Can Christian Pulisic snap out of his funk in the USMNT’s must-win game vs. Honduras?

Something isn’t right with Christian Pulisic.

This isn’t social media gossip, or an outsider’s guess from beyond the walls of the U.S. men’s soccer team’s World Cup qualifying squad. Pulisic said it himself when he arrived at camp last week.

“There’s two sides of me — especially when people ask you how you are, sometimes there’s the soccer side and then there’s the person side,” he said. “The person side is even more important for me, and I’m doing all right in that sense. But yeah, it’s a lot sometimes.”

“It” is a reference to Pulisic’s turbulent club season at England’s Chelsea. In recent months, the Hershey native has played in the forward pair of a 3-5-2; as the farthest-forward attacker in a 3-4-3; as a more defensive right wing back; and in other parts of the field where the natural left winger isn’t best-suited.

A wide swath of the public in England and America expects Pulisic to just adapt to wherever he’s thrown in and be fine. But even the biggest global star in American men’s soccer history is a human being. When Pulisic arrived at national team camp last week, he shed his usual stoicism on camera and was quite introspective.

“It’s always, when I come to the national team, it’s, how are things at Chelsea? What’s this, what’s that?” he said. “And yeah, things are — it’s tough. It’s definitely played a lot on me, and mentally it’s been difficult at times. But I’m always very excited to come back with the national team and sort of step away. And get to enjoy playing with these guys, and get to just enjoying football in general.”

» READ MORE: How to watch Wednesday's Concacaf World Cup qualifiers

Those words naturally led to a widespread hope that this stretch of big national team games would invigorate him. Pulisic would play in his favored left wing position in a 4-3-3, surrounded by teammates including some of his best friends in Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie. The stage was set for him to star again, as he did in November’s World Cup qualifying win over Mexico and the early-summer Nations League final four.

Unfortunately, that invigoration has not happened this time. Though his pass completion has been fine — 17-of-17 vs. El Salvador and 23-of-28 vs. Canada — the passing totals are low. He has taken just four shots over the two games, one vs. El Salvador and three vs. Canada, even with a late-game move in the latter contest to a central attacking position to get him on the ball more.

Just as worrisome have been his performances in one-on-one duels, the sorts of moments where he often thrives and raises the energy level for everyone. Against El Salvador, he won just three duels and lost 10; against Canada, he won a mere two and lost 13.

Now comes the last game of this three-game set, against Honduras on Wednesday in St. Paul, Minn. — where the temperatures will be not just below freezing, but likely below zero for much of the nighttime kickoff (7:30, FS1, Univision 65, TUDN). Adams, the most important U.S. player as the central midfield linchpin, will be missing because of a right hamstring injury. So will centerback Chris Richards (right ankle), though he might not have played anyway.

It’s a must-win contest for the U.S., with Honduras in last place and potentially without a manager after being officially eliminated from contention on Sunday. The U.S. is in second, and could afford Sunday’s loss at Canada but needs to rebound with three points at home.

» READ MORE: Christian Pulisic helped make the USMNT’s Concacaf Nations League win an epic chapter in U.S.-Mexico rivalry

Every U.S. player will have pressure to deliver. But there’s no doubt that Pulisic will have more than others.

“He could maybe not do anything all game and then have one spark — he’s one of the players [who’s] very unpredictable to the opponents,” McKennie said. “Everyone’s going to have their opinions. Everyone’s going to say what they want to say. But you know, the team here and the staff, we all have his back, and we all just want to put him in the best position to succeed.”

There’s so much angst going around that U.S. soccer fans are starting to resemble Eagles fans. One day it’s Pulisic, the next it’s the weather, then Berhalter’s low-key demeanor, then something else. Plus, of course, the scars of the last five years.

But the mission remains simple. Win the two home games left, tomorrow and March 27 vs. Panama in Orlando, and the U.S. will clinch a World Cup berth. Everyone involved knows this, even if it’s sometimes hard to keep in focus.

“The pressure is there automatically, but I think we don’t really let it try and get to us,” McKennie said. “I think we just have one mindset, and we just want to enjoy the game and play as if we’re kids on the on the field back when we were younger, and just enjoy the game. I think that’s when we’re at our best.”

» READ MORE: Hope Solo finally makes it to the Hall of Fame, along with Clint Dempsey and Shannon Boxx

1. Canada, 6-0-4, 22 points

2. United States, 5-2-3, 18 points, +6 goal difference

3. Mexico, 5-2-3, 18 points, +5 goal difference

4. Panama, 5-3-2, 17 points

5. Costa Rica, 3-3-4, 13 points

6. El Salvador, 2-5-3, 9 points

7. Jamaica, 1-5-4, 7 points

8. Honduras, 0-7-3, 3 points