Ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League match at Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow night, forward Christian Pulisic reflected on his time with manager Thomas Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund.
Now reunited in west London, the player-coach combination has plenty of history and chemistry. Tuchel gave Pulisic his first senior team chance, with a top flight club, at BVB and he’s got a lot of trust in what the 22-year-old can provide now at Stamford Bridge.
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Kickoff: Thursday, Feb. 4, 8 pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
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Pulisic came off the bench, to register his first assist in league play this season, helping Chelsea to a win over Burnley at the weekend. Perhaps he will have a larger role against Tottenham tomorrow/moving forward.
“It’s been good so far,” Pulisic said of the reunion with his former mentor.
“We’ve got a new outlook on things, we have had a really good win so it’s been a positive start. It’s been some crazy times recently and just to get a win left all the guys in the changing room really excited.”
“We have had a lot of fun in training and there are smiles on faces which is good to see.”
“I remember making my debut under him [Tuchel] and it was a really exciting time. I was playing in the youth team at Dortmund and then I got the call to say I was going to go up and train with the first team, and be a full first team member. It was really exciting. I had to fight my way into that team because it was a very strong team, and being a young player I had to work extra hard.”
Former manager Frank Lampard sometimes lined Pulisic up on the right flank, but it usually didn’t work out too well, as the American is a more natural left winger.
It appears Tuchel is keen on utilizing the face of the USMNT in more of a false striker or central role.
“The manager trusted in me and most importantly gave me chances to play, so I am grateful for that,” Pulisic continued.
“He definitely helped me as a young player and I only have good memories of that time. We had some success at Dortmund together, and it’s been good to see him again and work with him once more.”
Prediction: Chelsea 1, Tottenham 0
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.