I just noticed that the "next" match scheduled for Milan against Bologna Saturday 10/26 has been postponed. It seems that the people that run and those that constructed the stadium where it was to be played did not design it to handle heavy rain. It shows that some Italian fields are not as well designed as the fields in the Dominican Republic or Costa Rica where fields and the surrounding logistics hold up to almost unbelievable torrential downpours all the time. I guess the big money does not go toward any real field maintenance or support for logistics beyond the minimum to get people to lay out the big bucks for tickets. Football today is ONLY about making more money and I think there are other concerns. Of course this does mean that Pulisic gets a little extra rest to help in his load management. and that, to me, is not a bad thing but extra rest can actually cause injuries or a drop in play level or both.
Well flooding was a huge part of the postponement. https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/ne...an-pulisic-wont-play-this-weekend-in-serie-a/ And a large percentage of flooding is caused by something not handling the rain correctly. It may not be the stadium itself but something in the infrastructure sure has screwed the pooch. But "weird" is better defined by saying something is false without giving even a shot at the truth.
The pitch is fine. The club offered to play behind closed doors. The mayor postponed the match because the city is under water.
Milan Napoli, le PAGELLE della partita di Serie A | Sky Sport I SUBENTRATIO DEL MILAN DAL 62' PULISIC voto 6
Well Pulisic did not score today but he did get an assist, off a corner, and what I would call a secondary "hockey" assist off Milan's second goal. He was subbed fairly early but he had hustled the entire match and worked hard on both sides of the ball. I was quite impressed by Pulisic in this virtually must win match. The fact that it was away from home makes it even more impressive. One comment about Real Madrid: They have a number of great players but they also have lazy players up front. Late in the game I counted three players walking back and still offside when Real won the ball back at least twice and at least two of them were caught being lazy on several other occasions. Those players did not even hustle after the ball was won. It was a case of lazy costing Real Madrid any real chance at a comeback. Milan should send cards to those players thanking them for helping them to win the match.
Here is my best translation for the Real Madrid -Milan player ratings.... Real Madrid-Milan 1-3, pagelle e tabellino: è la notte di ... Pulisic 6,5 (70' Loftus-Cheek 6), Real Madrid-Milan, le pagelle di CM: Maignan super eroe ... Pulisic 7: disegna un arcobaleno che Thiaw trasforma nel gol del vantaggio. Sempre dentro la partita con intensità e qualità. Quando parte palla al piede per il Real Madrid sono dolori. (dal 25’ st. Loftus-Cheek 5,5: ha sui piedi la palla dell’1-4 ma centra Lunin) Pulisic 7: draws out a rainbow which Thiaw converts into the opening goal. Always into the game with intensity and quality. When the ball goes off for Real Madrid it's painful. (from the 25th minute Loftus-Cheek 5.5: he has the 1-4 ball on his feet but hits Lunin) Real Madrid-Milan 1-3, le pagelle - Champions League PULISIC voto 7,5
Yeah, it's a real problem. Saw the same thing with PSG when that had that absolutely stupid front line of theirs... As a very great man once said, "a football team is like a piano. You need eight men to carry it and three who can play the damn thing."
Yes, you need players filling roles. RM are trying to get Mbappe to play as a 9 and he just isn’t doing it. Tough to have a Vini and Mbappe on same starting 11.
Another stats peak after this window. Pulisic now at 33 goals has moved into 5th all time, comfortably passing Brian effing McBride. Now one behind Wynalda for 4th. Donovan 57 Dempsey 57 Altidore 42 Wynalda 34 Pulisic 33 Assists he's in 6th, but only one behind Claudio Reyna now. Donovan's assist record might be one that never gets broken. Seriously.......... Someone will break our goals record in my lifetime. Could be Pulisic if he stays healthy and keeps playing into his 30s. But Donovan's assist record may be untouchable. That could be one they're staring at 100 years from now. You can add Pulisic, Dempsey, and Claudio Reyna assists.................and get Donovan's total. 58.
Pulisic has 4 goals against Mexico if I counted correctly. Donovan had 6. Hopefully Pulisic can break that record (Remarkably, of Dempsey's 57, zero were against Mexico )
The 2nd goal was taken away from Pulisic and granted as an own goal. A decision that makes sense, because the replay angle suggests that Pulisic's strike was not on target.
Last time, at the moment of truth, Pulisic left the pitch crying. Let's hope the 2nd administration doesn't end in another US disaster.
At the moment the Pulisic thread is the most fitting place. He brought it here and nobody is obligated to look away.
I have strong opinions about politics and not in a direction friendly to who got elected. But, I also miss when things like sports could be a refuge from politics. I think one problem that plagues this country is how we have so very few places where we can get together and put things aside to work together and soccer was always one for me. I could play soccer with you regardless of language, regardless of financial status, regardless of any other belief. A ball and a field and we were equal and worked together. Now, politics imbues everything. I'm not going to dig into the politics of it all because I see no need to be part of that problem myself but it's sad to watch and I miss the days when sports were one of the few places people could come together and not have to get involved with all the messiness of regular life.
I 100% agree....at the same time this is basically what the political right in the US has been saying for about the last decade and were largely told to shut up because politics affect everything and athletes have a right to use their platforms too and they have a responsibility to speak out on social issues etc etc etc. I'm a Union fan and had to deal with Alejandro Bedoya, who I have tremendous respect for as both a player and a person, make political statements during a game that I vehemently disagree with. Most US soccer fans support gay pride uniforms and the women's team kneeling for the anthem even when representing the country and all the rest of it. I don't even go to MLS games any more because they've basically turned into Antifa rallies in most cities. Well, it works both ways. If you're (the general you, not you personally) applauding when athletes make political statements on the field that you agree with, don't whine when they make political statements on the field (if that's what Pulisic was doing) that you don't. Half the country overall supports Trump and an overwhelming majority of young men do, it's hardly some extreme beyond the pale position to hold. Pulisic has the same right to free speech Meghan Rapinoe does. I wish sports and politics had remained separate because the former is often a useful and unifying respite from the latter and it's good for our society to have that break, but the people complaining about Pulisic's celebration today are mostly the exact same people who've spent the last decade actively trying to intertwine them.....you're only reaping what you've sown.
I have the same thoughts about Christian Pulisic’s politics as I do Megan Rapinoe’s politics. They don’t impact my thoughts about the value they brought or are bringing to the field. I disagree with large swaths of what each believe, but as long as they produce(d) on the field I don’t particularly care.