Christian Pulisic’s move to English Premier League side Chelsea was always going to be tough. However, the frustration is starting to build on the shoulders of the 21-year-old playmaker after failing to touch the field in four consecutive league matches.
Saturday’s 2-0 win for Chelsea over Brighton & Hove Albion saw Pulisic once again sit on the bench for Frank Lampard’s side and be an unused substitute. Despite registering an assist in the Blues’ 7-1 trouncing of Grimsby Town last Wednesday in the Carabao Cup, Pulisic was unable to parlay that into playing time in league play.
“Yeah, of course, it is very frustrating, but I will continue to work my hardest because I want to play,” Pulisic said in an interview with NBC Sports. “He [Lampard] just said keep working, and now I have to prove myself in training and try to get back in the line up.”
Pulisic has made six combined appearances for the Blues this season in all competitions, registering three assists. He came close to scoring his first goal for the club in Chelsea’s UEFA Super Cup defeat to Liverpool back in August and has been pushed aside by the likes of Mason Mount, Pedro, and Willian in the Blues attack.
After five years at Borussia Dortmund, Pulisic embarked on the new challenge of Chelsea and the EPL. The club is trying to get back to success not only domestically, but internationally in the UEFA Champions League. Despite the numerous talented players around him, Pulisic expected it to be a scrap for consistent minutes for the historic London club.
“The city is great, I’ve enjoyed it. It has been good but it has been a change. There are going to be challenges,” Pulisic said. “I knew it was going to be tough coming here. It is never going to be easy. I’ve got to grind it out. I want to be back and be a part of the team and help the team win games.
“I want to play as many minutes as I can, that is really my goal, I want to be on the field… It is tough for me right now. I just have to continue to learn. Like I said, I want to be on the field really bad, I have to continue to work and prove myself to be there. It is not going to be easy here, but it was never going to be easy.”
Pulisic’s next opportunity to see the field will be Chelsea’s trip to Lille on Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, before league matches against Southampton and Newcastle United.
he’s basically twice gotten caught in the ringer on coaching changes. he was promoted to BD first team under Bosz and Stoger. Favre then came in and halved his minutes. there is a lot of emphasis on Sancho but they both were in the same system and CP was initially favored, until the coach changed. then he pre-signed early with CFC under Sarri. Sarri left for Juve and he gets Lampard instead. Lampard brought Mount with him from Derby. the people mimicking Lampard’s critique are missing that Pulisic is not his guy and in some ways by saying he needs to be more ____x____ is just putting that lack of affection into words more so than motivating his pupil. the big club snobs seem oddly oblivious of how the winds can change at their teams and leave good players stuck unwanted. CP should ask for a loan or transfer out because a team further down the table wouldn’t take him for granted nor be able to reduce him to bench with a coaching switch. either that or he has to outlast the thus far mediocre lampard and come back into fashion with the next coach. but this is basically last year repeated and acting like he just needs to bear down is naive. if the coach liked him he’d be getting on the field more.
Working hard, persevering is naive you say, but… quitting after sitting a few matches in the midst of very credible competition is your sage advice? I’m very glad…. nearly every great talent that has ever graced the field hasn’t followed that path.
Pulisic definitely is good enough, has the talent. But…… he’s at a top club… full of others that are and do every bit as well. And the have the advantage of a head start with the city, the league, the club, the manager. The fierce day to day competition, inability to relax/rest on ones laurels will make him better. It is absolutely necessary to be world class. There are. holes in his game at this level. A need to be more ruthless, persistent throughout an entire game. A better defender. A little stronger physically. He’s very close. I’m glad he’s frustrated and ready to get to work. Get angry, work your tail end off and give the manager no choice. Welcome to the big time son.
Does anyone think that its an English Manager trying to develop an English prospect? Lampard probably wants to manage the English team one day, so why wouldn’t he develop English players and give them minutes over Pulisic?
Probably, but let’s be honest: the young English players at Chelsea have been a revelation this season. They are REALLY good. If Mason Mount was a US citizen, I’d be on the hype-train.
Anyone else think Pulisic needs to put on about 5-10 lbs. of muscle? Mason Mount, for instance, looks strong for a young kid. Willian’s lower-body strength is tremendous. Even Pedro, though short, bulked up when coming to England. Whenever Pulisic gets on the field, he looks like a boy playing against men and falls down a LOT. Just my two cents…
He’s just not good enough at the moment. Why can’t people accept this?
It is frustrating. Now what is he going to do about it? And like others have said, it’s only the beginning of the season. Chelsea has a massive schedule with the Premier League, Champions League, Cup games, etc….It’s up to him to make Lampard’s job tough to either play him or not. Pulisic wanted a chance at the Premier League, and now he’s in it. He needs to be at it 100% in practice, etc to make Lampard notice him.
Personally, I just think its a case of Lampard being new to the job. He’s going with players he’s either played with (Willian), coached last season (Mount), or seen in the Chelsea youth setup (Abraham and Tomori). I cant really fault him for that. Go with what you know. These young players always eventually hit a wall, around Christmas, and Pulisic’s time will come. Its then on him to seize the chance. If this is still happening come Valentine’s Day, then its a legit issue and he probably should seek a loan next summer. Klopp did this with Fabinho. Bought for about the same price, he basically sat on the bench his entire first season, only getting a handful of games. Now, he’s one of the first names on the team sheet in any big game.
food for thought…
the best American field player in EPL- ever- was Clint Dempsey.
.
when Clint Dempsey was Pulisic’s exact current age, he was a draft pick out of Furman University waiting for his first MLS season to start.
i’ll amend this to “most successful American field player in EPL”
because Stu might’ve been “better”, arguably.
and, incidentally, Stu was also making his pro debut right around CP’s current age.
Good perspective. But CP should be impatient.
I am going to assume there is a market for someone that sold for $75 million, so if it isn’t working out there, move on at the end of the year.
Now we are seeing the effects of the academies and the transfer market has on young US players trying to break through. Dortmond sold Pulisic to the highest bidder, earning a solid return on their investment. Unfortunately, Chelsea is a rich club, but is one of the least desirable clubs for grooming players like Pulisic. He was pushed out of Dortmond by a young MCFC loaner in Sancho, and is now being pushed down in the depth charts in Chelsea by academy players. For the foreseeable future, Pulisic is stuck, unless Chelsea makes some moves. Let’s hope this is a good warning for our other young players across the pond trying to gain a foothold and manage their careers.
Pulisic and his team chose Chelsea not Dortmund, BvB wanted keep him to use after they sell Sancho. Sancho was sold by Man City not loaned as well. Pulisic still controls his situation if he plays better he’ll get on the field.
People need to just calm down, its been what 8 games in total Chelsea have played? Did Pulisic, and US fans for that matter, think he would just walk into the starting lineup? This is life at a club like Chelsea, Christian just needs to put his head down and gwt to work because he has the talent to be in the top 11