CHRIS PULISIC! USA! COME ON BABY! COME ON BABY! 🇺🇸🇮🇹

“There’s a bit of similarity (to playing center-back). I’m just not used to the ball going over my head like that, so that was something that took a bit of getting used to, but I enjoyed it today.”

—Chris Richards, on getting a surprise start at central defensive midfielder, and how he felt in the new role.

Come On Chris Pulisic, Baby!

Christian Pulisic 🇮🇹 (25; Hershey, PA) scored his fifth goal in 12 appearances for Milan on Friday in their 3-1 win over Frosinone. And. What. A. Goal. It. Was.

Goalkeeper Mike Maignan went route one with a long ball over the top, and CP11 showed a first touch of the gods, forged in the grass and mud of Hershey, while shielding the ball from multiple onrushing defenders, before striking a perfectly weighted chip over the goalie that floated just beyond a backtracking defender and into the back of the net. A truly wonderful long-ball goal — one that put the Tony Pulis in Pulisic — which is best viewed in slow motion. Or with some bonkers Italian commentary. (“CHRIS PULISIC! USA! COME ON BABY! COME ON BABY!”)

Later, Puli would drop an IG video where he talks about haircuts and keychains. Life as a modern footballer.

New Position, Who Dis?

A move initially made out of necessity, Chris Richards 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (23; Birmingham, AL) has now made back-to-back starts for Crystal Palace as a defensive midfielder. The first in a 1-1 draw at West Ham, the second in a 2-0 loss at Bournemouth.

Despite getting just one point from the two games, Richards — who normally plays as a center back — played extremely well individually. He earned a 7.5 from Fotmob in the first match, including 11 duels won in 90 minutes of action. Then in the second he was a solid 7.0, including four passes into the final third, and 47 of 51 accurate passes overall.

He’s fast becoming a fan favorite at Selhurst Park, his efforts against the Hammers seeing supporters vote him Man of the Match. And per this article in The Athletic, Palace manager Roy Hodgson only had positive things to say about his performance afterwards.

🗣 “It seemed to us that he could play in that position, but it was an unknown. Luckily we took the chance because it went extremely well and he has added another string to his bow. He must be feeling pretty good about the fact he found out late he was going to play in a (new) position but did it very well.”

At this point he has only made three Premier League starts for Palace, but so many of them have been eye-catching. Onward, East Mamba.

More from England … Antonee Robinson 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (26; Liverpool, ENG) had another assist in Fulham’s loss to Liverpool (WATCH) — making him the first USMNT player to ever have assists in three straight Premier League matches — and was once again exceptional in the Cottagers’ 5-0 win over Forest on Wednesday ... Luca Koleosho 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (19; Norwalk, CT) scored his first-ever goal for Burnley in Saturday’s win over Sheffield United (WATCH) … Auston Trusty 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (25; Media, PA) got the start — his eighth straight — in Chris Wilder’s first match back as manager of Sheffield United. Always a positive for an American Abroad to get the nod under a new coach.

Pax It Up, Pax It In:

Paxten Aaronson 🇩🇪 (20; Medford, NJ) got his first career Bundesliga start in Eintracht Frankfurt’s 2-1 loss at FC Augsburg on Saturday. Young Pax was then an unused sub in Frankfurt’s 2-0 German Cup loss at third-tier Saarbrücken on Wednesday. Probably best that he didn’t have his name attached to that one.

Lennard Maloney 🇩🇪 (24; Berlin, GER) got an assist via a flicked header off a corner kick in Heidenheim’s 2-1 loss to Red Bull Leipzig. It was Maloney’s first goal contribution of the season … New Position, Who Dis II? Normally a right full back, Joe Scally 🇩🇪 (20; Lake Grove, NY) has started Borussia Monchengladbach’s last three matches — two wins and one loss — at right center back in a back three … Gio Reyna 🇩🇪 (21; Bedford, NY) has not gotten off the bench in Dortmund’s last two games. Whatever happened to those Milan transfer rumors, anyway? 🙃

Perfect 14 at PSV:

Not even the defending champs can slow PSV’s roll.

The Eindhoven club made it a perfect 14 wins from 14 matches to start the season after beating last season’s Eredivisie champs Feyenoord, 2-1 on Sunday, and at Stadion Feijenoord, no less. Sergiño Dest 🇳🇱 (23; Almere, NED) started and played all 90 minutes at left back, reveling in his attacking defender role. Malik Tillman 🇳🇱 (21; Nürnberg, GER) subbed on in the 63rd minute, and had an instant, game-changing impact on the match, his attacking mindset disrupting the energy of the game in PSV’s favor. Ricardo Pepi 🇳🇱 (20; El Paso, TX) did not play in the win, but this was likely due to unexpected subs being required of the league-leaders after two starters in midfield and defense had to come off early.

Elsewhere in the Netherlands, Zach Booth 🇳🇱 (19; Eden, UT) got his first league start for Volendam in their 5-0 loss to Zwolle … Zach’s big brother Taylor Booth 🇳🇱 (22; Eden, UT) was a late sub for Utrecht in their 1-1 draw with AZ Alkmaar. Djordje Mihailovic 🇳🇱 (25; Lemont, IL) was in the XI for the visitors, his second straight start for AZ.

News and Notes:

• Folarin Balogun 🇫🇷 (22; London, ENG) started and played 74 minutes in Monaco’s 2-0 win over Montpellier. Balo is now sitting on four goals and one assist in 11 Ligue 1 appearances for Monaco this season.

• Like Balogun and Yunus Musah before him, Valencia winger Declan Frith 🇪🇸 (21) is reportedly the latest England youth setup player being actively recruited by Gregg Berhalter. Latest word is the former Chelsea and Aston Villa academy player is applying for a U.S. passport through an American grandmother.

• Luca de la Torre 🇪🇸 (25; San Diego, CA) started and was subbed off in the 90th minute in Celta Vigo’s 1-1 draw with Cadiz. LDLT has now started Celta’s last two matches, both draws.

• Was it a shot? Or a pass? A shass? Ultimately, who cares. Gianluca Busio 🇮🇹 (21; Greensboro, NC) got the assist (WATCH) in Venezia’s 3-1 win over Ascoli, their fifth straight victory. Busio and Tanner Tessmann 🇮🇹 (22; Birmingham, AL) started in all five wins.

• Griffin Yow 🇧🇪 (21; Clifton, VA) had an assist in Westerlo 3-1 loss to Anderlecht. Yow now has two goals and two assists in six appearances for the Belgian club. Bryan Reynolds 🇧🇪 (22; Fort Worth, TX) played the full match in the defeat, which sent manager Jonas De Roeck packing. Hopefully the new boss views both Americans as favorably as De Roeck. 🤞

• According to Italian Ian Rapoport, Fabrizio Romano, after signing with Hajduk Split through 2027, Rokas Pukstas 🇭🇷 (19; Stillwater, OK) is already being tracked by outside clubs, including some in Germany.

Parting Shots:

Despite the father-son coaching duo’s best efforts, Bob Bradley and Michael Bradley were unable to keep Stabaek in the Norwegian top flight, as the suburban Oslo side suffered a loss at FK Haugesund that saw them fall into the relegation zone on the final day of the season. The elder Bradley has since been linked with a return to MLS with the New England Revolution. Wherever he — and possibly Michael — wind up, we’ll always applaud the efforts of American coaches who take on the tough challenges of coaching abroad in Europe. Here’s to the next chapter for both American soccer greats.