Did Pulisic really have better xGI/90 numbers than Hazard last season? Was that counting only league matches, or ALL matches including National team games?
Dortmund was so poor at finishing Pulisic-created chances at times, some people thought it was a conspiracy and not merely the intersection of randomness and mediocre finishing ability. He created a lot of chances. If he can replicate that at Chelsea, and if the finishing is better, he’ll become extremely popular quite soon. But that’s a big ask.
I'm assuming Pulisic will, too. Why are people assuming that because he's a 10, he must be a CAM? Hazard played on the left. Messi plays on the left. Mbappe plays on the left etc. The "CAM" 10 is kind of a relic, really. I think CP will do well in this league; it's going to be a blast to watch him, frankly.
Puli came in @ 65', the Japanese club scored @ 86'. Comments on The Shed End are that he was "lively" although not exactly sharp, very active with plenty of touches. Drinkwater, Batshuayi, Kenedy not up to the job, Barkely did well. This from the fans' comments since I had no way to watch this one.
Saw bits and pieces as I was getting ready for work. Between the white jerseys, the new team and crappy stream on my cell I was having a hard time picking him out. The Japanese team had the better of the run of play and deserved their goal, while Chelsea didn't create many chances. Chelsea looked like it was a preseason game while the Japanese club looked in good form and cared a lot more about the outcome. Pulisic was on the left but playing more in the middle as opposed to on the touch line. From what I saw he looked OK, created a couple nice opportunities but took a few touches too many. One was a touch and spin toward the touchline to blow by the first defender as we saw a few times this summer, but then he dribbled into a group of defenders and lost the ball. The other was a nice run off of Giroud at the top of the box but ran out of space at the end line and his cross went out for a corner (which he took but played in too low and easily cleared).
The #24 may be provisional. https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation...uy-your-pulisic-no-24-chelsea-shirts-just-yet
We’re getting way off topic here folks. League comparison discussion thread is here: https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/the-containment-unit-the-ya-league-comparison-discussion.2011515/
Who's going to be the uber hipster fan boy and get the CP24 jersey just to say, when he changes his number to something more relevant, 'I was there back when, man. I was in Japan watching him play, man, you're just a poseur.'
No, he'll just raise the same questions every other player who plays in both leagues raise: 1. Maybe his style fits one league more 2. He's still developing, so his performance this season can't be compared to last season in isolation 3. He is now squarely in his team's plans as opposed to on his way out. 4. etc.
Not really. He had a debut season in the ruckrunde. Next season coach got fired and he was used at whatever empty hole the coach had in the lineup on the RB and did lots of tracking and defensive work, not his forte. And then he was on the way out.