Nine months ago, America's greatest soccer player and the rising hope for the changing men's national team signed with historic club Chelsea for $73 million, making him the most expensive American of all time.
Several months later, Frank Lampard, a long-time player for Chelsea, was appointed as manager. With Pulisic joining the squad just a few weeks later, the future looked bright for the now 21-year-old. But with Lampard in charge, it has been anything but.
The Hersey, Penn. native has been criminally underused as the English coach has sparingly used his newcomer. As a right winger and attacking midfielder, Pulisic came into a squad knowing his competition would be Willian, Pedro and Callum Hudson-Odoi. The first two players are getting, in soccer terms, old, as Willian is 31 and Pedro is 32. Pulisic's speed and energy alone should be enough to have him as the choice over the other two. As for Hudson-Odoi, the fellow youngster, just 18, is a very skilled player and an individual most would expect to split time with the American. However, Hudson-Odoi has been battling an injury so Pulisic should be the starter more often that not. But he hasn't been.
Through eight Premier League games, Pulisic has appeared in just five and started in just three. In all competitive competitions, he has just seven appearances but leads the team in assists with four. Through these seven matches, he has tallied a total of 451 minutes, meaning he is creating a goal every 112 minutes.
Willian has notched six appearances and three starts this season for a total of 591 minutes, adding two goals and an assist. However, he is accounting for a goal just once every 197 minutes, or less than one every other game. Pedro, meanwhile, has six appearances and four starts and has tallied one goal. For a total of 389 minutes, his average is by far the lowest.
But Pulisic's can be seen through his several years as a professional player. While last year with Borrusia Dortmund he was often sidelined with injuries, he stilled was a substantial part of the second-place team. Through 1,379 minutes, Pulisic found the back of the net five times and assisted on another four, tallying an average of a goal or assist every 153 minutes. Since joining Dortmund as a professional in the 2015-16 season, he tallied 6,790 minutes and recorded 15 goals and 18 assists, an average of once every 205 minutes.
Even more so, Pulisic is now the focus of the US Men's National Team, the youngest captain ever for the side. With 26 appearances for the US since 2016, Pulisic has recorded 16 goals, including one Friday night, and five assists.
Lampard needs to trust his new and speedy American to help the club reach a Champions League spot because if he does not, the American could be headed to another club come January.