LONDON — Frank Lampard made it crystal clear as to why Christian Pulisic isn’t playing for Chelsea right now.
He isn’t quite ready to be a regular in the Premier League.
The USMNT star was an unused substitute for the third game running, as Chelsea lost 2-1 at home to Liverpool on Sunday.
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Asked by Pro Soccer Talk after the game if Pulisic was a victim of Chelsea suffering three injuries to players during their defeat to Liverpool, Lampard said that wasn’t the case at all.
“He wasn’t a victim of the injuries. I’ve got a squad to pick from. Before that he had played a few games,” Lampard said. “Willian has come back in and been sharp and looked good. I decided to go with Mason [Mount] today, because we needed to stay strong in midfield and play Mason high up the pitch. That is my choice to make. He will get ample opportunities. He is a young player as well as everyone is talking about Mason and Tammy and Fikayo. He is actually as young, if not younger, than some of them. His chances will come.”
There have been some suggestions in the British media this week that Pulisic has been described as being shy and has struggled to fit in and settle down since his move from Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea in the summer.
Asked if Pulisic was struggling with his new life in London, Lampard said he didn’t think that was the case and again pointed to other players, aside from Pulisic, deserving more minutes too.
“No, I can’t speak exactly for him, but no, that is not the case,” Lampard said. “I have to make choices. There is him sitting on the bench, Pedro sitting on the bench, Ross Barkley on the bench, Batshuayi, who deserves more minutes for the way he’s training at the minute. Those are the unfortunate choices I need to make.”
Right now, Pulisic is suffering from Chelsea switching formations and the likes of Willian and Pedro returning to fitness. Add in Callum Hudson-Odoi soon to return from injury and Pulisic could slip to being Chelsea’s fifth-choice winger.
Both Pedro and Willian received plenty of criticism for their performances in the midweek defeat to Valencia in the UEFA Champions League, and the fact Lampard didn’t just say ‘Pulisic would have played some time but was unlucky due to our injuries’ was quite telling.
It is far too early to say this is a problem for the U.S. men’s national team, but Pulisic’s decision to join Chelsea in January may be seen as a step back if he doesn’t soon secure regular minutes.
He started in the Super Cup final against Liverpool and had an assist, and he started in PL games against Leicester, Norwich and Sheffield United where his displays were a little timid as he too often took the easy option.
Lampard obviously rates him and pointed to Pulisic only turning 21 years old earlier this week, but it is clear he doesn’t rate him enough to start the Pennsylvania native over the likes of Mount, Willian and Pedro.
That is a big problem for Pulisic.
