If that's the case then CP should easily be able to make those runs after taking up those positions, and make himself available! A great run from smart positioning can make a pass that cuts defenses open easier to make. I didn't see the match until the end, I'm not defending CHO, I'm just saying. As opposed to what? Does he have the passing, vision, awareness to be a an elite playmaker? If he's not an elite dribbler, he's not an elite anything... that's not who he is, he's never been some great playmaker or goalscorer. And he's not going to quantum leap, he's not 17 anymore.
CHO looked good to me—effective and energetic and in control. CP and Chelsea haven’t been able to exploit the double teaming of CP when he has the ball. There are no overlapping runs on the outside to take a defender away, nor are there any runs that take advantage of the space vacated up by the defender who comes over to double-team Pulisic. I am assuming that that is something that Tuchel will fix. Frank never did. But without those kinds of runs, Pulisic is just not very effective with the ball in his feet because he is facing at least two defenders immediately every time.
we had a chance to see pulisic at top speed today but mason mount slowed down play instead of hitting the easiest through ball imaginable
Yeah, for all his energy and activity, he sometimes seems like he’s trying to play multiple positions at once.
CP didn't like the fact that he didn't send him through as well. He reacted to things today with a lot of frustration. The lack of winning a corner, a challenge that he made being called a foul, etc.
a lot of that lately. he is an emotional guy and i dont think it benefits his play. he is better off in cold impersonal terminator mode
I thought it was a lively sub's appearance. He's our most talented player I have no doubt about that. I expect he will start on the weekend and I imagine Chelsea will see an upturn of form going forward. I have no worries about Christian Pulisic's career trajectory or effectiveness as a top flight player.
My theory is Puli and others look less explosive because Lampard overworked them in training. I think the explosiveness returns.
1. Explosiveness will return. Proper (not over) training and rest will take care of that. 2. Chelsea still have a lot of work to do on combo play - they did better with shorter individual possession today - but you need the bang bang plus wall pass or three player combos to break down a Premier League defense - more effective training and tactics required.
Told you guys. Humans are creatures of habit, Puli is a RWB for Tom. We're going to have a lot of RWBs for Qatar.
LOL this thread is at least happy and upbeat. The tactical change was nice to see. Put Puli in Havertz' spot to start and it is a different game IMO. I think a midfield of Kova and Mount might get better results than Jorgi and Kova. TT is a tinkerer and he will find what works. I will be really disappointed if Puli plays RWB full time. I think the growing notion that Pulisic is a one trick pony, i.e. dribbler system/niche player is poppycock. He is doing his job just fine if he is drawing two or three defenders with every touch, it is up to a tactically astute coach to figure out how to position players to make you pay dearly for that. I think Thomas is up to that task. If Mount makes that through pass he spurned... I bet Mount wins TT, I just hope it is as one of the two deeper mids. Still too much standing. too much sideways passing and too slow of rotation, but that might take a minute to get coached out. CHO looked good. MOTM by default, but he at least was willing to take some chances and take somebody on and only real threats for CFC in the first 60 or so mins came from him.
Tuchel had some post match comments that he picked Pulisic off the bench because he knows that Pulisic can change the game from the bench but doesn’t know if others can. Not the best description if you want to see Pulisic regularly start.
That is a curious take. I suppose you could see that as a negative. I looked at like "we wanted to give him a chance to heal some and even though he did not start I called on him because I know he can turn a game on his next touch, everybody else, I couldn't say." Maybe the difference in perspectives between an optimistic PULI fanboi and some of the "voices of reason" among us? I don't like that he rates Jorgi so high, but if they play calmer more positionally sound football, Jorgi might not consistently get you beat. TT does have his guys, Castro was unexplainable. fortunately I think this team has enough if you just get it into the attack quickly they can produce goals.
Pulisic is not a good crosser of the ball. If TT has him penciled in as a WB he won't play much. Jorginho is horrible. I thought the game strategy was very boring and reminiscent of sarri-ball. Looked even more toothless in attack than under Lampard.
That’s not what I heard/read at all. He is saying, he knows what CP can do and is new to the team so he gave other players a chance since she has only been with the team for 2 days. He said CP was “amazing” and I fully anticipate him to be a starter going forward.
Mods - please rename the thread to "I'm Going to South West London & I'll Be Right Back: Pulisic at Chelsea".
Too bad Tuchel rates Jorginho...Again, Chelsea needs to play faster and take more risk passing the ball thru the middle....Jorginho slows down the match too much and tries hard not to make progressive passes..It's always sideways and backpasses with this guy. Kovacic was at least driving foward and progressing plays..Jorginho was just there to make worthless passes not leading to nothing.
I would love to see Pulisic play where Tuchel played Zayech and Harvert....a bit more centrally where he could receive the ball, turn and try to combine with the striker.
That’s not what I took away. I thought it was more like “unfair” that there’s so much competition. Regardless we will see in a few days. It is cool to see Tuchel speak in English. You get more of a grasp of the person. He seems like a huge soccer nerd, as billed. A bit of a weirdo even.