All things Pulisic (king of the hockey assist, master of the Hershey header).

Highlight reels can be misleading, but if you watch CP’s Bundesliga highlight reel you see many of the same characteristics we are seeing lately from him. He runs through every play all the way to the end, which produces a lot of poaching types of goals. He has always been amazing with the ball at his feet, especially in tight spaces (something frequently attributed to heavy Futsal play as a child). His speed is still there, of course. And the competitive fire and creativity has been a feature of his game for a long time. What takes time is learning how to fit in with teammates and a system, and to find teammates and a system that complements his skills. I have a suspicion that the arrival of faster, and faster thinking, players next year will help him produce even more magic, if he can stay healthy. I would like to see him improve his shot, and continue to add muscle, the latter of which seems like something he is already working on.

I too am optimistic about the improvement of the American player pool. I think some of the Pulisic cohort (McKennie, Adams, Reyna, Sargent) are coming into their own in the Bundesliga. I expect a few of them to be able to make the jump to EPL if they so desire. Among US soccer fans you already see a lot of Pulisic jerseys on their backs. But that sort of broader national fame requires some team success, including making the World Cup in the first place. Our national soccer Federation is, to put it lightly, a gigantic mess. The national team coach was a nepotistic hire, under-experienced with a slavish devotion to a system that isn’t working, which smacks of insecurity. He has not shown that he has the ability to manage this promising talent in a way that gets the most out of it.

Meanwhile, those of us who love the game can enjoy watching these young players do well in the top leagues. Obviously we have had a few decent performers in the league before, but never a featured performer at a top club. Watching Pulisic rise to a higher standard has been really enjoyable. Hopefully some of his countrymen can follow in his footsteps.

 

I think Pulisic is a great player and it cannot be underestimated where he is improving at Chelsea and that is he is scoring more goals. Making and creating abilities he has always had, but now he is finishing, scoring goals, that is a real 'game changer'. He has had an unlucky first season with injuries, but his goals to game ratio is where he is really proving himself right now. Pulisic scoring goals as well as creating, THAT is everything.

 

Worth noting here too but his goal contribution is an even bigger eye catcher.

 

One of the things I'm noticing with CP is that Frank is basically using him as a second striker most of the time. He's always willing to come deep and get the ball but when Willian, or Reece, or Dave are out wide Giroud and CP are almost always in the same position. I just find that interesting.

 

One thing I noticed yesterday is that CP just can't, or really won't, play possession to kill a game. It seems to not be in his DNA. At the end of the game yesterday I was screaming for him to take it to the corner flag and sit on it but he just couldn't.

 

Lamps would be the one making that call, not CP.

 

I get that, but it seemed the rest of the team was knocking it around and Pulisic was still running at defenders.

 

Hey, we have a direct player. I can deal with it. That's been our biggest issue for years (Hazard was too) but he was it. Now we get Timo who's the same. Really looking forward to the prospect of CP, Timo, Tammy, and CHO. All of them like to run at defenders (Tammy has a lot to improve on there).

 

I don’t see Tammy as a #1 CF.

 

Well the bad news here is that neither is Timo. He's a second striker. Next season it's Tammy or bust with Giroud and Timo filling in.

 

When Tammy becomes a better option than Giroud, then I guess so.

 

there is no way right now that tammy is #1 next season

watch the matches he hasn't put in an average performance since the stoppage and mostly looks terrible.

the days of the 9 being this big physical guy who holds up play are long gone.

 

Right now Giroud looks like a nice complement to all the attacking speed next year. But I wonder if ant true 9 will get on the field next year. And with such a porous defense, it may not matter.

 

I think Frank wants to play with Timo and somebody. Yesterday the offensive positions CP was taking looked like you could just change Tammy for Timo and that might have worked rather nicely.

Tammy is problematic for me, even though I do rate him. He is too young to lead the line for a team like CFC. His problems look to be technical. All I can see that he does really well is run above average speed, and he is world class at being offsides. Multiple passers messing up passes to him also makes me wonder if he is making the right runs.

I still think Tammy has a place in the side he is just too young to be the guy over a course of a season. Giroud is that trusted pro you put in to get a late goal if you need it, and can give him a run here and there when he hits a purple patch.

 

That's awesome. Pulisic should send him a signed jersey too

 

Thinking of buying a pulisic kit. Do you all think he remains at Stamford bridge for a long while

 

Yes. Yes he will.

I stopped buying player kits. I think I might be cursed. Although my Winston Bogarde top is a rare classic.

 

At least a couple of years

 

Christian Pulisic is ‘too good’ for Chelsea and is being ‘wasted’ under Frank Lampard, says soccer legend Alexi Lalas




https://metro.co.uk/2021/01/11/chri...claims-alexi-lalas-13883767/?ito=newsnow-feed

 

lmao

 

BREAKING NEWS: One-trick pony does trick

 

These so call "journalists" are not doing our Yanks any favor.

Does Chelsea supporters need more reason to hate on our Yank?