Graham Potter secured his first home league victory in one attempt thanks to Christian Pulisic's first goal for Chelsea at home since April. The American's lovely dink over Jose Sa gave the Blues the two-goal cushion they required but deserved against Wolves and permitted a second-half experiment and send-off ahead of a significant trip to the San Siro on Tuesday night.
The 24-year-early old's inclusion was cause for celebration in and of itself. In the nine games before to his start against Wolves, he had only made one start and had only played 160 league minutes this year. His 72 minutes at Stamford Bridge served as the foundation for his Chelsea career to take off again.
Pulisic needs to make an impression on Potter when given the chance despite having a goal and an assist in his last two games, one of which was a brief cameo against Crystal Palace. He didn't play in the Blues XI against Wolves but did in the midweek match against AC Milan.
Over the course of a year, during which Thomas Tuchel's support grew and his on-field performance deteriorated, his connection with the fans has grown strained. Although the winger has had a respectable performance throughout that time, particularly in light of his limited playing time and frequent use as a wingback, he hasn't reached the levels expected of a player with his potential.
The situation worsened after Tuchel was criticized for his leadership during the 2021 Champions League semifinal match against Real Madrid in a part of his book. Potter's appointment once more provided him with a free fresh start, but in reality, both sides are still hoping to relocate.
Unfortunately for Pulisic, who would benefit from a break from the spotlight as he attempts to let his performances on the field over the course of a taxing six-week period speak for themselves, American legend Eric Wynalda has made it clear how he feels about the way the country's star player has been treated.
The American legend Wynalda tweeted during the Wolves game: "For the record, I'm now catching on to the broadcast's blatant bias when it says that everything Pulisic does is "dreadfully horribly wrong." If an English player performs a comparable play, the reasoning is very different. Pretty amazing."
After Pulisic's goal, Chelsea rejoiced and a heavy burden was removed just under 45 minutes later. The USMNT star had a point to make after being chosen over Raheem Sterling, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Armando Broja.
Although his first 30 minutes were typical of Pulisic, it can be partially explained by a lack of match practice. He had a slow start, but as the game went on, he became more active from the left wing and tested Sa with a beautiful curling shot. Although his influence on the game increased, his final product lagged. However, that all changed in the second half when he scored a goal that has been compared to Eden Hazard.
Wynalda's remarks quickly became out of date as appreciation for Pulisic's response gained popularity on social media and in debate. Given that he had to step into Sterling's shoes, his ability to produce with a spectacular goal has impressed supporters who are still holding out hope that he will be able to routinely replicate some of the flashes from his early Chelsea career.
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