Assessing Christian Pulisic’s first season at Chelsea: How has it gone?

Finding fun ways to fill in your spare time is always worthwhile to keep boredom at bay. Soccer is a massive global sport, and high-octane English football certainly shows why that is the case. Chelsea is a big name in the Premier League, and the club has many followers in the West London area and beyond. One recent arrival who got many Chelsea fans excited was the emerging US superstar Christian Pulisic. 

This young player enjoyed a brilliant spell at Borussia Dortmund in Germany, which led to him being billed as the first potentially world-class soccer superstar to hail from America. His sparkling Bundesliga form earnt him his dream PL move as the Blues were looking for a top-level replacement for the outgoing Eden Hazard. 

That saw Chelsea sign Pulisic in 2019 for a staggering fee of £58m. Who would have bet on that amount being paid? Even the best USA online casinos wouldn’t have predicted that figure. Of course, such a big-money move to a top club in world football put a lot of weight onto Pulisic’s shoulders. But has his first season in West London gone as expected? 

It did not quite go as planned to begin with

It is fair to say that all Chelsea fans were keen to have a look at Pulisic when the Pennsylvania native first arrived in West London in January 2019. His speed, dribbling, quick feet, and attacking instincts all seemed to make him an ideal replacement for Hazard. To begin with, though, the start to his very first PL season did not go too well. 

The initial fly in the ointment was the fact that current manager Frank Lampard had not signed him. Pulisic was bought before Lampard was appointed and then loaned back to Dortmund before coming back over the summer to get ready for his debut PL season. It seemed to work against him initially, as Lampard often overlooked the player, and many thought that maybe the new coach did not rate him. 

Things start to get better for Pulisic

Many people were already beginning to write off the young American at this point and were wondering if his first season in the Chelsea blue shirt would be disappointing. An away game in October at Burnley was the breakthrough moment he needed to showcase his undoubted talent. Pulisic netted three goals in a 4-2 win and drew praise for his agility, shooting, and direct style of play. 

Pulisic then had an excellent run of form over the next few months. That period saw him score more goals and provide assists for others. His inclusion on the left-hand side of an attacking front three seemed to suit him, and coach Lampard could then see how to get the most from him. There is no doubt that it was here where he showed just what his pace and creativity could bring to the side. 

Injury and lockdown

Injuries are a part of professional sport, and Pulisic suffered one at the start of 2020. It ruled him out for a while; however, his importance to the team soon became apparent over that time as Chelsea saw a drop in form without his talents. On top of all that, Pulisic and Chelsea had the suspension of Premier League football until 17th June 2020 to contend with, due to the COVID-19 lockdown. 

No-one knew if the player would be fit to play, and on form, when the league started again – but he certainly was! He not only scored in each of the first two games back but also won a penalty for his side in a recent win over Watford. His scintillating performance in Chelsea’s recent 3-2 win over Crystal Palace also drew much praise. Many feel that the lockdown break helped him as he could get back to full fitness and also bulk up a little to cope with the physical side of the English game. If he carries on as he is for the remaining games, he will arguably be the main man in the Chelsea team.

Decent first season for Pulisic overall

While the Premier League still has games left to play, we have enough information to get an idea of how this American star has got on during his debut season at Chelsea. With 21 appearances, eight goals and two assists, the stats look promising. On the balance of things, you would have to say he has done pretty well. Although he had a rocky start and did not always play initially, he showed character to get into the team and then perform well when there. If he can keep up his recent form over a whole season, Chelsea could have a true global superstar on their hands.