Christian Pulisic

[Superblue 6,370]

1 hour ago, USATim said:

Guess you guys over the pond have a different definition of "starter" than us Yanks. Pulisic has a huge following over here. Tough to watch all of your games, see that he is one of your most dynamic players by far, and then see him either not starting or inactive. But we don't buy the injury bullshit. Just be honest.

Just so you're aware this is a Chelsea forum, not a Pulisic forum.

Clearly you are going to have a hugely biased view of him, but from my view as an unbiased Chelsea supporter he struggled in the first few weeks of the season which I think was fair enough as he's young and needs time to acclimatise to the league. Some would argue that keep playing him to push through this period is the best option but Lampard chose to pull him out and to be honest I think the rest did him some good. We had a lot of injuries at the start of the season and he never had a rest in the summer playing for his country. This clearly worked as when Lampard brought him back in he started looking much sharper and dynamic. He had a great run which coincided with the team's great form and was clearly an important player in that period.

He has been out of form though in the last month or so. He's not the only one, most of the team have been pretty poor in patches and our results speak volumes for that. He's also had a couple of knocks and niggles and so hasn't been starting every game. I think that's fully fair.

Bearing in mind also that our two best results in recent weeks against Spurs and Arsenal he hasn't played in either one. He's made a solid start to his Chelsea career and I personally believe he will develop into an excellent player for the club (it's easy to forget with the academy players we've brought through this year that he's of a similar age to them all). However, let's not get this twisted, he's nowhere near the finished article yet and doesn't command an automatic place in the starting XI like you seem to be expecting.

[USATim 20]

Tomo, seems when the team struggles, Pulisic becomes the fall guy. He is by far treated differently than the players who went through the academy. Even a novice to Chelsea football can see that. And it is surprising to me that Lampard keeps going to the injury line when Pulisic has flat out told the American media he is fine. I can tell you he isn't  happy with what's going on there regarding his minutes. Superblue, great points. Count me in as one who believes a player of his potential and explosiveness needs to be allowed to play through when the team struggles, not become the first guy benched and held out for three, four, five games. This would have been a perfect game to reestablish some confidence in him, if he truly is a "starter" as you guys are saying. We will see. And this is a Pulisic thread. Doesn't mean we all have to agree on how Lampard is using him this season. 

[NikkiCFC 7,952]

2 hours ago, Tomo said:

So he has to start unconditionally no matter what form he's in

That's how they do it in the NBA. 

[Superblue 6,370]

40 minutes ago, USATim said:

Tomo, seems when the team struggles, Pulisic becomes the fall guy. He is by far treated differently than the players who went through the academy. Even a novice to Chelsea football can see that. And it is surprising to me that Lampard keeps going to the injury line when Pulisic has flat out told the American media he is fine. I can tell you he isn't  happy with what's going on there regarding his minutes. Superblue, great points. Count me in as one who believes a player of his potential and explosiveness needs to be allowed to play through when the team struggles, not become the first guy benched and held out for three, four, five games. This would have been a perfect game to reestablish some confidence in him, if he truly is a "starter" as you guys are saying. We will see. And this is a Pulisic thread. Doesn't mean we all have to agree on how Lampard is using him this season. 

So on your philosophy we should also be playing Hudson Odoi through struggles because of his potential and explosiveness. 

This is football mate, you can only play 11 players and use 3 subs. This isn't NFL where players are regularly rotated in or out every down. 

Chelsea play a lot of games every season and on top of this the Premier League is the most physical and relentless of all the top leagues. In his position where there are 4 or 5 players vying for position (all of which are or have been internationals for major nations) there will be rotation. Pulisic isn't an Eden Hazard yet who earned a status of being pretty much undroppable. If you think he's in that bracket right now you're deluded. 

He also is used to an extended winter break in the German league not the ridiculous number of games you get here over Xmas. He's being managed fine, getting plenty of minutes and should keep developing as he gets older. 

Which is good for Chelsea and should also be good for you lot and increase your chances of beating the likes of Bermuda and Haiti. 

[Vesper 28,820]

9 hours ago, USATim said:

Constantly mind*^'is Pulisic. Dude gets screwed over more than any other player on Chelsea. Wish he had the balls to tell Lampard to screw himself, but that isn't his style.  Love to see him leave Chelsea and go someplace where he can develop as a player and not have to worry about the constant bs and mind games Lampard keeps playing with him.

lol at 'screwed over'

tell that to Giroud, see what he thinks about Pulisic's minutes compared to his, or better, his compared to Bat's

Lampard, like us all, has strengths and faults, but one thing I have not seen him do is play mind games

he is bloody straight up about most things

you want to see more yanks play with the big boys, then outlaw that viscous body and brain destroying thugball that is 'American football' and get those lads into real football

same for the shorter basketball players

you have the best athletes on the planet, but NO your country overall ridicules the biggest sport on the planet (partially because you cannot dominate it like you try to dominate with EVERYTHING)

you lot have 330 million people in your nation state

in descending order

my 3 nations of birth and then lineage (and citizenship) have

66 million (UK) (England 56m of that)

10.3 million (Sweden)

285,000 (Barbados)

2 of the 3 have great football histories, England more than Sweden, but twice we were the 2nd best team at the WC ('58 and '94 even though we got 3rd in 94 we were better than Italy that year) but lost out to great Brasilian teams both times (1958 WC was here in Stockholm and was the 17yo Pele coming out global party that made modern soccer, 1994 was actually in the US, but I was less than 2 years old then and in Hong Kong and we almost beat Brasil in the Semifinal)

 

and even little shite Bim almost beat the US the last time they played (and that was a WC qualifier so a competitive match) nil 1 was the final score, but Bim hit the post and also had a goal taken back for a marginal offsides

 

you have NO excuses to not have an insane national team other than your culture

you want it all, you want it huge, you want it violent, you want it fast, you want it NOW and you want it supersized.........

life and sports and all else

 

when I have been in the states (earned a post grad MBA in NYC and have visited a lot) and talk football, sooo many yanks say one thing over and over

BORING, (because there is not enough scoring so it isn't giving enough cheap-thrill plazzy rewards)

which is madness and goes right back to your cultural zeitgeist issues that you yourself are putting on parade by whinging on and demanding (and slurring arguably the greatest English MFer ever) all over a recently-turned 21yo kid who has been in the toughest football league on the PLANET for all of SIX MONTHS

 

[USATim 20]

Wow. Someone is a bit insecure. Why the attack on the US? Not my intent in talking about Pulisic.  Everyone know our best athletes don't play soccer in the US. They play basketball and American football. Those smaller and slower play soccer here. Just the way it is. But it is getting better. And I love soccer. It is my first love and passion.  The premiership does very well on American tv here, on every Saturday and Sunday mornings. Your league is the best in the world, and us Yanks acknowledge it. 

[USATim 20]

But we disagree on the way Lampard is handling Pulisic. Let's agree to disagree on this one. I think he has been the fall guy for the recent poor showings. And I think he is treated unfairly. You guys don't.  Your prerogative.  I will continue toroot Pulisic on and hope he can get back into the starting lineup. We will see what happens. 

[Jase 43,479]

50 minutes ago, USATim said:

But we disagree on the way Lampard is handling Pulisic. Let's agree to disagree on this one. I think he has been the fall guy for the recent poor showings. And I think he is treated unfairly. You guys don't.  Your prerogative.  I will continue toroot Pulisic on and hope he can get back into the starting lineup. We will see what happens. 

Unless you have inside info to dispute Lampard's comments on Pulisic picking up an injury before the Arsenal and Nottingham Forest games recently, I'm not sure how you could say he's been treated unfairly.

Pulisic started 12 consecutive games in all competitions from late October till mid-December, a run that I don't even think he managed at Dortmund. He did slow down a little at the end of that run of games and it's normal that his game times are being managed because he's still getting used to the intensity of games and playing so many games in England in quick succession and has never played during this period of the season before. Even Jorginho and Mount got dropped, benched or whatever you want to call it for a few games in November/December.

If you look at the games after those 12 starts, it's hardly something to sound the alarm. Pulisic was benched/rested against Spurs and also because Lampard went with a different system, played against Southampton albeit as a sub (although that's because of Lampard's tactical naivety from previous game but that's another debate). He then picked up a cramp to his hamstring and wasn't risked against Arsenal (a sign that he's likely still adjusting to playing so many games in England and training/playing at this time of the season) and was put straight back into the starting XI at Brighton once he recovered. I'm certain that he would have played/started against Nottingham Forest were it not for the injury he picked up in training before the game. 

[ZAPHOD2319 4,479]

I think Lampard has been more than fair with Pulisic. I have a handful of friends that are die hard EPL fans here in Georgia and they feel the same. CHO and Mount have had a hard time getting minutes too. I think the only reason Pulisic was out for the last match was injury. You earn a starting position.

[NikkiCFC 7,952]

8 hours ago, ZAPHOD2319 said:

and Mount have had a hard time getting minutes too. 

[ZAPHOD2319 4,479]

Mount has had more time than CHO, but I think Pulisic has more starts and more minutes. CHO and Mount are Chelsea Academy players. If Lampard was being unfair, he would not be choosing starters based on training and game production, he would be getting those Chelsea kids all the time he could. Mount knows Lampard from last year and Lampard still sits him.

[NikkiCFC 7,952]

22 minutes ago, ZAPHOD2319 said:

Mount has had more time than CHO, but I think Pulisic has more starts and more minutes. CHO and Mount are Chelsea Academy players. If Lampard was being unfair, he would not be choosing starters based on training and game production, he would be getting those Chelsea kids all the time he could. Mount knows Lampard from last year and Lampard still sits him.

I'm not commenting on this Pulisic debate just shocked me this 'and Mount have had a hard time getting minutes too'. You know no Chelsea outfield player have more minutes than Mount in the PL? Only Kepa played more of course. Actually Mount have more PL minutes than CHO and Pulisic together. 

Speaking of Pulisic he has more than 500 minutes in the PL without goal or assist so no surprise he got dropped a little bit. 

[ZAPHOD2319 4,479]

I didn't realize Mount was out there that much.

[Jase 43,479]

1 hour ago, NikkiCFC said:

I'm not commenting on this Pulisic debate just shocked me this 'and Mount have had a hard time getting minutes too'. You know no Chelsea outfield player have more minutes than Mount in the PL? Only Kepa played more of course. Actually Mount have more PL minutes than CHO and Pulisic together. 

Speaking of Pulisic he has more than 500 minutes in the PL without goal or assist so no surprise he got dropped a little bit. 

Is 'got dropped' even the right phrase to use? Sorry for being pedantic.  

In the 5 games since Pulisic's 12 consecutive starts, he was on the bench for Spurs and Southampton because Lampard went with the back 3 (came on in the latter after we switched back to a back 4), started at Brighton and was out against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest due to injury.

[NikkiCFC 7,952]

5 hours ago, Jason said:

Is 'got dropped' even the right phrase to use? Sorry for being pedantic.  

It's not that's why I added 'a little bit' 

[Jase 43,479]

Pulisic out for a few weeks with a tendon injury after picking it up in training pre-Nottingham Forest. FACK!

That means Pedro isn't going anywhere this month.

[Special Juan 27,429]

1 hour ago, Jason said:

Pulisic out for a few weeks with a tendon injury after picking it up in training pre-Nottingham Forest. FACK!

That means Pedro isn't going anywhere this month.

Depends if Lemar rumors are true, if so Pedro could still go if he comes in.

[Jase 43,479]

Lampard on Pulisic's injury...

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2020/01/10/frank-lampard-rules-trio-out--updates-on-january-speculation-and?_branch_match_id=744198548489059432

Quote

Christian is out for a few weeks. He was injured in training last Saturday before Nottingham Forest. It’s a tendon injury in the adductor so we’ll have to see how quickly he recovers because it’s quite a nasty injury and he was in pain when it happened.

It is a damaging miss because he is a good player and we need competition in wide areas and he was in good form for a period. And before Christmas he was telling me about tiredness, I was relying on him a lot in those games, and I was worried about injury.

That’s not just my own opinion, that’s when I speak with sports science and medical around that, and I have to make judgement on that which I made over Christmas. That’s why I was worried this injury may come.

I’m not a mind-reader or a psychic but it came. And it’s disappointing because he’s a very talented player who can make things happen. When you’re talking about home games where you want to score he’s one of those. But we also have other options in those areas and it’s time for other players to stand up for sure.

Guessing him starting 12 straight games - don't think he's managed that before - from October-December while still getting used to a new league, to games with higher intensity has kinda come and bit us on the arse...