Christian Pulisic is not a happy bunny.
Comments about Thomas Tuchel from his soon to be published book are very negative, and just from his body language alone over the last 6 months it’s been clear that he wants to leave Chelsea.
There did seem to be some interest in him earlier in the summer, but it petered out quite rapidly, and in the end it was Callum Hudson-Odoi from our wide options who departed.
Fabrizio Romano has some interesting insight into what happened. On his Youtube channel today he said that Newcastle were “obsessed” with Pulisic, and wanted him on loan with an option to buy.
"Newcastle were obsessed with Christian Pulisic. They wanted him, but they wanted him on loan and not on a permanent deal. They wanted him on loan, maybe with a buy option, not mandatory. And this is why Chelsea decided to say no.”
– @FabrizioRomano via @Chels_HQ
— Simon Phillips (@siphillipssport) September 21, 2022
Chelsea are eager to get rid of the USA winger, so they were only interested in a compulsory purchase option.
No wonder he’s upset. He may get another chance under Graham Potter, but competition is pretty hot, and unless he plays much better, he may well be looking at another move away next summer.
And why should he be happy??? (And why is SuperFrank referring to him as a “bunny?”)
We’ve just learned how the former manager broke faith with him even when he was playing well (in a Champions League semifinal no less!) and then the club stood in the way of him making a summer move to get the playing time he so badly desires ahead of the World Cup. So, who can blame him for being a bit peeved?
The fact of the matter is that Pulisic has never gotten the benefit of the doubt afforded to the likes of Werner and Havertz at Chelsea. Has he been inconsistent at times? Certainly, but so has been just about everybody else in our attack save Mount (and now Sterling). And yet the data show he’s been every bit as effective as the likes of Havertz on a per 90 mins basis—and that’s saying something when you consider how frequently Tuchel played Pulisic out of position!
[check out this Pulisic/Havertz comparison if you don’t believe me: https://twitter.com/sporty280/status/1559652810546974721%5D
Yet it was Pulisic who had to make way time again even when Werner couldn’t find the net for games on end, and again when Tuchel favored his countryman (Havertz) against Madrid and others. So, yeah, Pulisic has earned the right to be angry. He hasn’t been given the shots afforded his teammates despite similar performances. And if SuperFrank or and other Chelsea supporters want to begrudge him feeling hard done by the previous manager then they need to take a hard look in the mirror (because the numbers don’t lie).
Here we go again with SuperFrank hating on the American, lol.
First off, Pulisic has every right to be angry with a boss who broke faith with him and a club that then blocked his moving to a better situation ahead of a World Cup. Despite injury and repeatedly being played out of position, he’s continued to give his all on the field an received little to no thanks from the manager. On a per-90 min basis he has been every bit Kai Havertz’s equal (if not his better) and yet the manger (and increasingly supporters) label him as a flop. Take a look at these stats and tell me that’s not ridiculous: https://twitter.com/sporty280/status/1559652810546974721
But the ultimate insult here is SuperFrank arguing that some Pulisic’s “body language” has shown him being anything less than a professional. To imply his frustration with his situation has affected his willingness to give everything “for the badge” and his teammates is an insult.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, SuperFrank seems to have an axe to grind with Americans. He rarely covers either Pulisic or Boehly without letting his contempt seep through. Just once, I’d like to see him back his words with “the goods”—some sort of data—like a real football fan. Goodness knows, I’m tired of the critical blather lacking any real critical thought.
Lol! First comment didn’t immediately post, so wrote a second. Apologies for “spamming.” Wasnt my intent!
The manager wants to win. If he plays well he’d be on the field. He misses too many sitters.