Christian Pulisic arrived at Stamford Bridge just as Eden Hazard moved to Real Madrid. Chelsea’s arrival is intended to fill the post left by their best players. Pulisic plays in the same position as Hazard. From this, a comparison between the two is inevitable. Of course, comparisons with a Blues Legend like Hazard put a lot of pressure on a player as young as Pulisic. During his seven years at Chelsea, the Belgian forward has given his all. He was instrumental in the club’s success in winning two Premier Leagues, one FA Cup and two Europa Leagues in 2013 and 2019. He played 352 games scoring 110 goals and 92 assists.
Hazard’s contribution was even more vital towards the end of his career at Stamford Bridge. In the 2018/19 Premier League, the Blues even seemed too dependent on him. He scored 16 goals and 15 assists, directly contributing 49.2% of Chelsea’s goals in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Pulisic was only 20 years old when he moved to London. Previously, he had only played three seasons in the Dortmund senior team. Pulisic is gifted, obviously. However, moving to a new league with high expectations is certainly not a trivial challenge.
The situation was even more difficult for Pulisic because the club’s conditions were much different than when he agreed the contract. The Pennsylvania-born player was recruited in January 2019, but was loaned back to Dortmund to finish the 2018/19 season. At that time, the Chelsea coach was still Maurizio Sarri. The former Napoli coach is the one who wants Pulisic’s transfer. The player is seen as suitable to complete Sarri’s 4-3-3 scheme as he applied in Napoli first.
At the start of 2019/20, Sarri was replaced by Frank Lampard and Pulisic had to adjust to the new coach. He knew he would not take the role projected with the Italian coach. Pulisic also had difficulties during his early days at Chelsea. A number of impressive performances have marked his debut season under Lampard; including a hat-trick against Burnley and a brilliant performance when his team silenced Manchester City.
However, Pulisic found it difficult to appear consistent in the Lampard era. The abductor injury suffered in January 2020 further hampered his adaptation. On the other hand, there are concerns about the Pulisic mentality. This young man in the United States is quiet and tends to be shy. Has the player’s personality hindered his adaptation to the new club?
United States national team manager, Gregg Berhalter emphasized that Pulisic’s quiet character does not reflect his competitive mentality. The 47-year-old coach said the player had the mentality to compete at the highest level. “Some people mistake it for being shy and quiet. He has intensity. “It’s such an acute focus that, when he’s on the pitch, there’s a sharpness that you can see,” Berhalter told The Guardian.
Pulisic’s debut season was hampered by injuries and inconsistencies. However, if you look at the final result, the former Dortmund made a pretty good debut. He has scored nine goals and six assists in 25 Premier League matches in 2019/20. His goal record is only surpassed by Tammy Abraham. While the assist statistics are only inferior to Willian.
Pulisic’s work was again in the spotlight when Thomas Tuchel replaced Lampard at the end of January. Tuchel is the coach who gave him his debut in the Dortmund senior team. However, Tuchel apparently chose to be patient in handling Pulisic. The former Mainz 05 coach has often lowered him from the bench. In the Premier League, he only got full playing minutes when Chelsea faced Crystal Palace, April 10th, 2021.
Tuchel’s decision to leave Pulisic was questioned. However, the coach is adamant that Pulisic still has a place in his plans. “He’s an important player. He has the potential to be decisive from the bench as well as a rookie. Is it necessary to prove it first? Yes. My job and his job demands readiness. This is what you will face when you work at Chelsea,” said Tuchel.
Since the match against Crystal Palace, Pulisic has always played since the beginning of the match except in one match. Last week, he was among the players who were rested when the Blues silenced Fulham 2-0. The player also appeared convincing. In the first leg of the Champions League semi-final, Pulisic managed to score a goal that brought Chelsea to a draw against Real Madrid. His goal against Thibaut Courtouis showed his composure and technical qualities. Receiving the ball on the left side of the penalty box, Pulisic is in no rush to open a shot. Instead, he tried to dribble the ball past the goalkeeper and score a goal.
The latest win in their second leg against Real Madrid is Chelsea’s valuable asset ahead of facing Manchester City in the final. Tuchel’s men have the chance to win the Champions League since 2012. Pulisic, although still individually far from Hazard, has the potential to surpass his senior’s Champions League campaign. We will see how he can contribute to the team towards the end of the 2021-2022 season.
ASL
