Pirlo

[sbrylski]

Have you guys seen this from Pirlo? "Too much running, too little play" in MLS... can't say I disagree. It's not exactly a beautiful style of play in MLS.
http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-soccer/story/2878287

Alternate headline: "European Star Comes to MLS to Play Professional Soccer, Complains About Having to Run."

Someone on Reddit replied best by stating this isn't necessarily an MLS v World problem, but an elite v mediocre problem. Do guys like Pirlo and Lampard not realize that they are signing for the equivalent of a Championship-level side, at best? You play your entire career for clubs like Chelsea or Juventus (good on you), and then sign for a much lesser team and shit on the country it happens to play in?

It's not even that I disagree with them. Of course the country has a long way to go in building out it's developmental pipelines. It's the tact. It's as if Pirlo had signed with Huddersfield Town, played a few games, then commented "wow, this league really lacks skill!" No shit, Andrea.

These comments don't need to come from you while you're an active player, especially while your team stinks. He's talking as if he's an outside observer - he's not, those are you current teammates you're talking about. Nice leadership.

I don't want ANY more signings that aren't going to mentally integrate themselves with the team and league. Villa has been excellent. I'm counting the days on Lampard and Pirlo.

 

[SteveV]

Alternate headline: "European Star Comes to MLS to Play Professional Soccer, Complains About Having to Run."

Someone on Reddit replied best by stating this isn't necessarily an MLS v World problem, but an elite v mediocre problem. Do guys like Pirlo and Lampard not realize that they are signing for the equivalent of a Championship-level side, at best? You play your entire career for clubs like Chelsea or Juventus (good on you), and then sign for a much lesser team and shit on the country it happens to play in?

It's not even that I disagree with them. Of course the country has a long way to go in building out it's developmental pipelines. It's the tact. It's as if Pirlo had signed with Huddersfield Town, played a few games, then commented "wow, this league really lacks skill!" No shit, Andrea.

These comments don't need to come from you while you're an active player, especially while your team stinks. He's talking as if he's an outside observer - he's not, those are you current teammates you're talking about. Nice leadership.

Eh, I think it's fine, and I'm reading his comments differently. He's specifically not blaming the players (seems like he tried to downplay that part... "What I'm talking about is actually a system or culture. I don't mean that the level of technical skills are low. I just mean there is a cultural void that needs to be filled." He's not shitting on the players, just commenting on the need to continue building a soccer culture and starting skills development earlier. Sounds like he's saying the players are athletic and technically capable, but the system isn't teaching them the right skills early enough.

 

[21Architect]

Have you guys seen this from Pirlo? "Too much running, too little play" in MLS... can't say I disagree. It's not exactly a beautiful style of play in MLS.
http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-soccer/story/2878287

I mean, Pirlo's right. It's not warm and fuzzy to read that but it's true.

There were probably 5-6 other MLS teams that Pirlo would be a much better fit on.

American youth training will improve the more that America accepts MLS and I think it's clear that is happening gradually.

 

[Futbolkicks]

NYCFC needs to stop signing OLD former stars (Pirlo/Lampard) get younger players it might cost more via transfer but you get players that can actually play. Pirlo was a great player but at 37 years of age he cant run with the younger players in MLS that don't care that his name is Pirlo.

Just watch the games and see how teams attack Pirlo they go right at him and he cant get around players any more and loses the balls more often than not, he can still give great passes when he is not under pressure but that is all he really gives you.

Still 100 times better signing than Lampard.

 

[Ulrich]

Alternate headline: "European Star Comes to MLS to Play Professional Soccer, Complains About Having to Run."

Someone on Reddit replied best by stating this isn't necessarily an MLS v World problem, but an elite v mediocre problem. Do guys like Pirlo and Lampard not realize that they are signing for the equivalent of a Championship-level side, at best? You play your entire career for clubs like Chelsea or Juventus (good on you), and then sign for a much lesser team and shit on the country it happens to play in?

It's not even that I disagree with them. Of course the country has a long way to go in building out it's developmental pipelines. It's the tact. It's as if Pirlo had signed with Huddersfield Town, played a few games, then commented "wow, this league really lacks skill!" No shit, Andrea.

These comments don't need to come from you while you're an active player, especially while your team stinks. He's talking as if he's an outside observer - he's not, those are you current teammates you're talking about. Nice leadership.

I don't want ANY more signings that aren't going to mentally integrate themselves with the team and league. Villa has been excellent. I'm counting the days on Lampard and Pirlo.

At first read, the article is a little damning and makes him look spoiled, but then I realized the website. ESPN has become the Sensational / Click-bait news site lately - everything they write has a biased stance to it that fits their agenda (driving content). I'd wager a large sum that Pirlo's comments were taken out of full context and creative editing took place for the article.

 

[Kjbert]

NYCFC needs to stop signing OLD former stars (Pirlo/Lampard) get younger players it might cost more via transfer but you get players that can actually play. Pirlo was a great player but at 37 years of age he cant run with the younger players in MLS that don't care that his name is Pirlo.

Just watch the games and see how teams attack Pirlo they go right at him and he cant get around players any more and loses the balls more often than not, he can still give great passes when he is not under pressure but that is all he really gives you.

Still 100 times better signing than Lampard.

You miss the entire issue about paying a transfer fee. MLS needs to approve the fee, the player needs to want to come to MLS and there needs to be an appetite for their salary here.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Brian Dunseth weighs in on Instant Replay.

• Sam should have seen Red for the tackle on Pirlo.
• TMac may have seen Red for his tackle on Dax had it occurred early in the season.
• Brillant getting pulled down in the box was not a penalty as both players were initiating.
• The Yellow Card for fouling Mendoza was appropriate due to the covering center back.

He did not mention the Sam choke of Lopez, although in looking at a different game he mentioned that hands around the throat is automatically violent conduct that gets a Red Card.

No discussion of the offside calls or Pirlo's elbow to the head.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/...been-sent-vs-nyc-instant-replay?autoplay=true

 

[Ulrich]

Brian Dunseth weighs in on Instant Replay.

• Sam should have seen Red for the tackle on Pirlo.
• TMac may have seen Red for his tackle on Dax had it occurred early in the season.
• Brillant getting pulled down in the box was not a penalty as both players were initiating.
• The Yellow Card for fouling Mendoza was appropriate due to the covering center back.

He did not mention the Sam choke of Lopez, although in looking at a different game he mentioned that hands around the throat is automatically violent conduct that gets a Red Card.

No discussion of the offside calls or Pirlo's elbow to the head.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/...been-sent-vs-nyc-instant-replay?autoplay=true

He's wrong about the Brillant tackle. Brillant didn't have his hands on him and by definition only one person can initiate contact... Unless playing paddy-cake. Dunseth is an idiot and reading from a script

 

[Futbolkicks]

You miss the entire issue about paying a transfer fee. MLS needs to approve the fee, the player needs to want to come to MLS and there needs to be an appetite for their salary here.

Did not miss the point stay away from OLD players, there are plenty of younger players that want to play here , if you find a player you want get MLS to approve the fee. bottom line is get players that can play here not old players that are way past their prime like lampard and pirlo.

 

[canchon]

Brian Dunseth weighs in on Instant Replay.

• Sam should have seen Red for the tackle on Pirlo.
• TMac may have seen Red for his tackle on Dax had it occurred early in the season.
• Brillant getting pulled down in the box was not a penalty as both players were initiating.
• The Yellow Card for fouling Mendoza was appropriate due to the covering center back.

He did not mention the Sam choke of Lopez, although in looking at a different game he mentioned that hands around the throat is automatically violent conduct that gets a Red Card.

No discussion of the offside calls or Pirlo's elbow to the head.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/...been-sent-vs-nyc-instant-replay?autoplay=true

Just watched the instant replay...and Dunseth is hit or miss.

-Pirlo tackle was red. All day. Just because Pirlo didn't sell it doesn't mean it wasn't. Also what the hell was Sam doing giving Pirlo a tap when he was on the ground? Come on.

-I didn't see the "tussling". Brilliant was in front of Collin running with his arms moving and Collin threw him down.

-The Dax call was a yellow, he tried to sell it into a red.

-Mendoza call was right. Even with the other defender.

So basically it should have been 1-1 with RBNY with 10 men if those calls are right.

 

[Ulrich]

Just watched the instant replay...and Dunseth is hit or miss.

-Pirlo tackle was red. All day. Just because Pirlo didn't sell it doesn't mean it wasn't. Also what the hell was Sam doing giving Pirlo a tap when he was on the ground? Come on.

-I didn't see the "tussling". Brilliant was in front of Collin running with his arms moving and Collin threw him down.

-The Dax call was a yellow, he tried to sell it into a red.

-Mendoza call was right. Even with the other defender.

So basically it should have been 1-1 with RBNJ with 10 men if those calls are right.

And who knows... If Sam had been sent off for Pirlo's tackle, then RB would've had next-man-up to choke Mata... That pretty much was their script.

 

[Ulrich]

Just watched the instant replay...and Dunseth is hit or miss.

-Pirlo tackle was red. All day. Just because Pirlo didn't sell it doesn't mean it wasn't. Also what the hell was Sam doing giving Pirlo a tap when he was on the ground? Come on.

-I didn't see the "tussling". Brilliant was in front of Collin running with his arms moving and Collin threw him down.

-The Dax call was a yellow, he tried to sell it into a red.

-Mendoza call was right. Even with the other defender.

So basically it should have been 1-1 with RBNJ with 10 men if those calls are right.

The Dunseth rationale was scripted by MLS because if the calls went according to your interpretation (which I agree with), then there'd be a lot more explaining to do for the refs, but as Dunseth called it, the non-calls were even-Steven. That's how MLS may want to leave it so it doesn't look like an injustice took place.

 

[canchon]

One other thing, it shows the melee right after the Dax tackle but conveniently cuts away before the hands to the face.

Hands to face = violent conduct = multiple game ban.

 

[21Architect]

The more I think about a red card not being issued for the Pirlo crush job, the higher my blood pressure gets.

TOTALLY changed the complexion of that match.

 

[ferrarinycfc]

Pirlo is right. Technically MLS isnt the greatest, but that comes with being a non soccer country.

I think its going to take time and a lot of resources, but its moving along as best it can.

 

[Kjbert]

Did not miss the point stay away from OLD players, there are plenty of younger players that want to play here , if you find a player you want get MLS to approve the fee. bottom line is get players that can play here not old players that are way past their prime like lampard and pirlo.

Name all of the young players with recognizable names that want to be here. Go

 

[NickA]

There's a very small percentage of young players with recognizable names that would come here. I think the best tactic is find that 25-29 year old riding the bench on an elite team and give him the opportunity. For the American player, the younger the better. The only position I would sign a veteran "older" DP is at GK or a target-man striker. Those roles tend to be more universal whether it's a crap league or a top league.

Pirlo wasn't out of line with his comments...he was asked about the differences and gave his honest opinion. A 12 year old would say the same things when comparing leagues...so it's not some shocking secret. If I was watching this team for the first time and had to watch Shelton dribble into people or Mendoza not be able to cross or Saunders in general or the way we play out of the back like kids or Lopez having no touch on the ball...the list goes on and on...I'd turn the game off. This isn't about watching good soccer...it's about being apart of something and hoping the league gets better. We have MLS and we try to make it work.

I watch all the leagues, but mainly watch Serie A. There are a ton of highly skilled young players in Serie A or B that maybe can't start for the big clubs there, but sure the hell would kill it here. Same thing with the other big leagues throughout the world. Those are the players to get.

We need to stop trying or pretending to be a top league and worry more about being a good league right now.

 

[JayH]

http://www.espnfc.com/italy/story/2...rom-italy-squad-due-to-mls-play-antonio-conte

Conte blames MLS for the snubs.

 

[NickA]

http://www.espnfc.com/italy/story/2...rom-italy-squad-due-to-mls-play-antonio-conte

Conte blames MLS for the snubs.

Idk. The thought process that MLS is the culprit is more of an issue than being left off in general.

Balotelli I understand the choice.

With Marchisio & Verratti out, I thought Pirlo had a chance...but both of them are excellent defenders and that is what needs to be replaced and that's not Pirlo's strength.

Giovinco is not there because Insigne will be a forward...but Giovinco is more of a forward than him and should have got the call. But...Insigne's skill is insane, so it's a tough call.

 

[Madz]

Have you guys seen this from Pirlo? "Too much running, too little play" in MLS... can't say I disagree. It's not exactly a beautiful style of play in MLS.
http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-soccer/story/2878287

Pirlo is correct. And that hit was at least a yellow card. The Referee was a disgrace, as are most of the refs in the MLS.
And Villa was not offside on the second call for sure, the 1st was close. The linesman was insane, insanely stupid. The MLS needs to have better Referees, and they need them ASAP.