Chelsea wing Christian Pulisic continues to be nagged by issues with his hamstring(s) says Chelsea manager Frank Lampard. The 22-year-old, a finalist for USA Male Soccer Player of the Year, scored his first league goal against Leeds United last weekend, but missed out on the midweek Champions League clash with Krasnodar.
Lampard said that Pulisic was fit enough to play, and could have been used, had the game circumstances been different.
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Kickoff: Sat. Dec 12, 8pm GMT, Goodison Park
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With Chelsea having already secured UCL knockout round passage, as group winners, there was no absolutely no reason to risk playing the most expensive American of all-time. Pulisic injured in hamstring on August 1, in the FA Cup final loss to Arsenal.
He suffered a relapse on Halloween, in warm-ups before the Burnley game.
“Christian Pulisic had a tiny bit of awareness off the back of the Leeds game with one of his hamstrings but he was training normally so we should be as we were [with players available to play Everton],” Lampard said.
“With Christian, it is a work in progress. I don’t want to call this an injury that he had in midweek. If the game had been a different type of game, it may have been one where I would have felt I would have used him.”
Earlier this season, Lampard revealed that the club has a special training program for Pulisic, a player who has unfortunately been very injury prone. Pulisic can be likened to NBA star Derrick Rose, oft-injured and typically because of the exciting, aggressive style with which they play the game.
Lampard praised the attacking midfielder’s potential while also admitting he has a challenge ahead of him in trying to keep Pulisic healthy and get the most out of him.
“We know his abilities, that’s very clear.
“He showed them when he came on against Leeds last week.
“I just have to find the right way to get the best out of him regularly and consistently.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.