Christian Pulisic is on the rise, and he’s just getting started for Chelsea

There is still much more to come from Pulisic.

Finally, after over a year at Stamford Bridge, we are truly seeing what Christian Pulisic has to offer.

After an uneasy start to his Chelsea career, he has burst onto the scene since the Premier League restart, making himself the first name on the teamsheet.

The 21-year-old has been electrifying for a couple of weeks now, with his combination of pace, skill and vision bamboozling defenders in every single match he has played.

In just five games, he has scored three goals and won two penalties for his side, most recently a fabulous goal against Crystal Palace on Tuesday, beating his opponent one-on-one and unleashing a venomous strike with his weak foot into the top corner.

Pulisic also scored a tremendous solo goal against Manchester City in a crucial game for Chelsea’s top-four hopes and prodded home the equalizer against Aston Villa on the half-volley.

His quick bursts of pace have also been explosive, drawing penalties against West Ham United and Watford by simply being too fast for his opposition, with quick turns forcing challenges.

All this is even more admirable when you consider that Pulisic had not played since January 1st when he was subbed on against Aston Villa, having suffered a tear in his abductor which kept him out for over three months.

He has fully recovered from this injury, and now looks a man reborn and very well-suited to the Premier League. He is virtually undroppable now, and he doesn’t look like stopping anytime soon.

But where was this Pulisic all season?

In truth, the main reason Pulisic did not have as great an impact as he’d have liked in the first part of the season was that he simply didn’t play much.

When he first got to Chelsea, he started a few games, but manager Frank Lampard was very careful to ease him into the team, giving him limited minutes throughout the season.

Then came his first breakthrough.

When Chelsea visited Burnley in October, Pulisic grabbed himself a perfect hat-trick, scoring with his right foot, his left foot, and his head to win the game for the Blues and take home the match ball.

That was the first moment he announced himself to the Premier League. He followed this up with consecutive goals in games against Watford and Crystal Palace, but then his performances dropped for a few games, before his injury.

At first, it was expected to be a minor injury and only keep him out for a couple of weeks, but as time went on, his expected return date continued to be prolonged, and it was ultimately a very uncomfortable injury which required a lot of rehabilitation.

During that time, Chelsea lost their grip on the top-four and gave sides like Man United and Wolves the opportunity to get closer and closer.

But Pulisic could do nothing about all that, as he was still in recovery, and his side missed him.

What Pulisic has done differently since the restart

The one main part of his game that has improved drastically is his confidence. He always had the skill, and he always had the pace (although he looks even faster now), but what he lacked were confidence and desire.

He has entirely changed this aspect of his play. He is now incredibly direct, and always looks to take people on. He puts the fear of God in defenders when he is running at them, and sometimes all they can do is foul him or let him breeze by.

Whenever he is driving at the backline, which he is doing with regularity now, it takes three or four players to stop him, by which time he will already have laid the ball off to someone else or taken a crack at goal himself.

While he is undoubtedly best when he is cutting inside off the left-wing onto his favored right foot, he showed against Palace that his weak foot is not so bad either, with his clinical strike unsavable by any keeper.

His understanding with the rest of the team, notably Willian, Olivier Giroud, and midfielder Mason Mount has also improved. The American constantly switches wings with Willian, popping up on the left and right to confuse opponents.

Since both players can play on either wing, they are a dangerous proposition to any defence, and Pulisic has led Chelsea to several key wins, the latest of which saw them overtake Leicester City in third place.

What is yet to come from Pulisic

The attacking trident of Pulisic, Willian and Giroud have been in top form since the restart, and the arrivals of Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner in the summer will shore up Lampard’s attacking options even more.

Giroud has already signed a contract extension, and on the face of Willian’s recent performances the club may want to keep him as well, so Pulisic will have some excellent partners in the attack.

The thought of him combining with the electric and clinical Werner, as well as the mesmeric, sensational Ziyech for years to come is a mouthwatering prospect for every Chelsea fan.

On top of that, Lampard is reportedly targeting Kai Havertz, another generational talent from Germany, and he could develop great chemistry with Pulisic as well.

With all due respect to Willian and Giroud, who are also excellent players, Ziyech and Werner are not only on another level, but they are also in their prime, which makes next season’s Chelsea side even more exciting.

Pulisic is not in his prime yet, at just 21, and the level he has reached recently for such a young age is outstanding, already drawing comparisons to Chelsea legend Eden Hazard.

Of course, he is not there yet, but if he keeps up his current form he could well emulate the man who led Chelsea to two Premier League titles.

Provided they fix their defence this summer, which is an absolute must, the Blues are on course to mount a title challenge next season.

While beating this current Liverpool side is a tall order, it is doable, and the youngster from Hershey, Pennsylvania could have a lot to do with it.

Ever since he joined Chelsea, he has had loads of potential, but now he is finally delivering on it, guiding his side to where they want to be.

With the right acquisitions in the summer and continued guidance from club legend Lampard, this young and exciting Chelsea squad, led by Pulisic, can achieve wonders next season and beyond.