Two wickets for veteran seamer puts hosts on top despite Abid Ali half-century

The Report by Valkerie Baynes13-Aug-2020James Anderson repaid England’s faith, doing all he could to demonstrate he was back in rhythm even if a rain-hampered opening day of the second Test against Pakistan was far more erratic.Anderson’s two wickets on a day when a heatwave-breaking storm allowed only 45.4 overs helped England close in a comfortable position after a frustrating start, caused by their own poor fielding rather than the weather.Anderson played the role of starved attack dog to perfection, snaring a wicket with his eighth ball of the match to remove Shan Masood for a seventh time in five Tests. Masood top-scored in a losing cause for Pakistan at Old Trafford, while Anderson had a torrid time with match figures of 1 for 97, which he said left him hungry for wickets to put things right.England believed Anderson, their veteran seamer who is now just eight away from claiming 600 career Test wickets, deserved every opportunity to do so and he was effectively the first name on the team sheet if Joe Root’s pre-match comments were anything to go by. He responded almost immediately with a curving inswinger that left Masood with no alternative but to lay bat on ball and, when he failed, he was out plumb lbw for just 1.A tough period for England ensued as the bowlers beat the outside edge several times for no reward and, worse, watched two chances go down in the slips cordon and another couple of near misses.With Pakistan having won the toss, opener Abid Ali received two lives, first on 1 when he was dropped by Dom Sibley at third slip off the bowling of Stuart Broad, and then on 21 when Rory Burns made a meal of a juggled catch at second.Sam Curran, in the side for a resting Jofra Archer but also to bolster England’s batting in the absence of Ben Stokes, almost had Azhar Ali out for 11 but the edge failed to carry to Root at first slip.James Anderson celebrates the wicket of Azhar Ali•Getty Images

After rain brought an early lunch, Anderson then lured Azhar, unbeaten on 20, into an extravagant drive, and appeared to find an edge for caught behind but England declined to review. When replays indicated a small spike on UltraEdge, it looked like another opportunity lost.Azhar and Abid put on 72 runs together but their luck finally ran out. Anderson broke through when Burns held on to an edge and Azhar departed for 20, extending a lean run for the Pakistan captain who has managed just one score of note – a century against Sri Lanka – in 17 innings since late December 2018.The storm that was expected to end southern England’s week-long swelter duly arrived and play was held up for 80 minutes with Abid stranded on 49. He brought up his fifty shortly after the resumption with an edge off Anderson that pierced the cordon and went for two.Curran removed Abid for 60 with an excellent ball that jagged away after shaping into the batsman and found a thick edge, again snapped up by Burns.As if to prove he was well and truly back, Anderson put his 38-year-old body on the line to stop Babar Azam’s drive off good mate Broad, diving to his left at mid-on. Broad bowled very well and and claimed his reward when he had Asad Shafiq caught low by a bending, relieved Sibley at third slip.Shafiq’s departure brought Fawad Alam to the crease for the first time in a Test since 2009. But his long-awaited return was so very short-lived when he fell for a four-ball duck, lbw to Chris Woakes via the DRS after umpire Richard Kettleborough gave him not out but Hawk-Eye showed that the ball, which pitched just on leg stump, was going on to strike the top of middle.Fewer than two overs followed with Azam not out 25 and Mohammad Rizwan on 4 when the rain returned and bad light ultimately brought about stumps with half the overs for the day bowled.

Newcastle United are still reeling from missing out on European football after Manchester United saved their season with victory in the FA Cup final over Manchester City, but there is plenty of reason to be optimistic on Tyneside.

With wealth and wherewithal spread throughout the club, Newcastle know that a shrewd summer of recruitment will place Eddie Howe's side back in a promising position, having endured an injury-ravaged season.

It's likely that a few sales will occur, with Bruno Guimaraes – who has a €115m (£100m) release clause – attracting interest from some of Europe's top outfits, but PIF have proven themselves savvy operators and an exciting replacement is already being lined up.

Newcastle eyeing Serie A star

According to Italian outlet Calcio Mercato, Newcastle are at the front of the race to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson this summer, with the 24-year-old playing a vital role in his side's Europa League triumph this season.

Gian Piero Gasperini's team are readying the defences as suitors circle for their prized assets, though Ederson – who is contracted until 2027 – will not be allowed to depart unless their €50m (£42m) valuation is met.

Should Guimaraes leave, the Magpies will have money to burn and Ederson's ball-recovering, tough-tackling style could make him the perfect man to succeed his countryman.

Why Ederson would thrive at Newcastle

Newcastle need to bolster a range of areas this summer, and while Howe's side appear to have missed out on Fulham centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo to Chelsea, Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly is reportedly closing on a move to Tyneside as he approaches the culmination of his South Coast contract.

But the work must not stop there, especially with these lingering rumours around Guimaraes' potential sale. If Howe is to lose his centrepiece, Atalanta's midfield star would be the perfect replacement.

"24-years-old, strong, well-built central midfielder. Strong on the ball, versatile, box-to-box." South American football expert Tim Vickery spoke with clarity and sincerity as he outlined Ederson's skill set, entering the discussion following Newcastle's initial interest back in January.

Ederson joined Atalanta from Serie A rivals Salernitana in July 2022 and has since amassed 90 appearances across all competitions, scoring eight goals and providing two assists.

He's invariably committed and tenacious but Ederson saved the magnum opus of his Atalanta career for the night of this season's Europa League final, producing a dominant display to destroy Bayer Leverkusen's record 51-game unbeaten streak and slice the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal title holders' hopes of cementing footballing immortality.

Minutes played

90'

Touches

59

Shots taken

2

Accurate passes

28/39 (72%)

Key passes

1

Long balls

5/12

Dribble attempts

2/2

Tackles

2

Clearances

2

Interceptions

2

Duels won

8/12

Journalist Carlo Garganese gushed over Ederson's display, hailing him as a "machine" in the middle, while 90min handed the 6 foot 1 titan a 9/10 match rating after he confirmed his acumen and then some.

Averaging 2.3 tackles, 4.8 successful duels and 5.2 ball recoveries per game in the Italian top flight, as per Sofascore, the £42k-per-week ace certainly has all the tools to succeed Guimaraes, should his compatriot find himself departing from St. James' Park this summer.

Guimaraes is one of the Premier League's leading midfielders, averaging 2.4 tackles, 7.7 successful duels and 6.4 recoveries per game in the division this term – and while Ederson would need to step up his game to fill in such a void, he does boast the right template.

Let's not forget that if this series of eventualities falls into play, the Toon will still have plenty of cash to put toward strengthening in other areas, and it might just see the club rise back to the forefront of the Premier League next season.

Newcastle could replace Guimaraes by signing £50m "Aldi Jude Bellingham"

He has 15 goals and assists in the Premier League this season…

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 1, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo encerrou sua participação no Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-17 no último sábado (31), após perder para o Flamengo na semifinal. Mesmo com a eliminação, o treinador Menta se mostrou contente com a participação do time, que ainda disputaa Copa do Brasil eo Campeonato Paulista na temporada.

RelacionadasSão PauloAlex fala sobre estreia do São Paulo no Paulista sub-20: ‘Melhor expectativa possível’São Paulo03/08/2021São PauloSão Paulo é o único clube no Brasil a medalhar desde a Olimpíada de 1996; veja os atletas e modalidadesSão Paulo03/08/2021São PauloSão Paulo tem interesse na contratação do atacante uruguaio Ignácio RamírezSão Paulo02/08/2021

CONFIRA A TABELA ATUALIZADA E SIMULE OS JOGOS DO BRASILEIRÃO DE 2021!

Segundo o treinador, os atletas demonstraram um postura muito boa, o que deve ser importante para a sequência de suas carreiras.

– Foi um campeonato difícil. Oscilamos em alguns momentos, mas isso é esperado no processo de formação. Acredito que, de modo geral, foi um saldo positivo. Penso que os meninos estão tendo experiência boa e de amadurecimento.Tenho certeza que os meninos estão mais preparados para o que vem pela frente. São atletas muito dedicados e creio que, para a sequência da temporada, teremos um elenco ainda mais forte – comentou Menta.

O elenco atual do Sub-17 do São Paulo conta com jogadores que já atuaram pelo Sub-20 e alguns que chegaram a treinar com o elenco principal, na Barra Funda. O atacante Marquinhos, por exemplo, atuava pelo Sub-17 e fevereiro e hoje joga pelo profissional do Tricolor.

– O São Paulo consegue ter muitos atletas surgindo para jogar na equipe principal e ter espaço no time de cima. Continuamos tendo um ótimo trabalho de formação. O mais importante é que esses garotos têm ambição de jogar no São Paulo – concluiu Menta.

O foco do São Paulo, agora, volta para a Copa do Brasil e para o Paulistão da categoria. No torneionacional, o Tricolor estreia contra o Grêmio Santo Antônio- MS, com a data e o horário do jogo a ser definido nos próximos dias. A estreia no estadual está marcada para o dia 28 de agosto, e o Tricolor enfrenta o Ituano, fora de casa.

When the UK’s transition period with European Union ends on December 31, Kolpak registrations will be voided

Matt Roller26-Aug-2020Cameron Delport, the globe-trotting top-order batsman, has declared his intention to play for South Africa in the 2021 T20 World Cup if he is unable to continue playing as a local in England.Delport has been a regular on the T20 franchise circuit throughout his career, and has used a UK ancestral visa to play as a non-overseas player in county cricket since 2016, when he signed a contract with Leicestershire.When the UK’s transition period with the European Union ends on December 31, Kolpak registrations will be voided, but Delport – and Dane Vilas, the Lancashire captain who also holds an ancestral visa through his wife Pippa – is unclear whether he will be able to fulfil the final year of his Essex deal next summer.He was also due to appear as a local player in the Hundred after picking up a £50,000 deal to play for Birmingham Phoenix in last year’s draft, before the tournament was postponed due to the covid-19 pandemic.”The situation is that there’s been no answer from the ECB, or anyone,” Delport told ESPNcricinfo. “I’ve tried with my agent to reach out to them, and we’re working with the PCA. There are two ways for it to play out: either I’ll see out the contract, or the other option is that I won’t be able to play as a local and I’ll have to be an overseas player.”I was really looking forward to the Hundred, too, where I would get to play as a local. It’s been a bit frustrating, because you want to plan for the future, but if I can’t play as a local then so be it: I’d definitely want to put my hat in for the Proteas because I’d be eligible for South Africa again. My first option is still to play in the UK, but we’ll have to see.”Delport also revealed that he has spoken to Graeme Smith, CSA’s director of cricket, and Mark Boucher, South Africa’s head coach, about his chances of a recall, and has been told to keep putting performances in around the world.”They said if I’m available, then I’ve still to score the runs, and I communicated to them that I don’t want an easy route in. I won the Mzansi Super League last year with Paarl Rocks, and I’ve been in the top run-scorers in it.”I think they do keep an eye on me playing in leagues, and I’m playing against international players – I haven’t gone and sat on the bench, I’m racking up the games and experience now. There’s been a few conversations, and we’ll see how they plan.”The policy in South Africa is that if guys do well in domestic cricket, they’ll get an opportunity. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen, but at least I’d know that when I do eventually retire that I’ve had a good crack at representing my country. I don’t want to hold any regrets on that.”Delport’s international ambitions would have seemed unlikely four years ago, when his domestic contract with the Dolphins franchise was not renewed due to what he labelled “administration problems”. He played in a triangular A-team series in 2015 and represented the Emerging Players side earlier in his career, but admitted he was never more than a “fringe player”.”It was one of my goals when I was a youngster, to play for the Proteas,” he said. “I had my opportunities in South Africa – I got contracted straight out of school in 2008 and played until 2016, but when I lost my Dolphins contract I pretty much had nothing to fall back on.”That led to the route of playing in all these leagues, being in the top run-scorers in them, and that’s definitely boosted my confidence. I’d definitely like to have a crack at it. I don’t want an easy way in: I need to score the runs and put my performances in. But with the T20 World Cup being delayed, why not have a good go and put some pressure on the current squad members?”

Manchester United are set to partner with an international architecture firm to develop plans to regenerate the area around Old Trafford.

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United appoint renowned architecture firmClub to revolutionise area around Old TraffordDecision on stadium still hasn't been madeWHAT HAPPENED?

The club aim to turn the district into a "world-class football destination" amid plans of either renovating Old Trafford or possibly building a new stadium. Earlier this year, United appointed Foster + Partners to lead a £50 million ($66m) project to modernise their Carrington Training Complex. Now, the same firm will be tasked with creating a "vibrant destination for visitors from Manchester, the UK and all around the world".

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United said in a statement that Old Trafford will not be part of the project as the club hierarchy continue to consider their options, but stressed that a "world-class stadium" will be at the heart of the masterplan.

WHAT UNITED SAID

"The focus will be to design a world-class football destination and home for Manchester United fans, coupled with a wider masterplan comprising mixed-use developments which will benefit the local community, attract new residents, increase job provision, and make it a vibrant destination for visitors from Manchester, the UK and all around the world," the club's announcement said.

"The exercise will include substantial engagement with fans, community members, local authorities and the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force, whose feedback and insights will be incorporated into the masterplan design."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR UNITED?

It has been reported that partial-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to have a decision made regarding Old Trafford by the end of the year. It emerged this week that United are open to demolishing their iconic ground and build a 100,000 capacity 'Wembley of the North' stadium, which would cost around £2 billion ($2.6bn).

Erik ten Hag says he will ease Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount back into the fold at Manchester United after both returned to training.

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• United play Crystal Palace this weekend
• Hojlund and Mount back in training
• Striker had hamstring issue, midfielder a muscle injury

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ten Hag insists he will tread carefully when it comes to the fitness of both Hojlund and Mount, despite their return to training. The striker has yet to play in a competitive fixture this season, having sustained a hamstring injury in pre-season. Mount played against Fulham and Brighton, but has missed the last two games with a muscle issue.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  United have endured a patchy start; they beat Fulham 1-0 to open their league campaign, but then lost to both Brighton and Liverpool. They returned to winning ways by beating Southampton at the weekend and Ten Hag says he will not rush the pair back.

• WHAT TEN HAG SAID

  Ten Hag told reporters: "It's very good news they are back on the pitch. They are back in team training.

  “We have to decide whether they are fit enough to start but it is very pleasing they are fit and back in the squad. We have so many games in this block to cover so very happy.

  “We have to make the final call. They did a couple of training (sessions). We have to see how they recover and then tomorrow we will make a final call.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  United play Palace this weekend. If Hojlund and Mount are left out, they could return against FC Twente in the Europa League next week.

Billy Stanlake and Daniel Worrall have become a rare BBL trade as they swap between the Strikers and Stars

Daniel Brettig and Andrew McGlashan08-Sep-2020

Jonny Bairstow is in talks with the Melbourne Stars to take at least some part in the BBL this season, pending England commitments, while fellow opener Jason Roy is also understood to be interested in joining the competition.On Monday, England team-mate Dawid Malan, who has continued his outstanding T20 form in the current series against Australia, confirmed he is looking at securing a deal.There is a chance that England players could be available for a significant part of the tournament with a proposed limited-overs tour to South Africa at the end of the year in considerable doubt due to Covid-19.With the contracting embargo having only recently been lifted there is set to be a busy period of clubs securing their overseas players with only Tom Banton (Brisbane Heat) and Tom Curran (Sydney Sixers) having existing contracts.Alex Hales is expected to get a new deal with the Sydney Thunder while the Hobart Hurricanes have previously spoken of their interest in having Jofra Archer return.”There has been some contact with one of the clubs,” Malan said. “That’s still ongoing at the moment so hopefully we can finish and finalise that soon and hopefully that can get announced. I don’t know if I’m allowed yet [to say which club], so I’ll sit on the fence with that one.”Last week England captain Eoin Morgan spoke of the Big Bash being an ideal opportunity for England players to get more experience given the state of flux in the international calendar due to Covid-19″The IPL is going ahead, and we have a long tour to India which actually frees up guys to play a full Big Bash and then potentially put their case forward to be selected in an IPL in the new year,” he said. “So, trying to expose them to a lot more white-ball cricket can accelerate their development as opposed to just sitting at home, not playing anything and wondering about what next summer will look like for us.”Amid concerns over the number of Australia players who will be needed for international hubs during the season there have been reports that there will be an increase in overseas players to allow clubs to field three in their XI while Cricket Australia may offer greater financial assistance to attract big names.Player movement between clubs has started since the embargo was lifted with Billy Stanlake and Daniel Worrall becoming the fourth trade in BBL history as they swapped clubs between the Adelaide Strikers and the Melbourne Stars.Stanlake had a poor campaign last season with just four wickets at 74.50 and an economy rate of 9.03. Worrall claimed eight wickets in 14 matches as the Stars reached the 2019-2020 final before falling to the Sixers.”It’s pleasing to see Billy sign for us, and we look forward to seeing him in action. We’re well underway in a number of our squad discussions, particularly as far as our international players go and we’ll be in a position to make announcements soon,” the Stars general manager Nick Cummins said.

Player of the Match Akeal Hosein took 3 for 14 to restrict Tallawahs to 107 for 7

Sreshth Shah08-Sep-2020On the back of a dominant performance with both bat and ball in the first CPL 2020 semi-final, Trinbago Knight Riders sealed a spot in the final for the fourth time after demolishing Jamaica Tallawahs by nine wickets in a one-sided contest.At the top, the Knight Riders’ two left-arm spinners – Akeal Hosein and Khary Pierre – shared five wickets to strangle Tallawahs’ in the first innings, restricting them to 107, while in the second innings Lendl Simmons (54* off 44) and Tion Webster (44 off 43*) shared an unbeaten 97-run stand to chase the target down with five overs to spare.Knight Riders now await the winner of the second semi-final between Guyana Amazon Warriors and St Lucia Zouks in the final.Spin twins dominateAs soon as Hosein, with his drifters from around the wicket, finished the game’s first over with a wicket maiden, the Tallawahs had an uphill task. Jermaine Blackwood was the first to go, bowled trying to slog Hosein, and the next over Pierre dismissed the season’s top scorer, Glenn Phillips, with a ball that held up long enough that the batsman’s cut popped into the hands of point.The score of 2 for 2 soon became 10 for 3 when pinch hitter Mujeeb ur Rahman – batting at No. 3 for the first time in his T20 career – was caught reverse sweeping at slip, and that became 25 for 4 when Asif Ali was caught off Hosein, his third wicket of the match. No. 4 Nkrumah Bonner (41) fought to resurrect the Tallawahs innings with No. 6 Rovman Powell in a 38-run partnership for the fifth wicket, but he was bowled by a Fawad Ahmed googly in the 12th over.That brought in Andre Russell, but his time in the crease lasted only five balls after he was incorrectly deemed caught at first slip when a Sunil Narine ball flew off the flap of his pad and the score was 68 for 6 in the 14th over. For the remainder of the innings, Tallawahs battled long enough to go past triple digits thanks to Powell who was out for 33 off Pierre in the 18th over, and the 20-ball resistance from Carlos Brathwaite, in which he got 13 runs, helping Tallawahs reach 107 for 7 courtesy a six off the last ball of the first innings.Simmons, Webster extinguish hopeThe chase began with Fidel Edwards’ first over leaking ten runs, but there was a small opening for Tallawahs to make a game out of the semi-final when Mujeeb rattled Narine’s stumps in the second over, but that hope was short lived.In pursuit of more wickets, Sandeep Lamichhane was expensive trying to attack, and after seeing off Veersammy Permaul, both Simmons and No. 3 Webster got runs easily. Neither batsmen offered a chance to the bowlers and once the target was in touching distance, they smashed Russell for 25 in two overs and Brathwaite for 14 off one over – including two boundaries – to seal the win with 30 balls to spare and give themselves a chance to win a fourth CPL title.

A fan has been permanently banned by Atletico Madrid for throwing projectiles at Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

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• Fiery Madrid derby ended in 1-1 draw
• Game suspended after Courtois hit by projectiles
• One fan identified and banned for life

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Courtois could be seen celebrating in front of the Atletico Madrid ultras when Eder Militao gave Real the lead in the derby on Sunday night. Soon after, the Belgian goalkeeper was pelted with projectiles from behind his goal, causing the match to be suspended. Since then, Atletico have identified and banned a fan who was involved in the violence.

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  WHAT ATLETICO MADRID SAID

  In a statement, Atletico Madrid said: "The club has made the decision to permanently expel the person identified yesterday by the police, in collaboration with our security department, involved in the throwing of objects during the derby. Our security department continues to work with the police to identify the rest of those involved in the throwing of objects, who will be permanently expelled as soon as they are identified."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Players are used to abuse being hurled at them in stadiums, especially away from home. But there is never an acceptable time or place to throw things at those on the pitch, even if they have turned around to taunt those supporting the other team.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Atletico Madrid have confirmed they will continue to work with police to identify any other supporters who were involved in the chaos. To add insult to injury, Courtois has now picked up an injury that could see him sidelined for Real Madrid's Champions League match against Lille this week.

GOAL US writers debate whether USMNT captain is world-class and speculate where he could play other than Milan

Christian Pulisic is in the form of his life. The USMNT's captain has been a crucial part of Milan's side, even as the Rossonieri have struggled their way through the early part of the season. And he's played hero for the USMNT, too, rescuing the national team in a 1-1 draw against New Zealand in September.

It's all led to conversation as to just how good Pulisic is – and how good he can be? Is the attacking midfielder world-class? Is he just on the precipice? Is he well-placed to carry the new-look USMNT to success under Mauricio Pochettino with a World Cup less than two years away?

Part of that assessment is placing Pulisic in context with peers around the global game. And one way to consider those comps is to project which other European teams would seek to add Pulisic to their squads, if the opportunity existed.

It's all hypothetical, of course, but it makes for a compelling conversation. Our GOAL US writers are up to the task, as they consider Pulisic's season so far, and debate which teams in Europe he could immediately start for, in this Christian Pulisic edition of… The Rondo.

Getty ImagesWhich teams does Pulisic immediately walk into?

Tom Hindle: Right lads, let's get it started, but ask it from the opposite direction. How many teams in the world does Captain America NOT walk into?

Jacob Schneider: In England, I think he would find himself in the starting XI in for every team except Liverpool and Chelsea. The world has a shortage of elite left wingers, and add in the fact he can move to the 10 or even RW if needed, and he's an instantly more attractive target for clubs. You'd take him over Jeremy Doku, but if it were down to Jack Grealish or Pulisic, I think Jack is more technically gifted.

At Arsenal, he's a clear upgrade over Gabriel Martinelli, who is perhaps the most overrated attacker in the Premier League. At Chelsea, he's an upgrade, but with their past, it's doubtful he would want to take the pitch there again. In Liverpool, he's not at the level of Luis Diaz or Mo Salah, and I don't think he fits as a 10 in their system.

In Spain, he starts for every team but Real Madrid. Rather scintillating to think of him opposite of Lamine Yamal with Lewandowski in the middle, in fact. In France, he probably starts for everyone. At PSG, they have Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele, but Pulisic brings a bit more consistency than Barcola at the moment – and he is definitely an upgrade over Lee Kang-In.

In Germany, I think he breaks into the roster for Bayern ahead of Serge Gnabry. Otherwise, I think he's a clear upgrade across the league for all teams, including Leverkusen and Dortmund. In Italy, yeah, he starts everywhere. It's a small list, sure, but he's in-form and at the moment I think most clubs would absolutely give him the runout.

TH: Behave.

JS: Sorry that Doku isn't actually good, Tom

TH: This is zero percent about the pacey Belgian boy.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportThe case for Pulisic at Man City

Ryan Tolmich: Realistically, there aren't many teams that couldn't use Pulisic right now, especially at the level he's playing at. He might just be the world's most in-form winger at the moment, which is saying something considering the stars in that position.

He wouldn't walk into the Real Madrid team, but few would. Other than that, though, are there many other clubs that couldn't use him? You'd take him over Doku at Manchester City. Liverpool are loaded in attack, but he's already being hailed as the potential Mohamed Salah replacement. PSG aren't PSG anymore, while Barcelona are… yeah. Bayern have a case with Gnabry and Leroy Sane, but you could argue either way.

If your club doesn't wear all white and win the Champions League every year, you'd probably be better with Pulisic in your squad.

TH: All fair points, Ryan. What I would say, though, is there's no way that with (clears throat) Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva, Doku, Grealish and, Kevin De Bruyne sometimes in wide positions that Pulisic even sniffs that XI.

For me, he doesn't get into: Liverpool, City, Arsenal, Madrid, Bayern, Leverkusen, Inter, PSG. As for the messy club in Catalonia, it depends your mood. For now, he does ahead of Raphinha, but it's close. If we're considering him a RW, that Lamine Yamal kid ain't bad. Stop playing football manager (looking at you, Alex Labidou). Whichever way you spin it, he's out of eight teams. Not sure there's much shame in that.

GettyWhy would he leave Milan?

Alex Labidou: Guys, there are really only about five clubs in the world where Pulisic wouldn’t serve as at least a rotational player: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, Arsenal, Bayern.

Now if the question extends to which teams could he NOT currently start for, the number of teams would extend to maybe three more: his former club Chelsea, PSG and Liverpool (unless the rumored Salah exit happens).

Here’s the question though: Why would he leave Milan? As long as the club doesn’t resort to cost cutting mode, he has a chance that few Americans get: A chance to become an icon at a major club in Europe. Milan are one of the top 10 clubs in the world. Unless Real Madrid or Barcelona comes knocking, and they are well stocked at his position, Milan seems like the ideal club to cement a legacy.

Just think, 14 years ago, American soccer fans were happy about Oguchi Onyewu just having the chance to be signed by the Rossoneri. Now, there’s a valid argument about if Milan are big enough for Pulisic. Shows how far American soccer players have come.

TH: Who’s Oguchi Onyewu?

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Getty ImagesThe Leverkusen question

JS: If you're telling me you're starting Martin Terrier over Pulisic I'm going to question every decision you've ever made RE: Leverkusen. And the context is literally that he is just better than Doku and Doku gets continuous starts. If we're looking at a simple player swap, he is better than Doku. At Arsenal, he is absolutely clear of Gabriel Martinelli. Leandro Trossard maybe gives him a run for his money every week or so, but he's still more reliable than him.

TH: AlejandroGrimaldo, Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz. Need I say more?

JS: Terrier has started (checks notes) four of their last five matches, including their UCL opener. Fun fact, he has as many goals as red cards this season (one). Grimaldo is a LWB, Frimpong is a RWB, Wirtz plays as the LCAM in their Christmas tree. Pulisic easily breaks into the RCAM slot beneath Victor Boniface and opposite Wirtz.