"I’ve not seen that yet" - Thierry Henry tells Chelsea star what he must do to emulate Eden Hazard at the club
Premier League great Thierry Henry has urged Chelsea star Christian Pulisic to help the Blues break down defensive teams as Eden Hazard did at Stamford Bridge.
Pulisic found the back of the net for Thomas Tuchel's side against Lille in the Champions League on Tuesday. The 23-year-old's goal helped the European champions earn a 2-0 victory over the French club in the first leg of their Round of 16 tie.
Christian Pulisic with Chelsea’s second goal… 👏
N’Golo Kanté’s assist! 🤩 https://t.co/8NCA34igVi
Despite his contributions in the Champions League clash, the United States international has generally struggled to establish himself as a key player for Chelsea. Pulisic has managed just four goals and three assists from 22 games across all competitions for the Blues so far this season.
Henry is aware of the qualities that Pulisic possesses, but has stressed the need for him to improve his performances against defensive sides. The Arsenal legend is of the view that the forward can emulate former Chelsea star Hazard by helping the Blues against teams that deploy low blocks. He told CBS Sports [via The Mirror]:
"When I look at Pulisic and you see the clips, all of the clips [of his skills] are in transition. If you want to be big at this club, Eden Hazard could unlock something when the [opposing] team was low. And I haven’t seen that with him yet. He can do transitions, yes. But can he unlock it with a [Mohamed] Salah movement or, back in the day, Eden Hazard movement? I’ve not seen that yet."
Did Christian Pulisic hit the griddy?! 👀 https://t.co/71bvHyO02g
Three of Pulisic's goals this season have come in the Premier League. The 23-year-old, though, has only contributed one goal for the Blues in the English top flight since November. Meanwhile, Eden Hazard continues to struggle at Real Madrid and has even been linked with a shock return to Stanford Bridge.
How has Christian Pulisic fared for Chelsea
The Blues acquired Christien Pulisic's services from Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund for around £58 million in January 2019. He remained with the German club until the end of the 2018-19 season before moving to London.
Pulisic has since then made 99 appearances across all competitions for the Stamford Bridge outfit. The United States international has scored 21 goals and provided 17 assists in the process.
The 23-year-old forward has shown signs of his abilities several times for Chelsea. However, injuries have often marred his progress at the club.
It is worth noting that Thomas Tuchel has deployed Pulisic in a number of positions this season. The former Borussia Dortmund star has played as a winger, midfielder, false nine and wing-back this term.
Despite his struggles with Chelsea, Pulisic remains a vital part of the USMNT setup. With 45 caps for the national side to his name, scoring 18 times. Although his performances for his country have been excellent, Pulisic recently admitted that the burden of expectations on his shoulders have taken a toll on him.