Journalist Simon Phillips believes that Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic could be reinvented as a wing-back under new manager Graham Potter.
Pulisic, who will turn 24 this month, has started just one of Chelsea’s first seven fixtures this season but following the dismissal of Thomas Tuchel, he could be handed a more prominent role.
Pulisic appeared 71 times under the German manager but in the coach’s only full season at Stamford Bridge last year he made just 21 starts, playing from the off only 13 times in the Premier League.
Now with a change in the dugout USA manager Gregg Berhalter is hoping one of his players features more regularly saying (via 90min) he wasn’t “happy a guy lost his job” but if it meant more opportunity for Pulisic then it was a ‘positive’ and Phillips is of the impression that the American captain has the ability to thrive under the 47-year-old coach.
He told GIVEMESPORT: “Players like Jorginho are going to struggle. I think Ziyech is going to struggle getting in that team. I don’t really see where he fits.
“Pulisic is one to watch, I think, because he might be used as one of those attacking wing-backs. I think he might get some more game time if that is what Potter does.”
It perhaps must be said that under Tuchel, Pulisic found it difficult to keep himself fit and available and while he isn’t accustomed to playing in a wing-back capacity he does have the attributes to succeed in the new regime.
The USA captain ranks in the top 28% of his positional peers across Europe for blocks, clearances, aerials won and pressures per 90 minutes and considering Potter likes his players to interchange while on the field and has a preference for ‘energetic’ frontmen (Coaches’ Voice), it would appear that Pulisic may well receive the chance to show exactly what he can do, but staying injury free will be the key.
