"The Devil cannot do without his quality": Christian Pulisic at AC Milan

Makes sense. A setup with Pulisic and/or Leao as forwards is decent in counterattack but not a setup to break down an organized defense.

 

Rafa and Puli have also been in and out of the lineup. But even when Pioli and Conceicao tried the 352 because of defensive issues Rafa just cannot play in a front 2. He is still dangerous in transition, but Rafa is weak in the air, cannot play with his back to goal, and he wants to be out left in space. It's one of the reasons I think Milan has to switch to the 343 once/if can find a reliable 9 (too many other players are better with the wing backs and back 3 to go to a back 4 IMO).

The other thing is, as I mentioned earlier, despite the assist today, Fofana cannot play in a 3 man midfield with Rabiot and Modric. Just falls apart too much in the final 3rd.

I actually think when you consider the changes to the roster and injuries, most Milan fans would have taken this season especially after last year. Defense is a lot better, Mike is back to his Scudetto form, and players developing. But man trying to force the ball to Rafa while playing the 352 causes long stretches of disaster.

 

Fofana is not good

 

He's fine in a double pivot. He cannot shoot worth a damn and falls apart in the final third, but I'd say he was a plus last year. But with Rabiot and Modric he needs to be better in the final third. It's why Jashari's leg break early in the year was such a drag as it was slower to integrate him after Brugge played hard ball. Though when Jashari has gotten in, I think is when the offense flows better.

 

Pulisic with a 7.7 on FutMob (tied for 3rd on the team behind Estupinan and Maignan). That more matches what I saw. He was quite influential both in the attack and in defense (covered more ground than anyone else by a decent margin). It seems like sometimes these “eye test” ratings forget plays that don’t end in goals. On another day, he could have had an assist or two. He got a huge ovation when he came off. He was quite good and looks to be at or nearly fully back to his pre-injury self. The goals and/or assists will come.

 

As I’ve been a follower of the Serie A for at least the last 35-40 years, I’ve never seen Italian publications give out 7.7's.

Maybe a 7 or an occasional 7.5 .

Hardly anyone ever receives an 8 , 9 and I've only seen a few 10's and those are mostly reversed for star players and the end of their careers and playing in their last game.

 

The 7.7 rating was from a statistical rating site, fotmob.com. He got an Italian 6 in the press.

 

Right, I was just noting that the statistical rating site has him far higher rated than the Italian publication falvo quoted. And I chalk that up to the human eye sometimes not giving full credit for lots of “could have been an assist” plus the defensive work. I personally think rating Pulisic as a 6 in that match is poor analysis (not shooting the messenger, as I appreciate falvo sharing it).

 

This really stuck out to me yesterday, Leao was dreadful with his back to goal vs Inter, and almost always makes the wrong decision when collecting the ball in that situation. He is so dangerous when facing goal and running forward

 

Got it.

 

Inter dropped points.

Can't overcome the draws though. Damn

 

Milan could have win the Scudetto if a few of those draws were wins!

 

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Nope

 

Dreadful performance from Milan. Pulisic was active but lacked impact.

Painful to watch.

 

Awful game man

 

Man What happened to Pulisic??

no goals since 2025 .....such a hot and cold player

 

Lazio-Milan 1-0, pagelle e tabellino: Isaksen incontenibile, Motta non fa rimpiangere Provedel, Leao delude, Estupinan rovina tutto dopo il derby | Goal.com Italia

VOTI MILAN (3-5-2): Maignan 6; Tomori 5.5 (57' Athekame 6), De Winter 5.5, Pavlovic 6; Saelemaekers 6 (84' Ricci sv), Fofana 5.5 (67' Nkunku 6), Modric 5.5, Jashari 5, Estupinan 4.5 (57' Bartesaghi 6); Pulisic 5.5, Leao 5 (67' Fullkrug 5.5). All. Allegri.

 

Hopefully this means he'll be ready to compensate for this lack or production come World Cup.

 

Combination of:

1. The injury and working his way back from that
2. A bit of unluckiness (some good keeper saves and some would-be assists that were flubbed)
3. A couple of big chances he just missed
4. Allegri not putting him in a position to succeed (same goes for Leao)

After watching him today, I'm not worried. Despite playing out of position and with no one to combine with, he was one of the few Milan players that was remotely threatening. He didn't put the team on his back and make 3 points out of nothing (which he's capable of doing), but he wasn't poor or off the pace by any stretch. He spent an ungodly amount of time in his own half defensively and to just get touches on the ball (he covered more ground than any other Milan player) and/or playing give and goes that never came back.

 

Gave and went … and never came back: Christian Pulisic at AC Milan

 

Somehow I don't believe this will age well.

 

Tim, as you know well, some people are givers, some people are receivers. Which is Christian do you think?

 

(P.S. how awesome would a Heated Rivalry style series in European football be!) I'm so there.

 

Effort unrewarded …