it being somewhat true.
He's definitely still not getting "pain" killing injections from the Iran match. Milan said he had a chronic "hip flexor" issue. Yeah I bet. Afterall he didn't get hit in the balls, am I right? https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2g56n68l8I0
Worth noting that I definitely didn't post this shortly after listening to Clint's description with Rog of getting a php injection in his groin in order to play in Copa America. And I most certainly didn't have a nightmare where Landon, Tim, and Clint were holding Christian down in a Milanese restaurant until HeyDude popped up with a giant needle for a hip injection and Christian (might have) screamed.
Per Wikipedia, Jermaine Jones arrived at Blackburn in January, played in 15 games, earned 2 MOTM awards, and 8 YC.
Interesting. I still think Chuck can be a productive player somewhere, but he never found his feet at Milan, that's for sure. RLC is what he is. I sometimes think he's what Musah will be at 29.
I agree. Chuk can still be a useful sub, certainly not starter quality unless he improves significantly and consistently.
New-look Milan under Massimiliano Allegri with five new starters: Is Christian Pulisic’s spot in jeopardy?
this is a photo of me at San Siro Stadium, ️ i’m privileged to have had the opportunity to watch the Derby between AC Milan and Inter. in all, a wonderful experience. No problems at the stadium and everyone treated me well. I did park my rental carup on the sidewalk and was concerned, but everything was OK.
Nice. I went to the derby in '98 The amount of legends on the field was amazing. Saw both Ronaldo (original) and George Weah score in a 2-2 draw.
Allegri is going to run the players into the ground! Is 39 year old Luka Modric going to replace 27 yo CP as a disciplined, high-energy mid-fielder? That that article talks only about midfield (yeah, it's a little bit about CP's place on the team, but still) after a season where none of the top 3 scorers was a CF seems a little forest-y vs. tree-y. Saw a Leao to BM rumor in passing today as well and Guerra from Valencia to replace TR.
I'm the easiest target around. It is interesting that there's so little talk about need for a striker, however. If TR, Leao, Chuk, and Loftus and others go it's a very different team, but I'm not sure CP is the first guy you wonder about a starting position, although, obviously, everyone has to prove themselves every time..
I've seen plenty of rumors about Milan and Allegri wanting to re-unite with Vlahovic but Vlahovic making 12m and being almost double everyone on the team not named Leao is proving a road block. I would argue that Milan need to work on their defensive organization first and foremost. Even with the seemingly black hole up front, they scored the 4th most in the league.
Yeah, but with the way they have been organized for a few years now (which is mostly Theo and Leao being Theo and Leao) the plan has always been score the most (or second most) in the league. It will be a pretty wholesale change to become a "conventional" Italian team with actual defense. I agree, if they do do that, getting almost all your goals out of midfield *can* work, but Milan sold their 2nd highest scorer to Citeh, if Leao goes, that's #3... The reality is an overhaul that doesn't include a line-up of Theo and Leao is going to be a really different type of team so yeah, D is going to be able to improve, but it's really hard to excel in a league if all your goals are expected to come from midfielders and you've let 2/3 of that productive midfield go. It will be interesting to see. I'm a pretty casual observer of Serie A but due to Dest and CP I've watched a lot of Milan. I like the way they have played from an entertainment stand point - they attacked fast and in numbers out the blue every once in a while - but it's a really cowboy way to hope to be a dominant club in serie A over time. Very personality-dependent. Will be interesting to see what they look like next season.
As expected, Theo just about gone. https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_...heo-hernandez-nears-30m-move-al-hilal-sources
For sure, but Allegri is there now and tends to be on the cautious side as a manager and prefers balance. It looks like Theo is leaving and I'm sure Allegri wouldn't be too mad about that. Milan could be very well balanced with a solid LB behind Leao to make up for his "lack of workrate." Allegri will figure it out, it's what he is best at. Will it be exciting? Probably not, but it will be effective. I'm not sure at what level of "effective" it will end with.
Hard to predict impacts as well since allegri is typically pretty flexible formation-wise no? he will want to tighten up defense/midfield. I dont think pulisic is first place hes looking.
Agreed, Pulisic will be very valuable to him and a player he will be able to rely upon. I can't think of a formation that Allegri would play that Max wouldn't use CP10 as a first choice as things stand.
Just a week off heading into any year is a very bad idea but heading into a WC year is just silly. Doubly so for a guy who's had ongoing fitness issues in the past. He made the right call.
Modric deal announced, and also the Xhaka deal reported to be very close. If both are finalized that is significant reinforcements in the engine room for Milan, and a clear upgrade defensively and in possession over RLC, Musah, and Reijnders. You could see a 4-2-3-1 with Xhaka and Fofana or a 4-3-3 with Xhaka/Modric/Fofana. Milan still need a high quality central defender and a left back. And probably another loan striker. But the 4-3-3 in particular sounds really strong. At this stage, I would say Modric is more likely a spot starter/consistent sub though rather than 30+ starts a season guy. ESPN Story Link