That bad penalty for the national team, which the keeper just didn't move to stop, gave him the feeling of the ball going into the net again. Bad short-term plans for long-term gains. That's what friendlies are for.
Just needs one more goal to match Werner's total for the Premier League season. In close to half the minutes as well.
Two excellent goals today, but was relatively quiet most of the games. He did not create much chances, except for that pass to Kai where Kai should have buried it. None of those dashing and threatening runs that we're used to. Hopefully this give him the confidence he needs to get back to the ball carrying and defense destroying player that he was.
I think the only things that didn't work for him today were two attempted switches to CHO that were a little short of the target. Great game. Perfect runs. Intelligent dribbling and passing. I believe all his shots were on target.
TT made it clear that the ball is supposed to go wide, then back in to the box to Pulisic. It worked like a charm today.
Christian Pulisic vs Crystal Palace-2 gols⚽️-78% accurate passes-21 accurate passes-4 chances created-100% shot accuracy 🎯-2 accurate long balls-6 duels won-4 tackles (MOST)-2 recoveries -4 key passes 🔑-FotMob stats-PULISIC TRAUMATIZING PALACE ONCE AGAIN 💙🔥🇺🇸🙌🏼 pic.twitter.com/RnspbFjJ1w— 𝙍𝙚𝙮 𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙝𝙤 🇵🇾🇲🇽💙 (@Rey_Blues30) April 10, 2021
But I think it is a general lack of vision and creativity rather than any sort of bias on Chilwell's part.
He didn't dribble through 11 guys today, but he was clean on the ball for one of the few times this season. I will take this version of Pulisic.
Kudos to Tuchel for being the first coach to step out of the haze and embrace the fact that Pulisic is most effective playing centrally. I hope we never again see a formation - for club or country - where Pulisic is pinned to the wing.
Mount was composed for sure - but MOTM is a joke. Pulisic was soooo dangerous today and made multiple great passes - on top of the two goals (the first one was beautiful and the second one was just being at the back post like he was supposed to) .... that pass to Havertz right wide open in the middle at the 12 meter line was picture perfect .. and Havertz blew it. Today is not about the dribbling - it was about being central and off the ball movement and insightful passing. I am sure it was not lost on Tuchel that Werner was not on the pitch today. Sad to see - but it is what it is - the team is much better right now with Timo on the bench. so a player that gets a brace in a 4 - 1 win is not MOTM ... pretty funny. but given the passing of Prince Phillip ... we just have to give the English press a pass this week.
He certainly was more central and forward than he often is, and had less real-estate in front of him. Chelski did a ton of knocking the ball around like a tidy 90's football club - in large part because they were up the entire game and could just play vests and cones until Palace decided they had to press. CP was really good today, in a somewhat different role that in most of the Chelski games I've paid attention to.
Mount was at least good, and part of the reason for their success. Again - he got a brace. If I had told you that as he limped off at the half seven days ago, you would have been thrilled.
He was defense destroying, a brace is by definition defense destroying. I get he wasn't making mazy dribbling runs, but that wasn't what he was tasked to do and it wasn't necessary. Today's front three is formidable. It is the speed with which they come at you when one of them gets the ball that is devastating, and it really takes two men, or an all world defender to consistently contain any one of them. i still think they have a Jorginho problem that is going to limit their CL journey this season although I think they make top 4, maybe even top 3.