Sensitive Christian Pulisic is still searching for goals, Brenden Aaronson wants to learn from his big miss, and Mathis Albert makes the breakthrough. It was a lively weekend for Americans in Europe.
Welcome to this week’s USMNT Player Tracker.
In a roundabout sort of way, Milan manager Max Allegri offered some reassurance to USMNT supporters this weekend when it comes to his struggling forward, Christian Pulisic.
As the star’s drought in front of goal continues — it is up to 16 games now, matching his only other similarly dry streak at Chelsea in 2022 — his manager added some sympathetic context. Pulisic, to an extent, is being sacrificed for the team by regularly playing as a striker.
He is ‘doing a job’ for Allegri in a position the manager admits will not eke the best from him, because Milan do not have a centre-forward he feels can start regularly in his 3-5-2 formation.
Christian Pulisic has now gone 16 games without a goal. (Marco Bertorello / AFP via Getty Images)
Thankfully, Mauricio Pochettino does not have that problem, given Ricardo Pepi was on target again for PSV at the weekend and Folarin Balogun is thriving at Monaco, so hopefully Pulisic’s life will be easier in a little over six weeks’ time when the World Cup begins.
“He is also someone who struggles more with the physicality of duels and the lack of a centre-forward, but I must try to give a balance to this team as we have an objective to achieve,” Allegri told DAZN after Milan’s goalless draw with Weston McKennie’s Juventus on Sunday.
“I realise he is not entirely suited to this. I had asked him to play centre-right tonight and Leao centre-left, so we were without a centre-forward. Rest assured, by the end of the season, Pulisic will have given his contribution.”
There was also an admission from the Milan boss that the lack of goals is having an impact on the American’s mood. “Christian is a very sensitive man and this drought is hitting him harder,” he added.
There’s little doubt that Pulisic’s partnership up front with Rafael Leao, with whom he has rowed at times this term, is not bringing the best from him. He did not create a chance for Milan on Sunday, and only touched the ball in the Juve area once.
Leao had better numbers and delivered a brighter display, but he has also gone six Serie A games without a goal as Milan’s league form faltered.
Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic have not always seen eye to eye on the pitch. (Marco Luzzani / Getty Images)
In the end, Pulisic was replaced by Niclas Fullkrug, a more conventional centre-forward.
In the opposition ranks, McKennie lasted the full game and was more involved in his side’s efforts. There was a worrying moment, though, when he went down and required treatment after an innocuous clash with Milan defender Fikayo Tomori.
Fortunately, the Texan recovered to play on.
The draw meant Milan remain third and Juve fourth, trailing them by three points, with both currently in the Champions League qualification spots.
Aaronson learns the hard way
Most people would not care to dwell on the opportunity that Brenden Aaronson spurned in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.
The USMNT midfielder had a chance to put Leeds ahead against Chelsea early in the game after making a clever run to go through one-on-one against Robert Sanchez.
His shot could not beat the Spanish goalkeeper, though, and eight minutes later, Chelsea scored what turned out to be the game’s only goal.
Afterwards, Aaronson said he had already made a point of watching his chance back. “To be honest, I thought it was a goal. I thought I couldn’t have done much better, but it was a great save… I think I’ve watched it back three times already. I always want to get better and see how I can get better with my finishing,” he told ESPN.
“I work on it a lot, so I will watch it back. I know in that moment in time I was confident, and I knew where I wanted to put it, and I put it in the right spot, but sometimes you have to put your hands up for the goalkeeper.”
Brenden Aaronson fires off his shot, only for Robert Sanchez to save. (Ben Stansall / AFP via Getty Images)
Aaronson’s attitude cannot be faulted, and the costly miss should not detract from a progressive season in the Premier League for the 25-year-old.
Former Leeds midfielder Simon Walton, speaking on BBC Radio Leeds, said he thinks the American could benefit from playing as a No 10 in a different formation.
“He’s got great energy, covers so much ground,” he said. “Unfortunately, physically, he just hasn’t got the capability to consistently impact games, and certainly not from wide areas.
“If he’s going to play anywhere, then he’s got to have two powerhouses behind him and stick him in the No 10 position where he can run forward.”
Albert makes his Bundesliga bow
There was a big step forward for 16-year-old Mathis Albert in the Bundesliga at the weekend.
He surpassed Gio Reyna as the youngest American to play in the German top flight when he debuted for Borussia Dortmund on Sunday.
Albert, who hails from Greenville, South Carolina, was introduced in the 88th minute of Dortmund’s win over Freiburg, aged 16 years, 11 months and 5 days. All eyes will now be on whether manager Niko Kovac gives the starlet more minutes between now and the end of the campaign.
Mathis Albert awaits his opportunity on the bench. (Ronny Hartmann / AFP via Getty Images)
Dortmund can only secure second place behind Champions Bayern Munich now, and Kovac also handed a full debut to gifted 18-year-old attacker Samuele Inácio in the 4-0 win over Freiburg.
Next up, they face Joe Scally and Gio Reyna’s Borussia Monchengladbach, before games against Frankfurt and Werder Bremen.
What’s coming up this week?
(All times ET)
It’s a big week for Chris Richards and his Crystal Palace team-mates, as they head into the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final against Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday.
Palace will have to put the disappointment of their 3-1 loss to Liverpool on Saturday behind them quickly, and focus on the dream of a second major trophy in as many seasons.
See how they get on during the away leg in Poland (3pm, Paramount +).
Chris Richards is hoping to secure a second major trophy in as many seasons for Crystal Palace. (Paul Ellis / AFP via Getty Images)
Then, three days later, Palace are in action again as they head back on the road to face Tyler Adams and Bournemouth (Sunday, 9am, Paramount +).
Also on Sunday, tune in to see whether Albert or Reyna — who came on for 19 minutes against Wolfsburg on Saturday — benefit from game-time as Dortmund face Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga (11:30am, ESPN+).
